Sunday Hunting in Pennsylvania?

The battle over whether or not to allow Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania continues.  A grassroots group has formed calling themselves Hunters United For Sunday Hunting (HUSH).  They have decided to take the fight all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  You can visit their web site at: http://www.huntsunday.com/  Below is a news blurb that just came out today.  Let me know your opinion about Sunday hunting?

Group Taking Sunday Hunting Battle to Pa. Supreme Court,  By Bob Frye

Published: Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The fight to bring Sunday hunting to Pennsylvania is not over yet.A grassroots sportsmen’s coalition called Hunters United for Sunday Hunting is preparing to take the battle to the courts rather than the legislature.The group expects to sign a contract with an attorney within a few weeks, with the intention of going to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court with its case no later than July.“We seek to re-establish hunting as a constitutional right and abolish the Sunday hunting ban at the same time,” said Kathy Davis of Speers in Washington County, one of the group’s volunteers. “That is our goal.The was also the goal of the National Rifle Association, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation and others last year when they put on a major push to convince state lawmakers to pass a bill that would have allowed the Pennsylvania Game Commission to decide if and when to include Sundays in hunting seasons. But the bill never even came up for a vote.That seemed to be the last chance for Sunday hunting advocates, at least for a while. But Hunters United for Sunday Hunting isn’t giving up.In fact, the group is optimistic long-standing law and some more recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions make this the perfect time to take on the Sunday hunting ban. The fight will be expensive, though.

The group estimates it will need $70,000 to $150,000 to wage a legal battle. It’s asking sportsmen to foot the bill. “We want this to be a grassroots movement, and we want every Joe Hunter who contributes to have as much say as the next, whether they contribute $5 or $500,”

Davis said. The group collected more than $7,000 in its first two weeks. That’s enough to get started, and Davis and her fellow volunteers hope the suit will succeed where proposed legislation failed.“Lawmakers had 25-plus years to act on this and they did not, so we’re going to take it out of their hands and go straight to the courts,” Davis said.

New Women Owning Woodlands Web Site

I'm pleased to share with you that there is now a new Women Owning Woodlands website up and running.  There are lots of resources for all forest landowners, but with a special focus on women who own or are active with forest lands.  Check it out!

Women Owning Woodlands
Welcome! On this website you’ll find accurate and timely information about managing your woods sustainably and with your goals in mind. Here are some tips for using the site.

You can search for posts that relate to a specific topic (say, taxes or improving wildlife habitat) by selecting that topic from the dropdown list at the top of every page. Many posts are cross-listed, so you may find some of the same posts in a search for “taxes” and in a search for “estate planning.” Over time, we’ll add more and more information about all the topics on the site, so we also recommend checking back regularly, or setting up a web reader that will alert you to new posts on the site.  Read more.

Penn State Extension Offering Woodlot Management Course

Penn State Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Penn State School of Forest Resources, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, and The Nature Conservancy are proud to provide you with an opportunity to learn about sustainable forestry through our Caring For Your Woods I: Essential Principles course. This is a two part course. To complete the entire course attendance at two evening sessions is necessary.

The course will be held at the Susquehanna County Courthouse Annex, Montrose, PA on the evenings of June 20 and 27, 2012 from 6-8:30 PM. This course is designed for private forest landowners, professional timber harvesters, sportsmen and women, and other outdoor enthusiasts interested in learning the essential principles about how to care for woodland. This is an opportunity to talk to natural resource management professionals who have experience in managing forest resources.

The course will cover such topics as forest history, ecology, management techniques, and best management practices. It includes both indoor lecture and outdoor discussions. This course will strengthen your knowledge of sustainable forest management. Without sustainable management forests will not provide future generations with the same quality resources we have today. A follow-up course entitled CFYW-II: Making Good Decisions will be offered in the near future.

For more information on progam contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Centre County at 814-355-4897 or e-mail CentreExt@psu.edu. To register go click here or call toll-free 877-489-1398. The registration fee is $20.00 per person and includes refreshments and educational materials. The deadline for registration is Friday, May 15th. Participants must be pre-registered.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, contact Centre County Cooperative Extension at 814-355-4897 in advance of your participation of visit.