By Don Rank HARRISBURG, PA, July 9, 2025 – This morning, at a small ceremony near the state capital, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law House Bill 1431. At last the ban on Sunday hunting has been lifted in Pennsylvania – a hard-earned victory for which Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and its Pennsylvania Chapter should take pride. History The inability to hunt on Sundays in Pennsylvania dates to the days when Ulysses S. Grant was president. Back then, it was one of many “Blue ...

Steve Bousum of Chester Springs, Chester County was recently named to the board of the Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Steve is a life-long Pennsylvania hunter and fisherman.  He and his brothers were raised with a conservation mindset instilled by their parents and grandparents, learning to hunt and fish on public land at home in Chester County and at the family camp in Tiadaghton State Forest.    Steve appreciates the wealth of public land opportunities across our ...

HARRISBURG, Pa. –In recognition of the efforts made by the Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers to advance the legislation, Senator Jim Brewster invited North American Board Member Don Rank and PA Chapter Policy Advisor John Kline to the signing ceremony for SB 146 hosted by Governor Josh Shapiro April 29, 2024.  The new law removes the fishing license requirement for participants of therapeutic fishing programs. Removing this barrier for organized groups that use fishing as ...

By Samanatha Lutz Pennsylvania BHA Board Member The land that we know as Allegheny National Forest (ANF) in western Pennsylvania today is vastly different than the old growth forest that once covered the Allegheny Plateau. The forest was once characterized by large trees, of various ages, creating a multi-layered forest canopy that provided a rich biodiverse forest floor and essential contributions to our streams. As trees aged and or during natural disaster events, trees would fall near and ...

Legislative Update Our efforts in Harrisburg on behalf of our members continues. With the legislature moving into summer recess, here is an update on the bills we are following.   Support SB 67 (Laughlin) Sunday Hunting – Removes the prohibition on Sunday Hunting. This is our top legislative priority. This bill awaits action in the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee.   SB 344 (Gebhard) aims to include full-time, out-of-state college students in Pennsylvania’s great hunting and fur taking ...