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 ...

Pennsylvania BHA leaders and members - and all of our conservation organization allies - were hopeful earlier this year when there was not one, but two bills, one each in the Senate and House, that would finally do away with the ridiculous prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Keystone state. We have watched with dismay as the Sunday hunting bill in the senate has been sullied with an unnecessary and dangerous addition that would alter the makeup of the Pennsylvania Board of Game ...

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 ...

Samantha Lutz grew up in a small town in Clarion County, PA, and now resides in Wampum, PA. She is a mother, biologist, avid hiker, and overall outdoor enthusiast. From an early age, she was drawn to the water and loved exploring the creek behind her house or the Clarion River at her family’s camp. Her father and grandfathers instilled in her the simple treasures of camping, fishing, and hunting. She has carried these passions into adulthood and seeks opportunities to get out into and help ...