Antiquated blue laws that restrict — or outright prohibit — hunting on Sunday in several states have loosened up in the last several years , and the 2022 legislative session saw several more bills introduced that would continue that trend . ( The following updates were current as this issue of The Sportsmen ’ s Advocate went to press .) “ Expanding Sunday hunting is an easy way to expand access for sportsmen and -women throughout the country ,” said Dillon Barto , manager of state services at the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance . “ Lack of hunting opportunities is the most frequently cited reason why people give up hunting . It ’ s high time we opened this
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opportunity for the remaining Eastern states that still have these unnecessary and harmful restrictions .”
Maryland : The Old Line State has taken a piecemeal approach to opening Sunday hunting . The idea is to open individual counties with citizen support . There were 15 bills between the House and Senate to open Sunday hunting on both public and private property in seven different counties , including a House bill to open it statewide ( while also creating
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uniform safety zones for bowhunters ) and a Senate bill to open migratory bird hunting on Sunday .
New Jersey : Two different bills in New Jersey would open Sunday hunting . Assembly Bill 2591 would permit Sunday deer hunting with firearms on wildlife management areas , private property and federal military land . Senate Bill 1118 would open deer hunting with bow and arrow on federal military land .
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COURTESY OF FEDERAL PREMIUM |