Why It Matters: Each year, legislatures and state fish and wildlife agencies make changes to states’ hunting rules and regulations. This is why it is vital that you check your state’s hunting regulations prior to going afield to ensure you are not violating the law and potentially finding yourself with a citation from a game warden. This is something that is often overlooked and/or forgotten about, but has the potential for a substantial consequence.
Highlights:
- Be sure to check out your state’s hunting regulations here: DE, MD, PA, VA, WV.
- Throughout the year, fish and wildlife agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region (and across the nation) ask for public input on proposed regulation changes that impact hunting. Not only is it important to comment on these proposals, but it is also important to follow them through the process to see what becomes statute.
- Currently, Maryland is the only state in the Mid-Atlantic Region that does not have a (nearly) full repeal of Sunday hunting prohibitions.
- On July 9th, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed Act 36 of 2025 into law, repealing the centuries old blue law for the prohibition of Sunday hunting, giving the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) full authority to regulate hunting seasons 7-days-a-week. However, Sunday hunting has not yet been implemented for every species.
State fish and wildlife agencies propose hunting regulation changes to things such as season dates, bag limits, public lands, and methods of take, supplemental feeding and baiting, the use of attractants, and more. Like anyone, hunters can make the mistake of getting comfortable with their home state’s regulations because they may have been a certain way for decades, just like not realizing the speed limit had been changed on the street you grew up on as a child. For example, in Maryland, the Atlantic Population (AP) of Canada Geese were historically able to be hunted during Thanksgiving. However, due to population concerns , hunting has now been closed for AP Geese during Thanksgiving and does not open for the first split until later in December.
Another great example of needing to verify hunting regulations comes from Pennsylvania. As mentioned in the highlights above, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Governor Josh Shapiro, signed Act 36 of 2025 into law, removing the legislative prohibition on Sunday hunting – thus granting the PGC the full regulatory authority over hunting seasons and bag limits (previously only 6 days). The Board of Game Commissioners have implemented Sunday hunting for some species, but not all, such as spring turkey and migratory game birds. The Board of Game Commissioners were unable to implement Sunday hunting for migratory game birds for the 2025-2026 hunting season, as the federal deadline had passed. However, they are going to be considering the implementation of migratory game birds and spring turkey seasons during their board meeting in January of 2026. Hunters may have heard that Sunday hunting was now open in Pennsylvania and some might have assumed that meant for all species if they did not check the most current hunting regulations.
Additionally, Maryland has a very complex set of rules and regulations regarding Sunday hunting allowances. Currently, there are no Sunday hunting opportunities for migratory game birds in the “Old-Line State”, but there are for other species such as deer and turkey. However, these allowances differ by county as to dates and legal hunting hours for different species. Additionally, like many other states, different weapons require different permits/tags and have specific dates on which they may be used.
Moving forward, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) continues to work with legislators and state fish and wildlife agencies to provide ample access and opportunity for sportsmen and women while using the most up to date and available science when it comes to making hunting rules and regulations. We also encourage hunters, no matter their tenure or skill level, to verify hunting season dates, bag limits, and required licenses and/or stamps to ensure they are hunting with all legal requirements to prevent any unintentional violations.
