More than half a million hunters are expected to hunt during the two-week deer rifle season.
HANOVER, Pa. — For the first time in state history, Pennsylvania hunters were able to head into the woods with their rifles on a Sunday as part of the regular deer season, a change many say has been a long time coming.
The shift marks the permanent end of Pennsylvania’s longstanding ban on most Sunday hunting, following legislation signed earlier this year by Governor Josh Shapiro. With the change, Pennsylvania became the 40th state to allow the practice.
For hunters and butchers, like Bill Wagaman, the extra day has already made a noticeable difference. Wagaman, who has operated a deer processing business in Hanover for nearly 50 years, said Sunday, which is normally quiet, was even busier than Saturday.
“We got 25 yesterday. Then we turn around and we got 30 already, and we have a long time to go,” he said.
Wagaman says the new law especially benefits hunters who work long or inflexible hours and haven’t always been able to make it into the woods during rifle season.
“It helps a lot of people that work six days a week,” Wagaman said. “They get Sunday to hunt. They used to not be able to hunt. If you work six days a week, that’s all the hunting is six days a week. Now it’s seven, and I think everybody is all for it.”
More than half a million hunters are expected across Pennsylvania during the two-week rifle deer season, which began Saturday. Adding Sunday to the calendar effectively lengthens the season by two days, giving hunters more time and potentially increasing harvest numbers.
Wagaman says the change is already paying off at his shop. He received more deer on Sunday than on opening day and expects the surge to continue, especially with a record number of antlerless permits issued this year.
“We expect a couple hundred deer till the end of next week,” he said. “It doesn’t slow down too much until then.”
A full guide to the 2025 rifle deer season can be found here.