Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Cheswick, is pictured with state Game Commission officers during the recent Great American Outdoor Show.

Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Cheswick, is already proposing an end to the state’s ban on hunting on Sundays.

Now, she’s proposing additional legislation to help foster cooperation between farmers and hunters as well as to the composition of the state Game Commission.

Steele said earlier this year that she is drafting legislation that would give the state Game Commission the authority to decide how many Sundays hunting is allowed in Pennsylvania rather than vesting that authority in the state Legislature. Pennsylvania ended its ban on Sunday hunting in 2019 when lawmakers passed a bill designating three Sundays a year for hunting and fur taking. Those Sundays were Nov. 12, 19 and 26 during the 2023-24 hunting season. But it now requires legislation to expand the number of Sundays when hunting and fur taking is allowed rather than action by the Game Commission.

Last week, Steele added to her co-sponsorship memorandum, saying she wants to increase penalties for trespassing on private property as part of the bill extending authority to the Game Commission to regulate Sunday hunting. Another piece of legislation Steele proposes as part of her package of bills is to direct the state Game Commission to create an online network through which farmers can contact licensed hunters to manage deer populations on their property. Steele isn’t the only lawmaker with an eye toward fostering cooperation between hunters and farmers.

State Sens. Greg Rothman, R-New Broomfield, and Sen. Elder A. Vogel Jr., R-Rochester, have introduced similar bills in the state Senate. They propose allowing farmers to send game to an independent processor following harvesting if the animal was harvested because it was damaging crops (Senate Bill 1086) rather than the current process requiring the Game Commission to act.

Vogel and Rothman also propose legislation (SB 1088) to create a system by which licensed hunters can be easily connected with farmers who seek individuals to hunt their land for the purpose of crop damage mitigation by creating an online Agriculture Access List while Senate Bill 1087 would increase trespassing while hunting penalties to deter hunters from entering private property during hunting season.

“Agriculture is one of Pennsylvania’s largest and most important industries. The products grown and raised by farmers feed our communities and provide valuable exports to other states and countries,” Rothman and Vogel wrote in their legislative justification. “A recent hearing shed light on increasing crop damage by wildlife and the negative impact that damage has on Pennsylvania farmers. Fortunately, Pennsylvania farmers and hunters can both be part of the solution. To that end, we intend to introduce a package of bills that removes barriers for both farmers and hunters, allowing them to work together with greater freedom and increased hunting access.”

Steele said she is also drafting legislation to require the state Game Commission to have one member with a background in agriculture to increase advocacy for farmers on the commission. Vogel and Rothman also have proposed a similar change in Senate Bill 1089.

“Farmers own much of the land in Pennsylvania,and many of the wildlife populations that the Game Commission monitors live on that land,” Steele wrote. “Ensuring that at least one board member has a background in agriculture will allow for the perspectives of farmers and landowners to be considered in the Game Commission’s decision-making process. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to create economic opportunity in Pennsylvania and allow farmers and hunters to work together to manage deer populations and reduce crop damage.”