The only ones who should be unhappy if the state ends its prohibition on Sunday hunting are deer.

The state Legislature recently passed House Bill 1431 – a measure that was far more contentious than it really should have been. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office said in a news release Monday said he will sign the bill soon.

It makes sense. The ban on Sunday hunting may have made sense decades ago, but it makes little sense now. Sunday has long been viewed as a day of rest – and state Rep. Robert Leadbeter, R-Catawissa, said that the institution of Sunday hunting would create “another day of pressure, noise and conflict over shared land” and argued for the “cultural pause” afforded the state by preserving Sunday as a day of reflection.

It’s a hollow argument, in our view. Allowing Sunday hunting doesn’t mean woods in Pennsylvania will suddenly turn into a war zone. The state can still limit Sunday hunting, but it has the option of opening up some Sundays to hunting. A state that relies heavily on outdoors tourism shouldn’t, at the same time, ban a popular activity for both tourists and state residents on one of the few days that hunters can be out in the woods.

Leadbetter and others who disapprove of Sunday hunting miss another key point. The idea that Sunday should be a day of reflection misses the point; hunting is a restful activity for many hunters, just as a Sunday round of golf is for those who spend a Sunday afternoon playing 18 or 36 holes of golf. Hunting, for many who live and visit Pennsylvania, is a more relaxing activity than grocery shopping, home improvement projects or doing yard work – activities allowed in Pennsylvania despite the occasional stress, aggravation or physical exertion they require.

It’s long been time for the ban on Sunday hunting to end. If only state lawmakers could find such common ground on the state’s budget.