Feb 27, 2020 2 min read

This is a response to Robert Ebel’s letter (Feb. 19) concerning the Pennsylvania Game Commission. I don’t like fronting church and Bible when discussing Sunday hunting. Yes, the Bible says to keep the Sabbath holy. Nowhere does it define this statement by saying that the entire 24 hours must be devoted to prayer. You keep the Sabbath holy by doing what God did on that day: resting and not working. Recreation is a form of rest. Hunting is recreation. A safe shot at legal distance is just that. If you were in church and truly engaged in prayer, you would simply ignore it. No one is harming you or deliberately aggravating you, so be a Christian and let it pass.

The Game Commission is a state agency charged with game law enforcement and the management of our native fauna. Deer have enjoyed a disproportionate advantage over the last several decades due to an abundance of food sources and a lack of natural predation. There used to be a lot of virgin forest in these parts, as well as a healthy population of bears, cougars and even wolves. Game commission folks do the best they can and have the means to quickly and accurately assess the effects of any management practices that are initiated. It does not work for the insurance industry. As far as the insurance industry goes, the church is a much better partner, as we Christians are taught to be peaceful and to abhor violence, theft, alcohol abuse and other things that cause millions of dollars in insurance claims.

Let the Game Commission do its work. Its personnel will be happy to listen to any commentary you may have concerning their programs. They may even make changes if they deem your reasoning to have merit.

Martin Niverth

Marianna