Sunday Hunting Laws Are Changing—Here's What Hunters Need to Know

For decades, Sunday hunting restrictions have kept hunters out of the woods on a day when many have the most free time. But those restrictions are steadily disappearing.

In 2023, a report from the Connecticut General Assembly identified 10 states that either prohibited or restricted Sunday hunting. Three years later, that list is looking increasingly outdated. Delaware and Pennsylvania have expanded Sunday hunting opportunities, while Massachusetts lawmakers are considering eliminating one of the country's last remaining outright bans.

The changes are another chapter in the gradual disappearance of America's so-called "blue laws," centuries-old restrictions rooted in the belief that Sundays should be reserved for worship and rest.

As MeatEater's Jordan Sillars wrote last year in a breakdown of which states still ban Sunday hunting, “So-called ‘blue laws’ originated in colonial New England and prohibited a variety of activities on the first day of the week. These included things like shopping, playing sports, selling alcohol, and, yes, hunting.”

But a lot can change in just one year. With states increasingly rolling back Sunday hunting restrictions, hunters may want to take another look at their state's regulations before assuming the rules are the same as last season. What was once off-limits on Sundays may now be fair game.

The push to expand Sunday hunting has even reached the White House. In September 2026, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14429, titled "Reinvigorating America's Hunting Heritage." Section 2(e) states, “Within 365 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall encourage State fish and wildlife agencies to promote and expand Sunday hunting opportunities on State and Federal lands.”

But the executive order doesn’t actually make any sort of legal changes regarding Sunday hunting laws—rather, it urges states to reconsider existing laws. Many states had already begun making changes before the order came out.

For starters, Delaware has expanded Sunday hunting opportunities across its state wildlife areas. While Sunday deer hunting was already permitted on private land, hunters can now pursue deer with archery equipment or crossbows on all state wildlife areas during the regular seasons. Firearm hunting is also permitted on Sundays, although certain portions of wildlife areas remain off-limits. Sunday hunting opportunities for waterfowl and other gamebirds are also available, depending on the species, season, and location.

Pennsylvania has also made major changes to its Sunday hunting laws. Previously, hunters were limited to just a few designated Sundays each year. But in July 2025, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Act 36 into law, repealing the state's longstanding Sunday hunting ban. For the 2026-27 hunting seasons, hunters can now pursue any game that's in season on Sundays, with the exception of migratory game birds.

Connecticut joined the movement in October 2025, when Public Act 25-138 expanded Sunday hunting to include firearms on private properties of 10 acres or more. Previously, Sunday hunting was limited to archery hunting under certain conditions. Hunters must have written permission from the landowner, and hunting within 40 yards of public trails remains prohibited. Migratory bird hunting is also still prohibited on Sundays.

The last two states that outright ban Sunday hunting are Maine and Massachusetts, but the latter is more likely to have Sunday hunting in its future. In April 2026, Gov. Maura Healey proposed legislation that would eliminate the state's longstanding Sunday hunting ban. The proposal also includes expanding crossbow hunting opportunities and reducing the minimum archery setback distance from occupied dwellings from 500 to 250 feet. However, the legislation has yet to become law, meaning Sunday hunting remains prohibited in Massachusetts for now. Still, hunters in the Bay State should be encouraged by the dwindling Sunday hunting bans and, hopefully, look for Massachusetts to follow suit.

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