The National Rifle Association plans to step up its campaign for Sunday hunting during the upcoming Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pa., the nation’s largest gathering of hunters, anglers and campers.
As the expected 200,000-plus enter the nine-day show, officials said a banner promoting Sunday hunting, along with other pro-hunting material, will be available to encourage outdoors men and women to lobby state legislatures.
The effort is growing nationally, but states like Pennsylvania still ban Sunday hunting. “We live in an era when a lot of people aren’t confined to a five-day work week,” said NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam. “Sometimes it’s hard to find time to hunt.”
Virginia and Maryland were two of the most recent to approve Sunday hunting and it has gone well this season, said hunters.
The annual show draws vendors from around the world, including gun makers and outfitters. It is one of the biggest moneymakers for Harrisburg businesses.
NRA officials said this year’s show will feature more entertainment and celebrities in the outdoors world.
On Friday, for example, the Virginia-based Second Amendment group said that West Coast Choppers TV star Jesse James will be at the show promoting his new line of hand-crafted weapons from Jesse James Firearms Unlimited.
“I have been really lucky in life to be able to follow my passion of creating things with my hands. I’m now building handmade firearms, and it feels like this is my real calling,” said James.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
