Letter to the editor: Guns in the great outdoors

Ah, the love of nature, to be in the woods, in orange. The hunters natter on about which day is best to begin deer season; some are “sickened” at the thought of a Saturday start, while others are “appalled” by a Monday starting gun. A recent letter stated that the “guys” would probably buy something on Saturday, a sandwich or a raffle ticket. Well, heck, maybe the gals would, too.

Look, I am not against hunting, but, when my spouse and I go to the forest, we are armed only with binoculars, daypacks and sturdy shoes. The great outdoors of Pennsylvania are not owned solely by the ones with firearms. There was a time, not long ago, when hunting was not permitted on Sundays. I presume this was a truce for God’s creatures. Certainly, it was a day in late fall when we thought we could freely enjoy the outdoors without hunters. But that is no more.

Sadly, the arguments back and forth are beside the point. The reality is that the sound of gunfire rings out in the Pennsylvania wilds every day of the year.

William Graves

Etna