Last April, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners approved three Sunday hunting dates and Ken Sutton Jr. was all too happy to take advantage of the first bonus day.

He bagged a 6-point buck Sunday afternoon on the only legal archery Sunday for deer this year.

“As a father of two children and working late hours on many days, hunting on a Sunday gives me more of an opportunity to get out in the woods,” said Sutton, Jr.

This time of year, it’s the rutting season for the male deer so they can often be found near herds of doe.

The lifetime Palmerton resident said he saw a chance earlier in the morning to shoot a buck with his compound bow, a bow that operates on a levering system of cables and pulleys that is an easier pull than a recurved bow.

“Yesterday was very windy,” said Sutton, Jr. “At about 9 a.m., I spotted a buck chasing some does, but they must have picked up my scent from the wind and they ran off.”

Four hours later, he spotted the same buck coming toward him, and this time the kill shot from his bow at about 30 yards away rewarded him with the 120-pound deer.

“I think it’s a great idea to hunt on a Sunday,” he said. “I can only get out in the woods about 12 times a year, so the extra days gives me more time to do what I’ve been doing a good part of my life.”

Sutton’s father, Ken Sutton, Sr., who first took his son hunting when he was 12-years-old, had accompanied him Sunday and took the picture of him with his prize buck.

The State Game Commission has also approved this coming Sunday for bear hunting during the firearms season and Sunday, Nov. 29 for deer hunting with firearms.

“The more days you can hunt the better,” said Sutton, Sr. “Sundays give fathers more opportunities to hunt with their sons. Yesterday was another day I could be out with my son.”

The Suttons were hunting with permission on private land outside of Palmerton when Junior bagged the buck.

“I’m hoping to get out and hunt for bear and for doe on the next two Sundays,” said Sutton, Jr., whose biggest buck was an eight-pointer that he bagged five years ago and weighed about 175 pounds. “I’m happy the state commission passed the legislation.”

The approved firearms deer season will begin Saturday, Nov. 28, include Sunday, Nov. 29, and continue through Saturday, Dec. 12, excluding Sunday, Dec. 6. The change in tradition to the Saturday after Thanksgiving for the start of rifle season began in 2019.

“Some hunters are not happy with the Saturday start rather than Monday the way it used to be,” said Sutton, Sr. “I’m all for the sooner we can start and the more days we can hunt.”

For Ken Sutton, Sr, and his son, a Sunday spent together hunting together is about as good as it gets. They hope that the commission will add more Sundays to the hunting season in years to come.

Zachary Baker of Jim Thorpe agrees. He’s been hunting about 25 years, since he was 13-years-old.

Baker took up archery three years ago. He got a 9-point buck on Sunday.

“I recently started a new job which requires me to work Tuesday through Saturday. So I was looking forward to the one Sunday of archery. And it didn’t disappoint. It was a day full of firsts, including hunting on Sunday,” Baker said. “I also got my first deer with a bow, and the nicest buck I ever harvested,”