diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f6d6332..dcb9eb1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ dist/
 *.py[cod]
 .vscode
 .dmypy.json
+.python-version
diff --git a/shapefile.py b/shapefile.py
index 12af74d..6e8b2f2 100644
--- a/shapefile.py
+++ b/shapefile.py
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import textwrap
 import time
+import warnings
 import zipfile
 from datetime import date
 from struct import Struct, calcsize, error, pack, unpack
@@ -93,6 +95,31 @@
     from urllib2 import HTTPError, Request, urlopen
     from urlparse import urlparse, urlunparse
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 9):
+    message = textwrap.dedent("""\
+        Warning!
+
+        It is proposed to drop support for Pythons 3.8 and earlier, including Python 2.
+        Thereafter, Python version support will follow the official Python release
+        cycle: https://devguide.python.org/versions/.  This will make Python 3.9 the
+        earliest supported version until October 2025.
+
+        For more information, and to send the developers your feedback please
+        see the following discussion:
+        https://github.com/GeospatialPython/pyshp/discussions/290
+
+        Many thanks,
+        """)
+    logger.warning(message)
+    warning = UserWarning(message)
+    warnings.warn(warning)
+    # warnings.showwarning(
+    #     message,
+    #     category=UserWarning,
+    #     filename=__name__,
+    #     lineno=115,
+    # )
+
 
 # Helpers