Semi-Auto rifles for deer in Pa. ???
- Thread starter Bowsnbucks
- Start date
wklman
5 year old buck +
The thing is as hunters this should be a moot point. We shouldn't belittle others and say they shouldn't be allowed to hunt with a certain weapon if they want because "I" don't like it. If we outlawed everything an individual didn't like we all would be hunting with rocks because there's at least 1 person that doesn't like every form of hunting. One good thing about "black rifles" is that for kids and women they are great starter guns. With low recoil and excellent accuracy they make a potent weapon for most anything. And with a suppressor on them it's even more fun! But that's for another discussion. They're more evil then semi-autos ;)
Tap
5 year old buck +
Brother, that ship has sailed a long, long time ago. The legalization of the current "archery" equipment proves that the Game Commission cares about license revenue and nothing about "sport". Actually, I prefer the term "challenge" rather than "sport"...hunting is not a "sport"...football is a sport.
And a lot of our fellow hunters are less concerned with "challenge" than they are about filling tags. Whatever weapon or tactic we can lobby for and get legalized, right?
I'm not too worried about the semi legalization. I think it may actually be safer for follow-up shots to be "on-target" with a semi than a follow-up shot when a hunter is trying to hurry-up and work the gun action while keeping the sight on the deer.
I think the Game Comm saw another source of revenue by legalizing them. There are people out there that don't now hunt (i.e. they don't buy a license), but enjoy target shooting their semi autos. It's the only type of gun some people own, so until now, they couldn't hunt with it. Now they can. Now they can go buy a license. Now the Pa Game Comm has another source of cash. That's what it's all about.
Sport? Challenge? That hasn't been in the equation since they legalized compounds 50 years ago.
I don't speak for anyone else, but as long as not too many deer are harvested killing the most deer possible is the goal. (Improving habitat can greatly increase the number of deer that can be killed each year.) If allowing semi-automatics with your current regs kills too many deer than something else in the regs needs to change. I prefer tag lotteries to ensure that not way too many deer get killed while allowing those that got a tag a long season to hunt. If that is not an option than maybe shortening the season or other limitations would work.
Red Picqua
5 year old buck +
very sweet gun and scope.. you have me all the way up to.... leaving the sling on the gun in the blind.. LOL
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
First off - I'm not " demonizing " anyone. And Tap - you're right 100% about the challenge aspect of the hunt. That has gone out the window years ago. It's a shame that the challenge or " sport " isn't a higher priority with so many folks. I see guys get depressed if they don't get a deer one year. An un-used tag DOES NOT mean you're a failure or a lousy hunter. Agree 100% also that the PGC is all about money and not the future of hunting and conservation of game. Money grabbing machine. They shot themselves in the foot with all the doe tags.
Whip - you said the key words .... " if they just use their heads, you'll be safe ". THAT'S the problem. It isn't the gun itself. That was my point. It's the hammerhead holding it.
And yes - that's the case with any gun ...... as others have said.
Wklman - You seem to have taken this into an " anti - gun " direction. I'm not anti-gun - period. And I'm not " belittling " anyone. I have the opinion that some types of guns are better left out of the deer woods. RATE OF FIRE is my concern. I'll contend that a semi can fire faster than a pump or lever gun, and in the hands of a brain-dead a**hole - it could amount to disaster. If I could be shot in a wide open field with an orange vest on, ( thank God it was shotgun pellets I had to have dug out ), what will happen when it's a .270 or '06 ?? Maybe things won't turn out bad ....... hopefully they won't. But get shot once and see if your views don't change a little.
Whip - you said the key words .... " if they just use their heads, you'll be safe ". THAT'S the problem. It isn't the gun itself. That was my point. It's the hammerhead holding it.
And yes - that's the case with any gun ...... as others have said.
Wklman - You seem to have taken this into an " anti - gun " direction. I'm not anti-gun - period. And I'm not " belittling " anyone. I have the opinion that some types of guns are better left out of the deer woods. RATE OF FIRE is my concern. I'll contend that a semi can fire faster than a pump or lever gun, and in the hands of a brain-dead a**hole - it could amount to disaster. If I could be shot in a wide open field with an orange vest on, ( thank God it was shotgun pellets I had to have dug out ), what will happen when it's a .270 or '06 ?? Maybe things won't turn out bad ....... hopefully they won't. But get shot once and see if your views don't change a little.
wklman
5 year old buck +
What's wrong with leaving the sling on in the blind?
First post, long time food plot addict. I don't want my first post to be negative but, we all don't hunt with pumps and lever actions. With forty one years of PA hunting seasons completed and being a gun fanatic, I pay attention to these things. At my camp and two others I hunt out of you won't find a pump or lever unless it's a back up gun. Almost everyone uses a bolt action. I'm sure there are hunters in PA that still use pumps and levers, but they are the minority. Let me state I have no issues with either type of weapon as I think they are a great choice for deer hunting. I look forward to learning and sharing my experiences with food plotting in the future.
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
I was wondering the same thing?
wklman
5 year old buck +
You've proved that you can be shot by anything. It doesn't matter what gun the brain dead a$$hole has you can still get shot. My point is that if that guy is gonna take that running shot with a semi-auto he's going to take it with a bolt or lever. You'll get shot either way. The difference is you think taking away semi-autos will make it safer where in my opinion it doesn't make a difference at all. A$$holes will be a$$holes with or without a certain weapon.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
That ^^^ may be true for private landowners, but I bet it's not the case for all the public land hunters.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
In WI you can use a Browning BAR in .338 Win Mag and those hold 4 last I checked. Or a .223 AR with 30 rounds. It's all good.
kabic
5 year old buck +
One of my daughters hunted with an old 30 30 like this. I don't think it was a fun experience, pulling the trigger to let it down from half cock is just asking for a accident.
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chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
Levers and pumps are out of style even in PA. People are much more likely to buy the latest cheap bolt guns for their kids or themselves. But if they could buy and use an AR to hunt, they would. The only reason I don't have an AR is because I cannot hunt with it in PA.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
Well then look out, lead will be flying!
I started deer hunting with a Remington 742 semi auto in .308. It was all I could afford when I was young. My gunsmith worked on it so it never jammed for me. I took several deer with it. When I was making more money I bought a Remington 700 in 7mm Rem mag. It has killed a lot of deer for me.
To each their own. I can't see the big deal in allowing semi autos to be used for deer hunting.
To each their own. I can't see the big deal in allowing semi autos to be used for deer hunting.