Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire It's about time - Semi-Auto Rifles to be Legal for Hunting in PA

It was probably your sweet smile

And they don't want citizens shot more than once? No, I don't get it but I've fished enough in PA (just hunted groundhogs/crows on private ground) to know that the regulations can be as byzantine as they get.

Never have been checked for my license up there though even fishing on public land.

Did you ever stop and think that the deer population of "the good ole days" was vastly above the carrying capacity of the land.

I'm in the NE. and while our deer population isnt what it was as a kid. it still isn't tough to see 50 deer or more a day hunting and we routinely see over 100 deer spotlighting in 2 hours time

But those populated areas already allow semi auto shotguns for big game hunting

Wrong again. Don't you ever tire of it.
A heavy burden I'm sure.

Patience will bring the semi-auto. I'm sure they see the same trends on GC shooting ranges as we see on our club ranges. I'm also sure they are aware of the ever increasing numbers that are being sold.

Follow the money and money is to be made by perhaps selling additional licenses to this new generation of shooters.

Other day shot next to a young fellow with a high-end semi .308W and he was putting down consistent sub MOA groups. Also nice enough to have a blocker so his empties were not flying two benches down. Mentioned that the SA law was being voted on and asked him if he was going Deer hunting. Said no, but he wants to start. The future? Who knows, but his age group will certainly be something the GC needs to consider.

If they're public, then aren't they both both of yours'?

Ya, but I choose not to hunt his. Mine? Ok, I'll just hunt ours. The ones that are not packed.

One I hunted today is almost 16,000 acres. One of the biggest that is close. There are multiple others, 2,000, 5,000, etc. Then there are multiple State parks and Forests. The Allegheny National Forest is 500,000. Pitiful by Montana standards, but it doesn't take much effort to get away from the crowds in Pa.

He can drive 3 hours West and be in a million acres of Big Wood wildnerness. Little reason to hunt a packed area.

Can you explain why that is supposed to make sense?




Dave

The public lands in the southeast around Phila. are small game lands ranging from 100 - 6000 acres. They are surrounded by homes. While the special regulation areas allow semi auto shotguns, the public perception is that slugs don't travel as far. The areas just outside the special reg. areas of the southeast PA are almost very developed. People are worried about the hunters that only shoot their rifles the week before the season and can't hit the target consistently shooting around their homes. They are envisioning guys throwing lead at running deer with an AR.

That makes perfect sense now. Thanks.

Are you guys allowed to hunt on Thanksgiving or is that a no-no as well?




Dave

50 in a day, 100 in two hours spotting, that's old day numbers here. It's not unusual for 3 of us to see a dozen or less, none, in a day. Two hours spotting, maybe 30. Most will be in one or two groups, on private land where doe hunting is prohibited.

thanksgiving allowed. any holiday is allowed as long as its in season and not a sunday.

That makes sense.




Dave