What's up with PA- no semi rifles for big game??

[GarandTd]

I also do not feel undergunned with no semi auto use. I have a SA 30-6 that I'm very accurate with and it disappoints me(only a little) that I can't try it on a deer, but it's a fair weather rifle anyway. I don't want to beat it up in the woods. I'm pretty content with my pump or single shot shotgun for small game, so I haven't even taken a my semi auto 22 out for that.

Imagine living in Ohio where you're restricted to shotguns and slugs for large game.

[ligonierbill]

While we can't use proper rifles in Ohio, we can use straight walled cartridges. I carry a M94 in 38-55 hunting here. The 44 Mag and 45-70 have become pretty popular. Of course, that's for deer. If you're after coyotes and such, you can take your AR.

[std7mag]

Large areas of Maryland are shotgun only also.

[bamaranger]

For all those trying to paint me as a mall ninja, please note that in my original post, I stated that I understood the phobia connected with black rifles, and thus traditionalists cringe at the thought of same in deer camp. BUT....The rifles I listed in the same post, the Rem family of autos, the BAR, the Win 100, are classic, traditional appearing rifles that have no such "evil" appearance.

The Rem 8/81 date to the same era as the Model 14/141 the predecessor to the 760 family so well thought of and noted earlier. The Win 100, the sibling to the sleek Win 88 so popular in PA as well.

Geez, by the tone of some of this, you'd think I'd suggested they'd approve an M60 or an RPD.

To repeat, why no TRADITIONAL SA... when the opportunity arose to approve same.

Also, you can take your black rifle out and shoot Punxsutaney Phil, that weather critter icon, but you can't take Grandad's Model 81 to hunt Bambi?

[bamaranger]

I hear the phrase "hunter input" down in AL too. Typically in reference to harvest limits and season open/close dates.

Thing is, I've never been polled. Nor has anybody in my circle of hunting contacts, nor anybody I pop the question on in a random conversation.

Eastbank, I never professed as to being any type of authority on the subject of the attitude of PA sportsman on this topic. My thoughts and impressions are indeed my own, and I believed I posed them reasonably. Not sure why you were compelled to such an acidic response. By posing the question, I hoped to gain some understanding of the process in PA. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

[ligonierbill]

bamaranger, in Ohio (someone has their own groundhog here) you can take your AR out for woodchucks and coyotes, not in PA. With the exception of some "special" shotgun districts, no centerfire semiautos firing a single projectile for any hunting.

[bamaranger]

Okay, I was not clear on that......SA rimfires for small game were permitted, do I have that right? I had believed that SA centerfires were approved for varmint/small game. I was wrong. So.........no centerfire SA, period.

I'd miss my Ruger .44.

[ligonierbill]

Yep, rimfire is a go. I think that is due to all the Ruger 10/22s out there.

PS: Your Ruger .44 is now legal in OH. No specification of action, just cartridge.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

East coast? Ah!!
Drove truck through that State a number of times. Never stopped to eat or pee. Kind'a thought of it being a mini me New Jersey. So passing a game restriction like read doesn't surprise me.

[USMCGrunt]

This is why I thank God I don't live in one of these bigoted states that discriminate against the looks and operation of a hunting rifle. Out here anything .22 centerfire and larger other than .50 BMG is legal and any action is legal for deer hunting. Personally, I like an AR-10 for hunting deer since we don't have magazine limits either. So while Elmer Fudd is carrying around his cardboard box of 20 rounds in the coat of his red plaid Mackinaw coat, I carry my spare ammunition in the magazine in the rifle. I have seen plenty of "hunters" on the firing line during the free "deer rifle sight-in day" at the local range that get 6" patterns (I won't even call it a group) with their Remington bolt action rifles while my AR is putting out 1-2" groups at the same range. As far as performance in the field, I seldom have ever needed more than one round to do the job but prefer the option of having another round instantly ready while I have hunted with others that have emptied their "traditional" bolt and lever action rifles with no effect. So yeah, it's not about the arrow but the indian behind it but I guess that doesn't matter because of the way it looks. You can be a totally inept doofus but as long as you "look the part", that's totally ducky, fine chap but if you are using a modern sporting rifle and know how to use it and well, you are some sort of Rambo that has no place in the hunting sport. Well, count me out for any ideas of going to hunt with those bigoted Fudds. I'm perfectly content to hunt at home on my 1,400 acres of posted private land where we can use whatever we want. We don't discriminate out here!!!

[fourbore]

usmc,

Keep in mind the restriction in PA goes back over 100 years when hunting was considered a sport and with fair play and all that. You can argue the validity of the concept but dont get it mixed up with current politics or you are better than someone else becasue where you live mentality. The 'look' of the gun has nothing to do with it.

My acreage is not posted. That is the kind of person I am.

[GarandTd]

USMCGrunt, before you call all of us bigoted fudds, realize that us Indians don't get to make the rules that we have to abide by. I am not afraid of black rifles. I am not "Rambo" with a Sporter any more that you are with your ar10. Take it easy with the generalizing and the insults.

[Art Eatman]

More than enough squabbling.