Antiquated Game Laws ????????

uncle buck · May 9, 2016

Some things can be changed by the Pa Game Commission with the stroke of a pen... Other are law and have to be voted on... So many of our laws go way back to the probation era. I can start listing all kind of game laws that should be looked at if they can be changed by the stroke of a pen that would be nice. It would also be nice to know which ones the PGC has no authority to change and must be voted on..
Let me use two examples of antiquated game laws:
Furtakers can not use electronic calling machines to harvest Weasel, Possum, Skunk. You have to use a mouth call and or a hand call.. No electronics..
Shotguns plug for 3 shotgun shells to hunt predators.. It would be so nice to be able to use a tactical shotgun to shoot coyotes.. No shell limitations in the magazine.. See? Va and Texas allow you to use a shotgun for predators and small game with no plug in the shotgun.. What is excluded is waterfowl and turkey... Now shot size to.. You can use what ever you want to hunt predators in both of these states.. So these laws stay on the books and stay and stay and no one even looks at them and say.. Wait a minute? Shotgun that shoot more than 3 shells for hunting... Why can't the predator hunter take the plug out? They already can do that when they use a pump or lever shotgun for big game.. Things like this..The Commonwealth have all kinds of outdoor committees. You would think they would at least look at some of the antiquated game laws.. Even if the allowed the use of no plugs for predator in nonpopulated areas.. The people that got these laws established are long gone~ ????????

Run2Catch · May 9, 2016

Sunday hunting, semi auto rifles.

timberdoodle · May 9, 2016

hunting license prices....

zimmerstutzen · May 9, 2016

I guess "antiquated" is a relative term. For centuries there were no hunting laws, or very minimal laws. Not sure when the three shell limit in shotguns came about, but most likely in the 1930's. So the law is relatively new in the overall history of hunting in PA.

SRA-5C+ · May 10, 2016

Antiquated laws are summed up in the section marked

"Religious based blue laws"

Repeal the Sunday hunting ban!

outofstater · May 10, 2016

In many cases on here I see where many Pennsylvanians like it being different on many rules. Other words liking there tradition, I see it both ways.

pappybear · May 10, 2016

timberdoodle said:
hunting license prices....

Antique status requires 25 years.

zimmerstutzen · May 11, 2016

But a 1940 metal hunting tag represents such a fearful thing to the PGC, that they shake in their boots at the thought of such a tag being transported on the roadways of this or bordering states. So they had to make transporting such a little piece of tin a crime.

bohunr · May 11, 2016

zimmerstutzen said:
But a 1940 metal hunting tag represents such a fearful thing to the PGC, that they shake in their boots at the thought of such a tag being transported on the roadways of this or bordering states. So they had to make transporting such a little piece of tin a crime.

bohunr · May 11, 2016

I dont see why there is a 3 shell limit with shotguns for anything. isnt that what bag limits are for?

Change this one.

uncle buck · May 11, 2016

Traditon? They changed the opening of trout season from always on the 15 April to a Saturday.. Also antlerless season was always two days after buck season.. That was tradition.. They changed that didn't they?

uncle buck · May 11, 2016

There was a time when people with power ...Lets say the Federation of Sportsmen Club spokesperson.. Getting up in front of their group and pushing for no lights affixed to gun for predator hunting.. Then the group voted against it... However the person didn't even hunt predators... Now what did they know? See there are laws that are no longer logical that are on the books.. However no one even looks at them to change it..

outofstater · May 11, 2016

uncle buck said:
Traditon? They changed the opening of trout season from always on the 15 April to a Saturday.. Also antlerless season was always two days after buck season.. That was tradition.. They changed that didn't they?

Uncle Buck, I hear you! I might be a NR but have bought over 40 years of hunting license and pay more taxes to Pa. then most residents. I mention a few things and get the door slammed because of a tradition thing of doing it for 100 years. Who is right or wrong we all have our own opinion guess its the fun of making the points.

HD1969 · May 11, 2016

bohunr said:
I dont see why there is a 3 shell limit with shotguns for anything. isnt that what bag limits are for?

Change this one.

x2

I don't think I would ever really need a 4th shell - well maybe for crows,

but

I never understood the reason for 3 shell limit..

bohunr · May 11, 2016

i am waiting to be checked by a WCO. i bought a mossberg 930 JM Pro series 12 ga semi auto. it has a 9 shot tube.

i certainly wasnt going to buy a different magazine cap and spring and keep switching them back and forth when i needed to. so i just made a plug and plugged it to the proper 3 shell limit. 2 in the tube and one in the chamber.

three shots at crows and they are all over the place and mostly all out of range. same for pheasant, flush one, cant hit it in 3 shots its gone and we need more practice

rabbit, squirrel, same issues, snow geese in some states its load to the max.

mossberg makes a 930 snow goose gun that holds 13 rounds. i think the three shell limit goes back to the days of "market" hunting waterfowl.

we can do away with the three shell limit.

dpms · May 12, 2016

HD1969 said:
x2

I don't think I would ever really need a 4th shell - well maybe for crows,

but

I never understood the reason for 3 shell limit..

Wait. On another thread you said that high capacity encourages "spray and pray".

zimmerstutzen · May 12, 2016

And if you look back to when the three shell limit was adopted, you may well find it was because of spray and pray. Same for the prohibition against semis and autos.

Curly Maple · May 12, 2016

On the subject of spray and pray marksmanship, a flintlock swivel breach is not legal in flintlock season. Yet, a person can carry two separate flintlocks.

burninghxcsoul · May 12, 2016

zimmerstutzen said:
And if you look back to when the three shell limit was adopted, you may well find it was because of spray and pray. Same for the prohibition against semis and autos.

Nope, definitely not. The three shot rule was enacted because in the early 1900's waterfowl were heavily hunted for commercial purposes. The same legislature that set forth the 3 shot limit also outlawed punt guns and stuff like that.

It was strictly to slow down the overhunting of waterfowl for commercial food and fashion reasons.

tpr25 · May 12, 2016

Is it legal to have a shotgun in PA without the 3 round plug? A shotgun for home defense for instance?

Antiquated Game Laws ????????

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