SB 737 allow Hunting with Semi automatic Rifles in PA – Rep Saccone 2015-2016

[CMP703006]

Sure, Ok. But it seems to me that the legislature should make the laws and the Pa Game Commission should have to follow those laws. This situation however seems to be totally backwards. I can see consulting with the Game Commission on issues of how to structure the law, but the final arbiter on what can or cannot be used to hunt in Pa should be our elected representatives, not un-elected bureaucrats who can perhaps be swayed by anti-gun zealots or others via a public comment period.

The issue with having elected representatives control these kinds of things is exactly what cause these stupid laws to be put on the books in the first place. Having the legislature vote means allowing people from the city, who have never even seen a deer in the wild, to have a say in how our hunting seasons are run. Look at Semi-Autos, it took over 100 years for the ban on them to be removed from law by the legislature. Now compare that to crossbows which had no law banning their use only the descression of the game commission. After a couple years of limited use were approved for use as legal archery equipment and allowed season wide.

As for them deciding what can and cannot be used to hunt look at it this way. Hunting with a bolt action rifle is legal and hunting for deer is legal from October until the middle of January. However the only time I can legally hunt deer with a bolt action rifle is the two weeks after thanksgiving that the game commission allows deer hunting with firearms. This is the same idea, just because it is legal doesn't mean it is universally allowed regardless of how much I would like a three month long rifle season.

Based on the near universal approval of semi-autos by the PGC at the initial meeting in January it seems they will be accepted as legal for all game animals though which is exactly what we were all hoping for. The sticking point is the ammo counts, I'd prefer no restrictions but will accept 10 for big game as that allows me to use standard clips in my Garand. That statement only applies for hunting, I in no way shape or form believe that we should only be allowed 10 round mags as proven by my bag of 30 round mags.

As for CeasefirePa, why should their opinion even matter in this debate? You wouldn't let a vegan run a slaughterhouse or an enviromental activist run a mining and fracking operation so why would someone whos whole purpose is to restrict firearms ownership get a say in allowing additional firearms freedoms?

[mpan72]

. Dunno about that. For years, they stopped and searched vehicles sans warrants, triggered by as little as driver driving in vicinity of hunting grounds, or wearing a red and black Woolrich shirt. They also invaded houses to check the freezer (when it was illegal to possess venison after July 31st) without warrant. During the deer season they would enter garages looking to check any hanging deer. Courts upheld it all too.

That was on overstepping of boundaries by individual officers and allowed by their superiors. But my point was they were created by the laws.

[DreadPirateMoyer]

Hope you're all spending as much time writing PAGC as you are arguing in this thread. The battle isn't over, folks.

[mpan72]

Hope you're all spending as much time writing PAGC as you are arguing in this thread. The battle isn't over, folks.

Who is the PAGC?

[Krichardson]

Who is the PAGC?

Not sure if you are serious but Pennsylvania Game Commission?

[mpan72]

Not sure if you are serious but Pennsylvania Game Commission?

What do they do?

[danhr]

What do they do?

b27659fed9b4166aafe0d6b9d5e2f0f0f6f1d85448a07398dad91783ff8f79da.jpg

[Krichardson]

What do they do?

LOL!....I looked back a bit and saw some of your previous posts in this thread.

[Solaran_X]

The issue with having elected representatives control these kinds of things is exactly what cause these stupid laws to be put on the books in the first place. Having the legislature vote means allowing people from the city, who have never even seen a deer in the wild, to have a say in how our hunting seasons are run. Look at Semi-Autos, it took over 100 years for the ban on them to be removed from law by the legislature. Now compare that to crossbows which had no law banning their use only the descression of the game commission. After a couple years of limited use were approved for use as legal archery equipment and allowed season wide.

I take issue with this. I live in the city. And on several occasions, I've almost hit deer that were crossing streets or were sitting in my alley way behind my house staring at me while I was flipping my car around to park.

Although one time I did see a deer using the sidewalk. I was very impressed. Hopefully that one lived long enough to breed.

[Yoder]

I just read that the PGC only got about 750 emails that supported hunting with semi autos and about 150 against. They also said that they are disregarding all the emails since the NRA got involved and they aren't sure if the support is from actual hunters. The PGC sent out 4k surveys to random hunters to see what they think. Only about 30% of people responded. They didn't give the results yet. I read the article in PA Outdoor News. This magazine is one of my favorites, but they are definitely on the anti semi auto side. The only reader comments this issue were from guys who were old as fuck and against it. One of the authors wrote his anti opinion in one of the previous articles. I thought they would be objective about the issue. I called up and canceled my subscription. Fuck them.