Concealed carry while hunting

[MT Gianni]

We’ll I just recently had an encounter with an individual that was definitely out of place in my hunting area, dressed in street clothes driving a mini van, no orange or camouflage clothing, I can assure you he wasn’t a hunter, wanted to talk . All I had with me was my air rifle hunting squirrel, not much in the way of protection there. I had taken my concealed carry weapon out of the truck because it had just came out of the garage for inspection. Believe me I wish I would have had it, it went back in the truck as soon as I arrived home. I avoided the individual and drove off, he made a gesture with his thumb like he was using a cigarette lighter, not sure if he was going to set the mountain on fire or what. I’ll never again be without my piece while hunting.

Could be an anti hunter/wanna be reporter.

[John Guedry]

I am told,and seen pictures of a bear in our lease so my Blackhawk .45 comes along too.

[shdwlkr]

Yes many years ago you could buy a cap and ball pistol with no paper work. But you could not have any powder, ball or caps in your possession without a pistol permit. That was the reason I got my permit when I lived in NYS and you had to be 21 to get the permit. Have no idea what the rules are now as it has been decades since I left that state.

[johniv]

Born and raised in Pa. I haven’t lived there for 50 years or so. Growing up, I had an uncle who owned a farm,100 acres or so. He could not hunt his own land without a state hunting license because the law at that time, required you to farm the land as your sole means of living. He ran a store in town so had to buy a license. Always seemed weird to me. Don’t know if that is still the law.

[megasupermagnum]

Could be an anti hunter/wanna be reporter.

Could have also just wanted a light for a smoke. Most people you meet are good, once in a while you find that one hillbilly you wish you hadn't.

[justindad]

This is one of those not-so-unusual instances where I find that the law is the problem. Since I consider nearly every single politician to be a criminal, I see no need to go snitching here. If nobody is getting victimized, mind your own business.

[nicholst55]

I guess I don't understand. Are semi-auto's not allowed for hunting in PA? Even during the bow season, how is a super loud handgun supposed to be a better poaching tool than a silent bow?

Not for hunting.

[WRideout]

Wow, so I looked up the PA hunting regulations. Not only are they not allowed semi-auto handguns, they aren't allowed semi-auto anything at all for big game hunting. It's unclear if double action revolvers are legal. Even New York allows handgun hunting with semi-autos. What kind of goofball state is Pennsylvania? This thread is complaining about the wrong problem.

So, kind of along the lines of a cap and ball pistol is not a "firearm," Semi-auto shotguns have long been legal for big game hunting in PA. It appears that because grandpa used his Browning autoloader for deer hunting, it must not be evil, like a semi-auto rifle is.

PA has a hodgepodge of regulations that vary from place to place, and time to time. I have hunted a state game land near home for several years now. The first time I went there I carried my stepfather's 30-06. It was rifle season, you know. A dog walker who saw me in the parking lot informed me that in Allegheny County rifles were not permitted but shotguns and muzzle loaders were. Fast forward to present day: straight wall cartridges are permitted in special regulation areas. But rifles only; no handguns. OTOH handguns are legal everywhere else during "rifle" deer season. Just not semi-auto handguns. Go figure.

Wayne