Semi-automatic gun law divides hunters
Four facts about the new law that permits hunting with semi-automatic rifles
Daniel Walmer, danielwalmer@ldnews.com
A bill signed by Gov. Wolf permits semi-automatic rifles and air- and gas-powered weapons in hunting.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission will determine the types of weapons, size of magazines and types of game permitted to be hunted.
Most states permit the use of semi-automatic weapons, but with some restrictions.
Pennsylvania is one of the last states to prohibit hunting with semi-automatic weapons, but a law signed Tuesday by Gov. Tom Wolf may change that.
The law, which empowers the Pennsylvania Game Commission to determine what weapons can be used to hunt various types of game, was a rare bipartisan act. Its application, however, may cause controversy among hunters.
Jim Johnson, readying himself for hunting season with a visit to the Palmyra Sportsmen's Association's gun range, said he will stick with traditional bolt-action and flintlock rifles but doesn't mind other people using a semi-automatic gun.
"I don't see why it would be a problem," agreed Palmyra Sportsmen's Association President Skip Klinger. "There are other states around us that allow it."
Hunter Jeff Warble, however, said he would prefer not to allow semi-automatic weapons that people might point casually because they can fire more than one shot. Gary Laucks, owner of Laucks Sporting Goods in Myerstown, said he supports allowing semi-automatic rifles for hunting coyotes and other varmint, but is also worried about safety when hunting deer, particularly in Pennsylvania where many hunting areas aren't that isolated from homes, and other hunters could be around.
"I don't think it would be safe," Loucks said. "For deer hunting, you should just try to make that first shot count."
Here are four facts about the changes that could be coming to Pennsylvania hunting.
1. It won't impact this year's deer season
While the bill was passed in time for Monday's start of deer hunting season, it won't take effect for 60 days. And even then, it does not permit hunting deer with semi-automatic weapons – guns that only fire once per trigger pull but do not require reloading of ammunition after each shot – unless the Pennsylvania Game Commission allows it.
The commission could limit the prey that can be hunted, the types of semi-automatic weapons that can be used, and the capacity of the magazines hunters can carry.
"It (gives) the Game Commission the authority to determine the appropriate season in which semi-automatic rifles could be used," said commission spokesman Travis Lau. "So it's not to say that it would be limited only to small game. It would be a possibility that it could be approved for big game. We're a long way away from that. We would have to discuss that, to study what our hunters are willing and want to accept."
The law will likely be discussed as early as the Board of Commissioners' working group meeting at 8 a.m. Dec. 5, Lau said.
Matt Gabler, a state representative from the DuBois area and the bill's original sponsor, said there he thinks it's unlikely the commission will allow the use of semi-automatic weapons for deer hunting because of a "wide consensus" against the practice from other states.
2. Air and gas-powered guns are now allowed, too
Gabler's initial proposal was to eliminate the prohibition on air-powered and gas-powered weapons. That prohibition was targeted at BB and pellet guns, which are inhumane for hunting because they are likely to wound but not immediately kill an animal, he said. Many modern air-powered and gas-powered guns are lethal and therefore more humane.
The Senate added language lifting the prohibition on semi-automatic weapons. That was fine with Gabler, especially since regulations will be determined by the game commission, which he said has more expertise on such issues than the legislature.
The bill overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate, and was supported by all Lebanon County legislators.
3. Regulations in other states are mixed
The National Rifle Association, which supported the legislation, said that 48 states already allow hunting with semi-automatic weapons – Pennsylvania and Delaware being the only exceptions.
Most states surrounding Pennsylvania do permit hunting with semi-automatic rifles, but some place significant restrictions on their use.
In Ohio, regulations prohibit hunting deer with a shotgun or straight-walled cartridge rifle with more than three shells in the chamber and magazine. New York forbids, with certain exceptions, hunting with a firearm capable of holding more than six rounds.
Dave Wolf: Deer hunting season is fast approaching
4. Reaching common ground won't be easy
There are several considerations in allowing semi-automatic weapons that might not be obvious to a non-hunter.
On the positive side, hunters said some people prefer to hunt with the weapon they shoot the rest of the year, and for many people, that is a semi-automatic rifle. On the other hand, hunters may be less precise with their shots if they have more than one shot, increasing the risk of injuring but not killing the deer and leading to an inhumane death for the animal.
When the Lebanon Daily News asked opinions about the law on its Facebook page, it got a variety of reactions:
"I'm with it," wrote Grantville resident Dan Donten. "Probably keep capacity limits so people don't go too crazy. But nothing wrong with hunting with a semi."
"It's already unfair, it's supposed to be a sport not a one sided slaughter," wrote Kim Maillie.
"NO!!! Not with the possibility of hunting dogs, other hunters, other people, and perhaps pets or farm animals being accidently shot with these semi-automatics," wrote Marian Jean.
"I'm ok with it as long as it's not for big game," wrote D.J. Williams.