Re: Pennsylvania bans rifles for fall turkey season

[wvmntnhick]

wvmntnhick,  You can bet the WV will soon follow PA.  Our guys at DNR and the legislature seldom have an idea of their own to start with.  One of the rich landowner delegates will have an epiphany for sure now.
Just like WVQDMA trying to legislate deer harvests.  It is as someone said, "all about the money."

And, when they do, I'll comply. Admittedly, I likely didn't do the game animals any favors as a youngster. Having gotten a little older, seeing things for what they are, recognizing my own personal flaws and changes in my personal life, let's just say some things changed for me in the long run. Always enjoyed using a rifle. I mean really, what's not to like? And, if the state says 2 birds, then 2 birds it is. Doesn't much matter in my eyes if the guy kills them with a rifle, shotgun, his truck or detonates 5# of tannerite to do it (assuming it's legal where you are). If they want to preserve the game, drop the limit.

I've been hearing that they're going to reduce the number of bucks down to two for the last couple years and that the second buck (regardless of weapon) will have to follow some antler restriction guidelines. And while some would cry about it, I'm all for it. However, they also need to limit the number of total deer killed in certain counties more so than they do now. Ohio is a one buck state. They produce some real bruisers. The herd isn't hurting there but they certainly don't have the numbers we do either. Back home, 2 hours from here, I've gotten much more selective in the past several years about what I kill myself be it turkeys or deer. The numbers aren't as good. Small bucks, jakes and does (for the most part) get a pass. The hatches aren't as good there. The mast production sucks usually. The only things that are doing well there are the coyotes and the bears. It's regional obviously and should be handled as such. Essentially, whatever the state decides is fine by me but I can't personally see how limiting the weapons is going to make a huge dent in population integrity. Guys complained about compound bows when they hit the market and again when the crossbows became legal. It's had very little impact on kill numbers. Maybe it's just me though. Although, having discussed it with one of our biologists at length, well, he'll tell ya the same. It's as was stated earlier, a money racket.


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[falltoms]

As I stated before, I'm not a fan of rifles for turkey. But passing such a law for hopes of saving some turkey isn't going to help much. As far as getting rid of the 2nd spring tag, that's probably not going to happen either, it generates too much money for the Game commission.

[M,Yingling]

fall birds was a big thing growing up and still is i have a over under rifle shot gun combo i have gotten lots turkey with I  would like see them put a fall turkey tag out maybe 10 or 15 $ with all the over lapping seasons now  and cross bows now  theirs lots of opportunities now to take a turkey when their not the intended target 

[wvmntnhick]

As I stated before, I'm not a fan of rifles for turkey. But passing such a law for hopes of saving some turkey isn't going to help much. As far as getting rid of the 2nd spring tag, that's probably not going to happen either, it generates too much money for the Game commission.

That sums it up. It's like the tiger trout the WV hasn't stocked in years. Costs a pile of money to raise them and they're hard on natives if they get into those fisheries. That's why they stopped stocking them 20+ years ago. Well, they're back now. Why? MONEY!!!


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[THattaway]

I remember when it was legal to use rifles here in SC. Glad when they outlawed them. Was for safety reasons, number of folks shot each spring.

[3bailey3]

Sorry i didn't realize any state still allowed rifle hunting for turkeys!! I was taught to only shoot if you could see his eyes blink! Can you hear him spitting and drumming at 200 hundred plus yards?

[Chris O]

I have been a member on OG for many years and don't post often. I look at a lot of conversational post and shake my head in disbelief often on comments, but this is another post that I am not going to let slide by without a comment.  I am glad you have an opinion that rifle hunting should be banned in every state, but my opinion differs than yours. You should have a choice of hunting with what you want! You pay for the hunting privilege when you buy a license plus buy extra tags and all the other crap. What is the difference between hunting with a 410, 20 or 12 gauge with optics, a tight choke and TSS vs a muzzleloader vs a rifle.  What is the difference between a recurve bow vs a compound bow vs a crossbow with a scope.  What is the difference between hunting with your back against a tree vs a blind with decoys with movable body parts vs fanning a bird. What is the difference between hunting Public land vs paying a guide service to escort you and buy yourself a bird or two or three. I  don't use a rifle, a shotgun with TSS or a bow. I don't use a blind with decoys or guide or guide service, but if you choose to use any of the the previous methods you should have the right to do so.

I feel the same way as you it's local government control stripping you of your hunting privileges ( slowly but surely) you guys still can't hunt on Sunday either? That's just over stepping as far as I am concerned.

[knifeshark]

Sorry i didn't realize any state still allowed rifle hunting for turkeys!! I was taught to only shoot if you could see his eyes blink! Can you hear him spitting and drumming at 200 hundred plus yards?

It's either sex bird in the fall you don't need to hear them spitting and drumming


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[Crghss]

I don't hunt in PA anymore, so I don't think my opinion counts for much.

Shooting hens in the fall does not equate to shooting Tom's in the spring. Males aren't laying eggs, hens are.

Not hunting on Sunday's has been in place since before I was born in the sixties. It has remained that way because most Pennsylvanian didn't want the rule changed. No body stripped anyone of anything.

Do PA blue laws make much sense? Probably not, but it is for Pennsylvanians to change those rules/laws. No one else.

[3bailey3]

Again sorry, at the top of this page it says turkey hunting forum, not turkey shooting forum!

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Again sorry, at the top of this page it says turkey hunting forum, not turkey shooting forum!

Shooting is the end result of hunting regardless if you're using a rifle, shotgun, crossbow, compound bow, spear, or a good rubber band and paper clip.


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[3bailey3]

Turkey hunting to me is calling one in for a shot, not just shooting one!

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Turkey hunting to me is calling one in for a shot, not just shooting one!

You can call one in for a shot with a rifle.  I've never thought about shooting a turkey with a rifle and I don't know anything about it.  Because I don't know anything about it I choose not to critical of it.  I've had enough people that tell me I'm doing something wrong because they don't know what goes into what I'm doing so I choose to return the favor to those that do things I have little understanding of.


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[wvmntnhick]

Again sorry, at the top of this page it says turkey hunting forum, not turkey shooting forum!

Shooting is the end result of hunting regardless if you're using a rifle, shotgun, crossbow, compound bow, spear, or a good rubber band and paper clip.


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^^ this. And, your statement above is also correct. Shooting is the end result. The weapon matters not. And even though I've used a rifle on turkeys more than most guys (I'm assuming anyway) on this forum, the vast majority have fallen well within shotgun range. And with the new turkey loads on the market, I can't see much of a difference in the end. Again, it's not for everyone and tends to be a sore subject when it comes up every spring/fall. I'd almost bet good money there's been more birds crippled and died later with shotguns than rifles. Sure, it's likely a numbers game but I rarely hear of a guy using a rifle that mentions hitting a bird only for it to get up and run off. Shotguns are a different story. But I'm often the outcast and my opinion matters not. As far as safety goes, a little target recognition goes a long ways.


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[3bailey3]

Mel you are sure defending something you say you know nothing about!! you say you can call one into rifle range but yet you know about rifle hunting? Again sorry but i thought most here knew what they were defending, late on here for me, going to try and call one into range with my 20 in the morning..