Shooting deer with buckshot in PA

Why is "buckshot" permitted to hunt deer in PA ?? In areas like 5C buckshot is permitted but in special reg area 2B Allegheny Co is is not. what is the reasoning behind this law?

Fair question and fair answer. Just as happy that it isn't used here. I worry enough about Turkey Loads... don't need 8+.32 caliber 00's ripping through the woods in my direction or toward a house or kids playing or into playgrounds or into paddocks or into county parks. Buckshot in my mind represents a clear and present danger in congested areas and may very well be the worst thing they ever allowed in the 5C zone.

I wish I knew. Perhaps it's because they allow it in NJ and since 5C is so close in proximity, our prevailing Philly Heads felt that "if it's good enough there, it's good enough here". Always felt that out authority figures down in SEPA looked up to NJ and NYC as role models far too often. Hopefully this new administration can take control and make some things right.

it has been on the books a long time (since the start of the special regs at least). I think at that time the prevailing knowledge was that buckshot would be safer in areas with houses around compared to rifles. And in that respect it is. If I'm in a woodlot with the nearest house 1 mi away, there is no chance that a piece of buckshot fired at a deer will hit the nearest house. With a rifle, the bullet can go that mile or more and still have enough energy to kill someone when it gets there. That I suspect is the reason why buckshot was made legal. It is still legal because no one has pushed to change the law.

I think you're coming from the safety aspect of being another hunter in the same woods (within 200 yards say) and your likelihood of being hit by a stray projectile goes up if they are shooting 8 pellets of buckshot. However, the regulation that allows buckshot and restricts rifles is for the safety of the surrounding people, not hunters in the same woods. The safety standard in the woods is the same regardless of shotgun or rifle- only shoot what you positively identify and ensure you know where you bullet will go before and after the shot.

Thanks,
Rick

Hi Riz,

Depends on the bullet, but a 30-06 165 gr will be about 150'. That same bullet will travel over 2.5 miles. the surprising part is that it only needs an initial angle of 30 degrees to do so. Shooting uphill at a deer? There's a fair chance that you're approaching a high enough angle to shoot a LONG way. Most people don't realize how low the required angle is to shoot bullets to their max range.

Shotgun slugs won't go as far as rifle bullets, but it isn't very different, maybe a half mile in the worst case (a brenneke slug) and even less with a sabot slug.

I agree about slugs and bullets. There isn't much difference now. the old rules were in place before we had shotguns who could pattern 1.5" at 100 yards with a saboted slug. As recent as 20 years ago you had a pumpkin ball or you had a brenneke slug for a shotgun. At that time, there weren't any manufacturer created slug guns. You could get an extra barrel for your 1100/1187 and get good enough accuracy, but nothing like what you can accomplish today.

What's the alternative though? If rifles are too dangerous and shotguns are now just as dangerous, that leaves you with a bow or crossbow. Personally, I wouldn't push for a rule rewrite because it won't be in hunters favor.

Thanks
Rick

Don't know about how that study relates to my shooting but I do know that my .270,sighted in to hit about an inch high at 75 yards, drops 39 inches at 500 yards. Seems to be a lot less than the studies 36 inches at about a mile. I must be using the wrong load.....WF

Casts, the 6 th paragraph in the study says a shotgun held level to the ground at 3 feet will go .99 mile and a rifle 16% less....WF....[cut and paste is beyond me]