If the PGC could figure out how to tack on a $25 paint ball permit, you bet it could happen.

Hey B.T. how about adding paint balls with meds to sterilize the deer than we can shoot them year round?

The agenda was just posted on the PGC site for the upcoming meeting. The proposed seasons and regulations are "all in" with semiautomatics. I expect a commissioner to try to amend this to exclude big game at the meeting. 

I don't own a semiauto rifle and have no real desire to do so. But, as stated previously, I'm not bother if others do.

My question would be, how many folks are really going to go out and purchase (last I looked, a decent AR style rifle with okay optics was in the $1,000+ price range) one, probably in a caliber bigger than .223 (which means ammo isn't cheap either), just to be able to use a semiauto for deer?

Today the BOC passed semiauto rifles unanimously for all species with a 2020 sunset provision. This was a preliminary approval with final vote at the spring meeting.
 
 

psu_fish
Really? An all out bonanza for general firearms for deer and bear season with no caliber restriction?

 
Preliminary approval for all seasons. Big game, small game, furbearer, groundhog. Magazine limit of 5 for big game. No caliber restrictions.
 
 

They must voted by need....need for money that is...so they allowed everything in hopes of getting back some lost sales.

That is debatable.
 
This is preliminary. Final adoption will be up for vote at the spring meeting. Three commissioners made statements before this vote. Two expressed strong support and mentioned ongoing research by staff to try to find any measurable safety impacts, which they did not uncover. The other commissioner expressed social concerns about safety then stated the sunset provision would force this to be looked at down the road.

Some uncertainty about the 5 round capacity limit. Press release said across the board for semi auto but the agenda voted on had no capacity limit for small game, furbearers and groundhogs. 

psu_fish
Is there going to be a 27 caliber limit for elk and semi-auto's ???

As a previous regulation, that will still stand.

Do you think the Amish will change?

BeenThereDoneThat.
PS. Any research:  Daddy can I swoot the dweer?  Sure son your 8 yrs. old and big enough to hold the gun, just keep pulling the trigger...OK?
 
Just an after thought...........                                                                                                                    

The semi platform would be a great option since it helps to reduce recoil for our youngest hunters. I trust the mentoree to instill proper shooting techniques and shot decisions into the mentor just as I trust adult hunters to do the same with junior hunters. There will always be those that do not.
 
Nothing changes with the legalizing of a semi automatic action for rifles. Semiautomatic shotguns have been legal for a very long time for deer in the SRA in our heaviest hunted and densest populated areas of the state. There has been no measurable safety impact from this. And mentored hunting is alive and well in the SRAs.

BeenThereDoneThat.
dpms I plead.... no contest!

You should, my 8 year old handles the .243 better than many of the, hmmppphhh, older gentlemen I have seen...but I am not going to complain about a 75+ year old person out hunting, just like I will continue to take my kids out for the mentor hunts.  And yes, I know some 7, 8, 9, 10 year olds are not ready for the hunt and that should be up to the mentor to decide.

eyesandgillz

BeenThereDoneThat.
dpms I plead.... no contest!

You should, my 8 year old handles the .243 better than many of the, hmmppphhh, older gentlemen I have seen...but I am not going to complain about a 75+ year old person out hunting, just like I will continue to take my kids out for the mentor hunts.  And yes, I know some 7, 8, 9, 10 year olds are not ready for the hunt and that should be up to the mentor to decide.

Allowing anybody and everybody that privilege, is my beef.  I've got nothing against competent people(young or old) hunting.
 
Yeah, I know statistics say it ain't dangerous so let's let "everybody" do it......... until there is enough stat's but, what would enough..... be?
 
Oh but let's not deny everybody because of a few bad apples, the competent shouldn't be burdened?  
 
Funny, I often wonder about that burden thingy when being searched at sports stadiums, public events and even, that darned seat belt law.   Ooooops silly me...... I forgot, if a law saves just one life, it's worth having as long as, those laws involve somebody else.  
 
 
 
  

BeenThereDoneThat.
Funny, I often wonder about that burden thingy when being searched at sports stadiums, public events and even, that darned seat belt law.   Ooooops silly me...... I forgot, if a law saves just one life, it's worth having as long as, those laws involve somebody else.  

Those are extra security steps just as a background check is when you purchase a firearm. As for the seat belt law, there is overwhelming evidence that wearing a seat belt in a accident significantly reduces injuries. There is no evidence that mentored hunters or semiautomatic rifles cause significantly more hunting accidents. 

BeenThereDoneThat.
Point is.....
Seat belt laws are worth it. even if the law only saves one life. A law we must all abide by.

Keeping semi-automatic rifles out of the hands of incompetent hunters/mentors is worth it, even if the law, only saves one life. A law we all should have to abide by.

Would it be "worth it" to ban knives, cars, pillows, bats because they have all been recklessly used to take lives? I mean, if one life is saved, it is worth it, right?
 
Pillows and bats are responsible for more deaths than stray shots by hunters using all legal types of firearms. If you were to look at semiauto actions specifically, the data would barely register.

BeenThereDoneThat.
Since you brought up the issue of pillows, bats, etc are they capable of firing rapid uncontrolled projectiles across open fields for hundreds of yards?

 
No, but there are known records of deaths from bats and pillows and they outnumber stray shots by hunters with all action types. If one were to just single out semiauto action types, the result would be almost ummeasurable. 

In addition use of guns for crime far out number knives, pillows, bats, etc!

 
Very true. You said semis should be illegal for hunting since it might save one life. I asked if pillows should be illegal since they result in more deaths than stray shots by hunters. 

So, should the use of some guns be limited (outlawed)? You know, even if one life is saved....

I don't believe so. So why only some guns if all guns are used to kill people? That is if you are interested in saving one life....
 
Listen. I understand I am not going to change your mind. I just give more weight to known data and facts than personal beliefs and assumptions. There is a wealth of information out there on many issues pertaining to hunting. It is up to all of us to decide how deep we want to dive into it when discussing issues such as this. One thing I do greatly respect about you is your ability to debate and disagree on issues without getting into slights and digs at the expense of our sport. That is all too common in these debates in many places.