ORIGINAL: patrkyhntr
I'm sorry but PA is not NY. Population is far greater.
Well, I guess you are correct that New York State has more people than does PA, but aren't most of them in New York City? I'll bet the rest of the state has about the same population density as does most of PA.
We do have some buckshot only areas in PA. These are in the metropolitan areas of southeast PA and in the area close to Pittsburgh.
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/digestpdfs/2005/shooting_hours.pdf
Muzzleloading long guns .44 caliber or larger, bows and arrows, manual or autoloading shotguns, .410 or
larger using slugs and 20-gauge or larger using buckshot. Buckshot is not permitted in Allegheny County.Only bows and arrows,
including crossbows, are permitted in Philadelphia County. Crossbows may be used during any firearm deer season statewide, and
during any established deer season in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5C and 5D. In WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, hunters using a crossbow
during the archery seasons must purchase an archery stamp in addition to their general hunting license and appropriate WMU antlerless
deer license. Hunters using crossbows during the muzzleloader seasons must have a muzzleloader stamp in addition to their general
hunting license and appropriate WMU antlerless deer license. Crossbows must have a minimum weight of 125 pounds and a maximum
draw weight not to exceed 200 pounds.
If the area included in your shotgun only area is similar in composition to our special regulations areas, I guess I have to withdraw my objection. If the area is heavily forested, thinly populated, and mountainous, what is the problem? For example, your Tioga County is just across the border from our northern tier counties. Since I have been there, I fail to see what the problem would be with the use of rifles in such country. These areas are hardly more densely populated than are much of southcentral PA. Perhaps you can enlighten me.
Yes I agree, were the terrain is wooded and not populated, I do not see a problem.
But were I hunt which is Ostego county, it is very populated. I right next to the city of Oneonta, During hunting season the colleges are in. Let me tell you how many times we have to kick joggers out of the woods. Its is very hard to just hunt with shotgun. So I assume you can see my point. Now if they made these zones non rifle, why now that there are much more people is ok for us to hunt rifle.
When I first starting hunting you would never see anyone in the woods, now we have joggers, dog walkers, nature hikers. It gets me sick. But thats life. So now you can understand my concern. Now like I early stated I have hunted Rifle country before... Delaware county and the terrain is pretty much the same in certain areas, but the population is no were as great. Also you are right about NYC being the most populated area of NY, but ever since 9/11.. people have buying and building houses all over northern NY. Pretty much restricting more woods. So with that said, this is why I stated that it was not necessary to switch in certain zones.
Either way I not going to convence anyone here, I really don't care anymore.
On our property it will remain shotgun only.