Dale - I know you're not a PA resident, so let me explain, and then you'll understand.

PA permits recreational spotlighting. Game Commish has 2 rules: You have to stop by 11:00, and NO WEAPONS IN THE VEHICLE. It really worked pretty good - they patrol at night, and will pull you over and check the car for guns. I've been stopped at least 5-10 times. They find no weapons, and send you on your way. We've been spotting deer for as long as I can remember.

Gun whiners got a new law passed thatpermits concealed carry weapons in the car while spotting (afraid of the boogie man). LEO's were almost bitterly opposed to it- now they actually have to catch the poacher in the act of shooting. Whereas before, they could throw the book at them if they just caught them spotting with a weapon in the vehicle at a random police stop, or a spotlighting checkpoint.

Obviously, there were still some problems, but it worked as well as it could have. We only have a few officers per county, but they did a fair job - up until now.

Jacklighting is, has, and will always be 100% illegal in PA. This new law, however, puts the ball in the criminals' court, and will enable jacklighters to "hunt" at night, legally. All they have to do now is just be smart enough to shoot when nobody's looking. The game commission spotlighting checkpoints will no longer be effective.

This effectively takes the teeth right out of our law enforcement capabilities, and puts our license fee money to waste. It's ultimately gonna cost us our spotlighting privileges. No doubt in my mind.