RE: What should a bowhunter be allowed to carry for self-defense?
quik, your the one with the law background....
there is wording in the PA law that says CCW carried while bowhunting or spotting must be weapons must fall into that classification (CCW) so that, to me, and probably any LEO means NO encore with a scope, no s&w 500 with a 14" barrel and 6x scope etc etc.....has to be a CCW.
carry your encore pistol bowhunting and get checked....i bet your gunna be in hot watter... CCP or not....you were legally bowhunting so you should not have a firearm of such size and likely a scope on it...heck, you cant even conceal things like that!
call the headquarters and ask them if you can legally carry an encore pistol with a scope to your bowhunting stand while your legally bowhunting....when they say no, make sure you tell them you have a CCP.
to me, the wording is VERY gray, but anyone with a lick of sense if gunna read that wording and realize that the encore they wanted to go poach with and claim CCW isnt gunna fly....
just my 2 cents....ive read it 100000 times on HPA and the LEOs agree that if your packing, it better be something that is a "normal" carry gun....the actual law might read better than the book does....
my sig 226 in 40cal must fall into your "long barrel" category...youd have to be a moron to shoot a deer with a hydrashock coming from a 40s&w....