Don't know how many of you guys and girls have seen it yet but the plug law has been changed for shotguns....NO MORE PLUGS!!!



Shotgun And Rabbit Regulation Changes Effective October 26, 2007 The Board of Game and Inland Fisheries passed a regulation that took effect on October 26, 2007 that makes it legal to use unplugged shotguns for the hunting and taking of non-migratory game (this includes deer, bear, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, quail, bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, opossum, groundhog, and skunk). This is a change from what is printed in the Hunting & Trapping in Virginia, July 2007-June 2008 Regulations digest, in the second bullet under Legal Use of Firearms on page 21.
[ul][*]Shotguns must still be plugged to a three shell capacity if hunting and taking migratory game (this includes doves, crows, all ducks, all geese including resident Canada geese, tundra swans, rail, snipe, woodcock, gallinules, and moorhens).[*]The Board also passed a modification to the rabbit season, which begins November 3, 2007, by extending the season to the last legal hunting day in February. This change will be effective for this season. This is different from the season ending date listed in this year's Hunting & Trapping in Virginia, July 2007-June 2008 Regulations digest. All other rabbit hunting regulations as outlined in the regulations digest remain in effect.[/ul]

Yeah, Really don't understand the logic behind this.... It will result in more wounded deer and quite possibably more hunters getting shot. For goodness sake if you can't take a deer down in 2 or 3 shots you shouldn't be shooting at it anyway.... Ironically the only thing I would even want an unplugged shotgun for are dove, and ducks... the things that you miss alot when shooting at.

that was my original thought

The unplugged gun has been Alabama law for non migratory game for as long as I can remember. I see no reason for there being more wounded animals because of it.

i always thought having a plug was just plain stupid anyway,what differents does it make .you could always hunt deer with a rifle with a big clip.

Sorry Let me clearify here. We are only allowed buckshot and just this year they are allowing slugs( though I don't know anyone who is using slugs becuase most people around here hunt with Hound Clubs and Hound clubs= shots at running deer)Your first 2 shots at a deer are your best two... any shot after that you will be shooting at the deer running away from you. You will just be putting unnessicary buckshot into his hindquaters. You won't kill a deer running away from you with buckshot I don't care if you have 12 shots. You will wound him but you won't kill him. at least not imediatley.

As I stated earlier the only thing I would want an unplugged gun for is waterfowl or dove.

Why bother, 3 shots is plenty enough in my book. If you can't hit it in 3 shots, that animal deserves to live.

I can definatley knock down a deer with one shot, but if you have extra tags for does it makes more sense if you can do some herd management.