open carry handgun hunting in PA

[Archblackmage]

Any know if you need a concealed carry or sportsman's permit to open carry for hunting in PA. When I was on game commission website all info talked about loaded guns in automobiles  and concealed carry only.

I live in Pittsburgh PA and know city reg. can all be different than county, I have hunted in Lycomming, Butler, Westmoreland, and Fayette. I don't recall the management units.

[JoeG52]

No permit is needed for open carry, however you can not ‘open carry’ in a vehicle. The gun must be unloaded (and I think cased) for transportation. Also, when you are hunting you may want yo cover the gun during bad weather. That would not be ‘open carry’. I wouldn’t bother with the sportsman permit. It is easy in PA to get a LTCF, then there is no probem.

Lots of good information here...
http://www.pafoa.org/forum/

[Archblackmage]

sweet I joined up thanks a lot.

[PA1749]

I guess there is a new law concerning this. I just bought a Sportsman's permit 2 years ago so that I could hunt with a handgun. I even had a CCW permit at the time but they told me that I still needed the permit.

[PA-Joe]

Actually, PA is an Open Carry state and you need nothing while open carry during hunting or just walkin around.

[Davemuzz]

I guess there is a new law concerning this. I just bought a Sportsman's permit 2 years ago so that I could hunt with a handgun. I even had a CCW permit at the time but they told me that I still needed the permit.

I had read something about this.....but upon further inquiry...and don't ask me who I ended up talking to.....determined that both were not required. I have a CCW and that's all I've been using to hunt with.

Dave

[CivicSi]

You need one or the other to hunt, but not both.  Bottom of 1st page. 

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/digestpdfs/2006/general_regulations.pdf

[JoeG52]

You only need one if you conceal while hunting or carry while driving.

"A Sportsman’s Firearms permit or a License to Carry a Firearm is required to carry a handgun concealed or in a motor vehicle."

[manofthe45]

To many conflicting posts on a very serious topic so I am going to lock it down until I can get one straight answer from both the sheriffs department and the PGC.  The problem I see is that the PGC will have a differnt understanding than the sherriffs office.  It doesn't help that there are simply to many agencies involved.  Sheriff =LTC, County treasurer= sportsman permit, PGC= enforcement, Judge=final ruling.  All of this =one BIG Cluster**** so for the sake of all if anyone needs an immediate answer please contact the proper agencies.