Author Topic: Handgun permit? (Read 3336 times)

BattleRifleG3 · « **on:** December 01, 2005, 07:08:57 PM »

I was wondering how one goes about carrying a handgun for hunting, ie a revolver. Does one need a special pistol hunting permit? I have a concealed carry permit, does it relate at all to carrying a handgun hunting? My latest hunting experience I would have been glad to carry my friend's Colt Trooper in addition to my rifle.

PA-Joe · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2005, 01:45:58 AM »

There are three PA laws that govern handgun hunting. Under the PGC regulations so long as you have a hunting license then you are allowed to open carry hunt with a non-semi auto handgun. But the handgun must be cased and unloaded while traveling. If you go to the County Treasurer they can issue you a Sportsman/woman's License (SL) which allows you to (I'm not certain what)? You still have to transport unloaded and cased. The CCP allows you to carry a loaded firearm but only during certain hunting situtations. I.E you cannot carry CCP while archery hunting and you cannot carry semi auto CCP while hunting. The Sl makes it easier to explain why there is a gun in your car if you get stopped by a LEO.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2005, 10:59:29 AM »

So at age 23 with a regular hunting license and during centerfire rifle season at a friend's private land, I can load and carry a revolver abiding by the same regs as a hunting rifle?

Alternately, could it be carried loaded in a vehicle with a CCW permit as a CCW, independent of hunting, and then carried openly for hunting? Or alternately yet, is there anything wrong with one carrying his semi-auto as a CCW in his vehicle, and then leaving it there to go hunting and taking up his unloaded revolver and loading and carrying it openly according to the same regs as a hunting rifle? I'm only asking these to better understand the technicalities.

slayer · « **Reply #3 on:** December 03, 2005, 01:45:07 PM »

From my experience, the PA Game Comm just sets the laws on what Handguns are legal for hunting. As for Hunting with them, yes 2 ways. First is the Sportsman permit, no conceilment, just for Hunting and then their is the Conceilment liscence, that is a little more involved including your picture and background check. I have had both and gave up both when they ran out as I have sold all of my Handguns. Jack.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2005, 07:34:22 PM »

Ok, I'm a little confused here. I HAVE the concealed carry permit with protection as my listed reason for carry. I also have a current hunting license.

As a backup gun for whitetailed deer, would I be able to carry a revolver with the licensing I have, or do I need something more?

slayer · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2005, 11:34:26 AM »

The Conceilment Permit covers Conceilment and Hunting all in one. You are good to go. Jack.

PA-Joe · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2005, 11:38:58 AM »

Good to go!

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2005, 06:43:51 PM »

Thanks for the clarification! I always plan to have a CCW permit for self defense, but my CCW choice is a semi-auto, which isn't legit for hunting in PA. Glad to know I can pick up a revolver and be good to go. I'll bum a friend's 357 if he would so allow.

Jim 44-40 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2006, 09:58:41 AM »

I think .357 is allowed in PA,but not in all states. Manually operated centerfire handgun with all lead or a bullet designed to expand on impact. Just some info to pass on to other hunters.

tundragriz · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2006, 03:04:52 AM »

BRG3,

I "think" you are Ok. But.. if it was me, just to set my mind at ease, I'd make a call to the PGC to be sure it is valid for hunting and write down the name of the person I spoke to.

My Pa. carry permit from Susquehanna county states, "Reason to Carry - self defense/hunting/fishing".

My understanding with my permit is while hunting I can carry any kind of handgun, concealed or not. If it will be used in any way for the taking of game then it must meet the PGC handgun requirements.

slayer · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2006, 04:31:47 AM »

Yes, while hunting, the Handgun MAY be exposed. Jack.

Tapper · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2006, 07:30:36 AM »

Quote

My understanding with my permit is while hunting I can carry any kind of handgun, concealed or not. If it will be used in any way for the taking of game then it must meet the PGC handgun requirements.

tundragriz - I checked on the specifics for carry with both the game commission and the fish commission a few years ago. The Harrisburg HQ fellow looked it up to be sure.
Basically: For HUNTING: CCW is CCW + open carry huntingBUT -- the weapon carried must conform to the hunting you are doing, even if you are carrying another firearm, such as a rifle or shotgun. So - NO semiautos while hunting. Also, no firearms while archery or muzzle loader hunting. The warden and the law assumes that if you have the firearm available (ie - in your possession) you are hunting with it. This actualy makes sense from the enforcement of game laws view. If you've got it while hunting, you're hunting with it.

The fish commission doesn't care what CCW/sportsman license firearm you have with you.

I do not carry any semi auto to, from, or during hunting in PA. That's what they make S&W 642's for.

Hope this helps,

Tapper

BCB · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2006, 01:00:54 PM »

The Commission laws supersede all other laws when it involves a handgun and a hunting situation. A concealed carry permit is all you need to hunt with a handgun in this state. If you don’t have a concealed carry permit, you must get a hunting permit from the county treasurer. Then there is controversy as to whether it is good in other counties. These are all gray areas, but there is no need to try the gray areas and get your name in the local paper for a handgun violation. If you are hunting and on your way home and you have a loaded semi-handgun in the vehicle as your concealed carry, you can get in trouble from the Commission. A loaded weapon in a moving vehicle—you have hunting attire in your vehicle—remember? Also, you have the right to keep and bare arms…You have a conceal carry permit…You go spotting deer with your self defense handgun…You are going to get fined and your name in the paper again. You DO NOT have the right to protect yourself when you are spotting deer. I asked this question to a Conservation Officer and this was basically his reply, “If you’re so damned scared at night that you must carry a handgun, I would suggest you don’t spot deer.” A very typical response. So we really don’t have the right to carry a concealed weapon. That is one of the reasons I am mostly done hunting in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—the arrogant attitude of the Commission. And a 357 Magnum is legal to hunt with in PA….BCB

BloomGrad · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2006, 06:47:04 AM »

I use these guide lines for myself when taking to the field to hunt:

*Get and have all three licenses, Hunting, CCW, and Sportsman.

*Only have in my posession a gun allowed by the game laws pertaining to the game I'm hunting.

*Do not carry a gun while bowhunting.

*Do not transport a loaded firearm in, on or leaning against a motor vehicle. Leaning a rifle or shotgun on a car or resting in the bed of a truck is considered transporting. Even if the car is parked off road. A buddy was cited for this one.

*Do not carry a conceled gun of any type while hunting. I use a visable flap holster across my chest with a removeable flap. When on stand the flap is removed. When walking the flap is down to protect the gun finish

*Make sure ANY firearm is visable for a Game officer to see. Another buddy was warned, while dressing to enter the woods, that his blaze orange vest was big enough to fall over and hide most of the revolver.

*Do not take any firearm while for spotting deer.

*Do not carry a loaded firearm while walking along the road or within the safety zone of a building or house. As a PA hunter cannot fire over a road it can be considered a safety zone.

These are the basic rules my camp and neighbor camps and cabins all follow. Basic and simple. We have found they are the big rules for 95% of the confrontations with the PGC. Plus they are good rules for good hunter relations with landowners. In these days of shrinking land use with permissions to hunt, my buddies all feel we have to do our part to be the good guys.

Simple and effective. Guns laws when hunting or dealing with wildlife and CCW laws when at home. When you try to bring them together is when confusion and citations/fines/arrests happen

Flash · « **Reply #14 on:** September 03, 2006, 02:21:03 PM »

A basic hunting license does NOT give you the right to carry a handgun in your vehicle to your favorite hunting grounds. This is where they require you to have a permit. Carrying a handgun in a vehicle is prohibited unless you have a Sportsman's permit, after which the gun must be unloaded and you MUST be going to or coming from your place to hunt. A Concealed Carry permit allows you the same rights but also permits you to carry your handgun under your garments where a Sportsman's permit does NOT.

THEPLUMBER · « **Reply #15 on:** April 26, 2007, 01:55:48 PM »

What is needed for a 20 year old to hunt with a handgun. You must be 21 to get a CCW , and 21 to own a pistol, but can my son hunt with my pistol.This gun would not be concealed.

CivicSi · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2007, 09:21:06 AM »

Quote from: THEPLUMBER on April 26, 2007, 01:55:48 PM

What is needed for a 20 year old to hunt with a handgun. You must be 21 to get a CCW , and 21 to own a pistol, but can my son hunt with my pistol.This gun would not be concealed.

He needs the Sportsman permit from the county treasurer.

manofthe45 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2007, 05:58:16 PM »

Quote from: CivicSi on April 28, 2007, 09:21:06 AM

Quote from: THEPLUMBER on April 26, 2007, 01:55:48 PM
What is needed for a 20 year old to hunt with a handgun. You must be 21 to get a CCW , and 21 to own a pistol, but can my son hunt with my pistol.This gun would not be concealed.

He needs the Sportsman permit from the county treasurer.

Correct. This is what I got at 19 to hunt with my grandfathers 357.

The Gamemaster · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2007, 06:19:26 PM »

Just a small note here,

After 1994, when the gun laws changed in Pennsylvania, several things changed in the way that guns are allowed to be used, loaned and sold.

You can use any manual pistol for hunting in any season that allows the use of a handgun - such as small game and big game seasons. Other than Muzzleloading season and Spring Gobbler.

It has been said that they are talking about changing the game laws to include being allowed to carry a handgun during archery and also Muzzleloader season for protection.

If they did it or not - we will see when the new game law digest comes out the 1st of July.

Now for the loaning part.

By law, a gun is registered to one person.

That person is permitted to carry that gun. Nobody else.

Now if you are a family member residing in the same household as the person that owns the gun, you might get away with it. But if you live somewhere other than the primary residence of the gun's owner - you can get in trouble for it.

The reason being is that let's say that you borrow a Uncles or a friends gun. But you are not legally allowed to carry it. You go out into the woods and hunt. Everything is ok. Then on the way home you get into a fight with your girlfrend or your wife or both. First thing you do is pull out your Uncles handgun and she calls the police.

Now even though you did not threaten her with it, you have it and you are not the registered owner and you are caught with it. Now both you and your Uncle get's into trouble.

Same way with transporting = you have it in your car but it is not yours.

The Game Warden pulls you over and See's a gun case and asks is there a handgun in there and can I see it. He goes back to the truck and runs the numbers and finds out that it is not yours.
Now he wants to know who's is it and how did you come by it. The gun goes into his truck and you go into the cop car.

When you go into a gun shop to buy a gun, you are the person that has to fill out the paperwork and has to register the firearm. It is in your name. If you give it to someone else - especially when they are under the legal age to own the firearm or they are not allowed to purchase a firearm.
That is called a Straw Buy.

You can get into a lot of trouble for doing something like that.

A good clerk can usually spot a Straw Buy a mile away. It usually ends up being a woman that wants to buy a couple of handguns and doesn't know anything about calibers or barrel lengths etc..

They come in with a list or a pre rehearsed list of what they want to buy.

The clerk asks some simple questions and they do not have the answer and maybe their boyfriend or person standing next to them is giving them the answers.

The clerk keeps them busy long enough to call the PA State Police and they go for a ride in the cop car..

How is a State Policeman going to be able to tell the difference between a person that borrowed a gun from Uncle Joe and a person that had someone buy it for them and register it to avoid the criminal background check. They can't!

That's what makes it illegal for a person to loan you a handgun.

The Gamemaster · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2007, 06:26:14 PM »

If you sell a firearm in Pennsylvania, no matter if it is a single shot shotgun or a rifle or what ever.

As long as it is not a muzzle-loader, you have to go to a gun-shop and pay a fee for them to do the background check and also pay the sales tax. You have to pay the transfer fee and all other fee's associated with it.

No matter if it is face to face or not.

The state seen that Lot's of guns were being bought and sold in the trader papers and they were not able to keep track of who owned what and where they were at.

The main thing was that the state was loosing revenue - tax money when these gun transactions were being performed outside of legal gun shops.

So if you are caught buying or selling a firearm without not first going to a gun shop and paying the fee's and taxes - you can get a very stiff fine.

Last time I checked it was a Misdemeanor Second Class.

Which is not a Felony, but will pretty much screw you the next time you go to buy a new gun.

JoeG52 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 02, 2007, 10:57:00 AM »

Pennsylvania law now allows you to carry even while bow hunting as long as you have a LTCF, even semi-autos. You still can't use semi-autos for hunting.

You do NOT have to go to a dealer to transfer long guns, only handguns.

manofthe45 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2007, 05:31:31 PM »

Quote from: JoeG52 on May 02, 2007, 10:57:00 AM

.

You do NOT have to go to a dealer to transfer long guns, only handguns.

Was gonna comment on this last night but waited until I contacted my sheriff department today and the above is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

CivicSi · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2007, 01:41:35 AM »

From Pa State Police

Who can apply for a Sportsman’s Firearm Permit?

An individual who is age 18 or older and is licensed to hunt, trap or fish, or who has been issued a permit relating to hunting dogs, may apply for a Sportsman's Firearm Permit by submitting a completed application along with the required fee to the county treasurer's office. The permit shall be issued immediately and be valid throughout this Commonwealth for a period of five years from the date of issue for any "legal firearm", when carried in conjunction with a valid hunting, furtaking or fishing license, or permit relating to hunting dogs. The issuances of a Sportsman’s Firearm Permit allows the individual to carry a firearm if such persons are actually hunting, taking furbearers, fishing or training dogs, or are going to the places where they desire to hunt, take furbearers, fish, or train dogs during the regular training season, or returning from such places. A Sportsman's Firearm Permit is NOT a License to Carry a firearm concealed.

shotgunner · « **Reply #23 on:** June 14, 2007, 07:46:46 AM »

I just read through this and still have a question. How old do you have to be to hunt or trap with a handgun in PA? I took my sons to the County ( Tioga ) courthouse to get permits. They were told they were not old enough, they are 16 and 18. The game laws states that the only firearm a youth ( 12 and up ) can use on a trapline is a 22 rifle or HANDGUN. Can a 14 year old hunt squirrels with a 22 revolver while accompanied by his father? Can he carry a .357 while deer hunting? If not, when is it legal for a person to hunt or trap with a revolver? Shotgunner

CivicSi · « **Reply #24 on:** June 15, 2007, 09:23:39 AM »

Unless the law has changed in the last couple years. He has to be 18 and go to the county treasurer's office for a sportsman's permit to hunt with a handgun.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #25 on:** June 15, 2007, 09:35:58 AM »

no wonder so many of the people up north move south ! confusing !
and the officer who talked about being scared while spoting deer , is he scared ? bet he is armed !

Rummer · « **Reply #26 on:** June 30, 2007, 10:59:01 AM »

Will County Treasurers in PA sell a Sportsman's Firearms Carry Permit to a Nonresident?

sniperVLS · « **Reply #27 on:** July 07, 2007, 01:19:47 AM »

Forgive me if what I'm about to say/ask makes little to no sense, I've been awake for almost 30 hours and just worked a 14 hour shift, thats my excuse.....Oh and while reading, remember I live in Ohio not that it should make a difference.

I'll be going to PA for coyote here and there, and bear and deer in November. I received my PA license last week(I got it quicker from a state that I dont live in, took only 9 days from the day I mailed the app and check. took 20 days to get my Ohio issued one).

So If I am NOT hunting with the pistol but concealing for sled defense(thats what I put on the app), and am carrying a rifle for hunting, and have a PA issued conceal carry license on my person, can it be a semi-auto?

2nd question, if I can carry a semi-auto while hunting, does it have to be concealed? Is open carry just for a pistol thats being used for hunting?

I read, well more like skimmed thru some of these posts and I got confused.

I plan on getting a taurus raging bull .44 down the road but my Sig .40s&w will have to do for now. I apologize for the rambling, I'm off to get some well deserved sleep.

buckbeast · « **Reply #28 on:** July 07, 2007, 12:01:47 PM »

Snipervls,

I don't know that you can legally carry a semi-automatic at all while hunting in PA. Please read the sections titled Unlawful Firearms & Devices and Firearms - Hanguns on the following link. Seems like your question could fall into one of those "gray areas".

Buck

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/digestpdfs/2007/general_regulations.pdf

JoeG52 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 07, 2007, 02:17:58 PM »

That law was just changed this year. You can carry any CCW (as long as you have a LTCF) even during archery season, but you can not use it to hunt.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/DSU/view_bill.cfm?theURL=www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/BH/2005/0/HB2563.HTM&theType=H