Wyoming latest state to allow silencers for hunting
Wyoming governor Matt Mead has signed legislation allowing the state’s hunters to use suppressors for hunting.
According to the American Silencer Association, 39 states now allow the tools for hunting.
Virginia is one of them.
This is a sensible law.
What is a big thing we always hear when the Sunday hunting debate comes up? “Gun shots are disturbing!”
Well, anybody who has shot a suppressed deer rifle knows that it’s not silent. Heck, even a suppressed .22 (my buddy has an awesome squirrel-hunting rig) makes a little noise.
But suppressors do reduce the report. Not enough to avoid spooking game (as some opponents say), but enough to reduce the amount of noise your neighbors will hear (Perfectly illustrated in this image by photographer and blogger Oleg Volk) and enough to reduce potential damage to ear drums for those who shot a lot.
Is there a downside to suppressors for hunting? Well, the Wyoming Game Wardens Association opposed the legislation saying that it could give hunters an unfair advantage over game and that it could make it more difficult to stop poachers.
The first argument is a non-starter. As for the second, I’m going to stick with what I’ve heard Virginia’s conservation police officers say: Poachers will be poachers. A new law doesn’t suddenly turn a law-abiding citizen into a criminal.
Do any of you hunt with suppressors? Let’s hear about your experiences.
February 25, 2013 - 3:58 PM
I don’t have one, but have shot a buddy’s suppressed rifle. They’re “okay” I suppose. Not enough for me to purchase one though, but they look freaking cool!
AWESOME!
Clearly “suppressors” are tools of war and crime. What purpose do they serve except to assinate someone in a crowd and not be detected. They should be banned! Oh yes, what’s the part about a $200 federal fee to purchase one? Is that true? Actually, I don’t use one and really don’t want one. But if the noise was an issue (and I don’t consider it to be) I would opt for one of those super slick “air rifles”. I do shoot with a friend who has one and uses it on one of his evil “AR’s”. It sure don’t seem to supress much of anything in my opinion. As far as my shooting goes, the bigger the bang the better I like it! Wonder if they could suppress this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rKHXTsDcco
A gun is a gun, no matter what color it is painted or how many do-dads are hanging off it. No big deal, IMO. The VGD has been using suppressed rifles for deer collections for many years, they’re fun and would really be neat for youth or first-time hunters, to lessen the “flinch”. And the new air rifles are wonderful Bubba, Wish I had one.
I would be concerned that this would open the door for poaching, trespassing, and spotlighting. I like what it does for legit hunters but don’t like the opportunities it gives to outlaws.
Bubba,
When was the last time someone was assasinated in a crowd with a hunting rifle?
As they say” perception is everything”. At a time when there is so much animosity between hunters and non-hunters ,Shooters/nonshooters, and just gun rights in general, I see no need to do what seems like throwing gas on a lit fire. Yes they look cool, in my opinion, but what does that matter if the gun you want to put it on is banned or you don’t have any ammunition to shoot it with. Why start a fight over an issue far less important than the ones already brewing?
As far as the Sunday hunting deal, you can bet the people that let some noise bother them sure aren’t going to go for people toting silencers around, it just gives the suggestion you are trying to sneak something in. Make sure you show Farmer Brown that cool silencer when you go to ask for permission to hunt on his land, that is sure to seal the deal.
I don’t give any credence to the “no hunters shooting on Sunday” argument anyhow. Spend about 20 or 30 minutes sitting an listening in the country on any given Sunday and you will hear shots all over the place.
There is no such thing as a day of silence and there is no day of rest for hunters or animals. Those who say there is are either ignorant or pushing some other agenda in trying to keep me and my kids out of the woods.
Personally, I see no reason to buy one. Gun shots are a part of living in the country. Come to think of it, when I lived in The Fan in Richmond in the early 90s gun shots at night were a part of living in the city too.
Here is a fun little video we put together on Sunday hunting that also mentions the silence on Sundays argument:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ByUdrmW6XU
I do hunt with a suppressor and am very surprised at some of the attitudes above. Can someone here direct me to the last crime perpetrated using a suppressor? Many here will come to the defense of using a semiautomatic rilfe in an AR style platform but will be quick to judge others use of a suppressor. The hypocrisy is quite clear and done so out of ignorance without any practical knowledge of how a suppressor works or its limitations.
Jim: For those of us who do not know about or have any practical knowledge of the workings and limitations of suppressors, would you do us the favor of filling us in?
We are quick to realize someone who knows nothing about guns preaching against them but don’t always do them the service of educating them. It is my understanding that a suppressor for a firearm would function similarly to a muffler on a car? You are right, I know little.
Help us out! Let us learn!
Man this sporting crowd does not appear to be tuned in to tongue in cheek comments. I don’t have a problem with a suppressor personally, but was just waiting for the libs to come out and proclaim them evil! Seeing how it’s a rainy day and most of the shut in’s follow the political blogs, I was certain one would find this topic by now and blast away. Something else that strikes me as funny. Lewis & Clark had air rifles on their expeditions. I have seen some from that time period and even before at the VMI Museam. One of the reasons air guns did not grow popular in that time was the idea that it was not honorable to shoot someone (or something) with a “gun” that did not go BOOM! I’m sort of in that camp myself. Like I said, Bubba likes big BOOMS! Of course one cannot overlook the reality that suppressors are, like class III weapons, regulated beyond the scope of regular firearms thus someone somewhere feels they serve only potentially sinister ends. Now, if it strikes some as being ignorant or hypocrisy that’s OK too, but I don’t want one and seriously don’t see they serve any real value in hunting. But if you want one, fill out the paperwork, pay the price and go for it. BTW, are fingerprints only required if you make one yourself with intent on selling it? Or do all permits for suppressors also require fingerprints?
“Lewis & Clark had air rifles on their expeditions.” Rifles or rifle? I thought Lewis purchased only 1.
Stephen: I seem to recall reading about the weapons of the expedition and best I remember they had several air rifles. That maybe only one specifically was owned by and identified with Lewis (or Clark) or any other member of the expedition may be the source of the term “The Lewis and Clark air rifle” (singular). As I recall the article indicated they would place members of the expedition in hidden spots and give a display of their firepower without ever showing where it came from or how many they had hidden in the bush thus keeping the potentially hostile redskins off guard. The other benefit to the weapon was that it did not burden them with keeping a supply of power AND with keeping it dry. That was a clear advantage. NOW, maybe the assertion that there was only one is actually correct but that’s the way I recall it.
I’ll once again give a plug for the VMI museam. It’s free, easy to get to and has some extrodinary weapons on display. BTW, for the anti gun crowd there is a good display of the development of the “military” weapon. The funny part about that is that in every case, civilain weapons materialized out of every examply they display, so what does the left mean when they say “military weapons”. If you have not been to the museam make it a point to go. Then go to Nikko’s for the best Greek food in the nation and tell ‘em Bubba sent ya.
Without hijacking this article commentary altogether, here are a couple of links that address suppressors that may help to answer some of the questions someone may have. http://www.ehow.com/about_6327136_information-gun-silencers.html
http://www.gun-shots.net/gun-silencers-and-suppressors.shtml
Please note I have no vested interest in these sites whatsoever and would encourage you to do a search of your own to verify anything provided here. Man, they’re just fun to shoot! Yes, $200 may be expensive to play, but we spend much more than that on bass boats, rifle scopes, and name brand clothing items. We afford what we want to afford.