VDGIF New Ruling

[earlyriser]

VDGIF votes to allow unplugged shotguns - Outdoors - inRich.com


This could be interesting.

[FishHook321]

Now, if they'd only allow unplugged guns alltogether, the feds say it's okay for ducks and geese........

[birddog28]

I find it hard to believe that anyone could actually use 5 shells in a hunting scenario. I hunt grouse, quail and woodcock with an O/U and ducks, geese, and turkeys with an M2 that will stay plugged. Very rarely do you ever get a chance to shoot more than 3 decent shots before the birds or deer or whatever you are shooting at is out of range. Could someone please explain to me why anyone would need 5 shots?

[capuzzi2]

I could occasionally use that 4th or 5th shot at Orapax ( Goochland county Virginia )when Quail/Pheasant hunting.

[little bubba]

Just read about this in the Richmond Newspaper. Suprising!! Never thought you would see that in Va. I'm happy with my 3 shells. If I haven't killed him with 3 shells another 2 sure ain't going to help. Whats going to happen some poor soul is going to remove his plug to deer hunt then the next day he's going to go waterfowl hunting and get a big ticket. Back in my wild days we used to take the plug out, but I never saw where it helped one way or another. Guess we will see.
LBubba


Guess Sunday hunting will be next.

[ketch69]

I don't see where it will make much difference. How many times have you had to reload to shoot a the same deer or flight of ducks?


The guy that likes to kill everything will like it though.


DEAN #3

[KJR]

I think pulling the plug will increase the number of wounded animals wondering off to die slow horrible deaths.

Darn, thought you were going tell us Muzzle Loading season was going to open early (Oct.6) next year, the bow hunters are doing to much selective hunting and stinking up the woods.
Archers, not including crossbow hunters, killed 17,100 deer. The bow kill was down about 2% from the 17,368 deer taken by archers last year. The bow kill comprised 8% of the total deer kill.

[Rockonafly]

I did unplug my gun for deer in MD for one season. The gun became difficult to handle and muzzle heavy with the extra shells. Usually do not use more than 2 anyway.

To answer the who could use 5 shots: semi-auto on any flocking bird. If you are well practiced.

Rockonafly

[earlyriser]

If they were to open an early muzzleloader season it would probably be in the western parts of the state, like Bedford and other counties that have bookoos of deer. Supposedly in Bedford a earn a buck is being considered to reduce the herd for 2008. Last year Bedford harvested over 8,000 deer and I am sure this number will continue to rise. It is very easy to go hunting all day and see 20 plus deer. I went out there last saturday and counted 30 while hunting.

Personally I do not believe you can compare archery harvest numbers with muzzleloader harvest numbers. Archery numbers are shorter due to the limited shots (distance, bushes, angles) a bowhunter has. A muzzloader, as we all know, can kill easily out to 100 yards and more, thus increasing your ability to harvest deer. If you compare numbers 24,419 deer harvested with either a bow or crossbow, this is under half of the muzzleloader harvest numbers of 52,216. Muzzleloader hunters in most instances get less time in the woods and kill more than double that of the archery and crossbow hunters.

However on the remove a plug ruling, I agree there will be more deer injured, I really do not see where it would be beneficial to the deer hunter. 5 quick shots, by the time you have reached the 4 th shot you may not be on target due to recoil. However this may help the local businesses that sell buckshot!!!

[martineta]

Young person with quick reflexes can do well with five. I lived in TX where five in a shotgun is the norm. I have taken four and five quail on a covey rise many times when young. I'm 53 and not so quick anymore. Same on deer. My best shooting four for four running out of a herd with buckshot at twenty yards. Can't make generalizations. Have you ever watched a Tom Knapp video from benelli. Awesome!!