Apr 1, 2017 4 min read

The Pennsylvania Game Commission Board of Game Commissioners approved the use of semi-automatic firearms with some notable exceptions.

Semi-automatic rifles were approved for use for small game and furbearers, but not for big game.

The board have given preliminary approval for use of semi-automatics for all seasons at its January meeting but made a last-minute amendment Tuesday that took big game off the board.

The board stated hunter surveys that showed 64 percent were opposed or strong opposed to allowing their use for big game.

With the changes, semiautomatic rifles in .22 caliber or less that propel single-projectile ammunition and semi-automatic shotguns 10 gauge or smaller propelling ammunition not larger than No. 4 lead – also No. 2 steel or No. 4 composition or alloy – will be legal firearms for small-game seasons in the 2017-18 license year, which begins July 1.

Semi-automatic firearms that propel single-projectile ammunition also will be legal sporting arms for groundhogs and furbearers, and there is no caliber restriction.

The new measure also approved the use of air guns for small game and furbearers.

Air-guns will be legal for small game in calibers from .177 to .22 that propel single-projectile pellets or bullets.

For groundhogs and furbearers, air-guns must be at least .22 caliber and propel a single-projectile pellet or bullet. BB ammunition is not authorized for small game, furbearers or groundhogs.

Pennsylvania was the last state that did not allow the use of semi-automatic rifles for hunting.

• Also new this year for small game hunters will be a pheasant hunting permit that will cost hunters $25.

The new permit will be required for hunters who wish to pursue pheasants when the new license season begins in July. It will help pay for the 200,000 pheasant that are stocked by the commission each year.

• The commission also approved the changes in the boundary between Wildlife Management Units 2C and 2E. The new boundary in that area is Route 22. It had been Route 22 to Route 422 and 219.

• Approval also was given for the addition of 3.5 acres located in Smith Township, Washington County, adjacent to State Game Lands 117 in exchange for a right-of-way agreement authorizing Smith Township to expand its existing right of way for Harmon Creek Road by 0.014 acres within State Game Lands 117.

• An NRA Open Four-Position shoot was held last week at the Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club with the Dormon-Mt. Lebanon Gold team shooting a 1,579-111X. That score is one point higher than last year’s national champion shot, which should put the local team in the running for the national title when those results are announced in June.

Logan Charles led the way with a composite score of 396-30X for the Gold team. Dean Trew (395-29X), Jeffrey Charles (395-27X) and Sarah Fink (393-25X) made up the rest of the team.

Frazier-Simplex’s Gold team finished second with a 1,564-94X score. Cyril Walther led the way with a 394-28X. Thom Morley (391-24X), Ciley Dahlquist (390-20X) and Sylvia Dreistadt (389-22X) also shot for Frazier-Simplex.

Trew won the kneeling competition with a 200-20X which helped propel him to the overall championship with a 793-63X.

Dreistadt finished second overall with a 786-52X.

Dave Willard, the rifle coach at Mt. Lebanon High School, won the section prone championship with a perfect 200-20X score.

Fink won the standing title with a 193-12X. She is a freshman at Morehead State and lives in Holsopple.

John Funk was sitting champion with a 200-18X.

• Trew, the defending NRA National champion, won his second-straight Pennsylvania 3-position metric championship with an 1,146 he fired earlier this year.

The score was higher than his national championship score from a year ago, so Trew could be a repeat winner. Those results won’t be known until later this year.

• The Frazier-Simplex rifle team clinched its fifth-straight Pittsburgh & Suburban Rifle League championship with a 1,480-1,388 win over Irwin Post 228 last week.

Frazier-Simplex moved to 18-1 with the win. Dormont-Mt. Lebanon is second at 16-3 heading into the final week of the season.

Outdoors Editor Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.