somegridplayer t1_iuio358 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 4:55 PM

>Why is it illegal to hunt deer with a rifle larger than .22lr, but I could hunt a Coyote with a 50BMG if I wanted? Its just counter to what most people use for hunting.

The original intent had to do with how densely populated MA is compared to other states and typical deer rifle calibers. I know, it makes no sense, but it is what it is. If I get bored enough I'll ask my local squirrel cop again. Although with our deer population I've never seen any need to bother after archery season to pull out the slug gun. You can fill a supermarket freezer with all the extra tags you can get these days.

We do every so often have some spectacularly stupid hunting accidents that rival any other state though so don't ever expect it to change.

>Second. I've found conflicting sources on this but from what it seems to me, you cant carry a side arm while hunting?

So the only explicit law is around archery season you cannot carry any firearm. Shotgun/primitive is super weird in it's wording but I would suspect nobody is going to give you any shit unless you intend on fucking around and finding out.

PakkyT t1_iuirfoz wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:17 PM

>So the only explicit law is around archery season you cannot carry any firearm.

Is that true even if you have a general license to carry? Seems odd that you could have a license from your local cop that allows you to walk around town with a concealed weapon but once you step out into the woods you have to lock that weapon up in the car?

somegridplayer t1_iuizoqf wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:11 PM

>Is that true even if you have a general license to carry?

Yes because you're considered in the act of hunting.

PakkyT t1_iuj1h88 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:23 PM

Yes I understand that but I find it illogical (because I am Spock) that I can walk around cities streets with a concealed weapon (legally with a license to carry), but if I am out in the woods mostly alone and carrying a rifle or shotgun, a concealed handgun is now considered too much?

By the way, I am by no means one of those pro-gun people, I am actually all for reasonable gun control, but I do find many laws for many things to be contradictory or to have been implemented in ways that simply do not make sense. This certainly sounds like one of them.

somegridplayer t1_iuj5hpl wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:50 PM

>but if I am out in the woods mostly alone and carrying a rifle or shotgun, a concealed handgun is now considered too much?

archery season its forbidden, shotgun or primitive season its very fuzzy and I don't know a single person who's been hassled about it on private or public lands. A friend is a prominent yote hunter in the area and ALWAYS carries.

Starlightandspirits t1_iuiwmgj wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:51 PM

I actually commented something similar. Every year you hear of some dumbass shooting a person in thier yard or a family pet. This is way different and people are everywhere.

somegridplayer t1_iuizy3w wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:13 PM

We're not PA (hunters shooting other hunters. in fucking tree stands isn't unheard of) but fuck, some of it is over the top. Like the Norton shooting where the cop was never charged. MEP wanted to charge him, Attleboro magistrate let it go.