Banning rifles??? YES OR NO

[socalturkeyman]

i say ban them, but dirt road ninja is right. we should stick together more but i cant see a way of rifle hunting can be safely utilized. Since most of us hunt thick wooded areas and wear full camo. Just my 2 cents

[bird]

If they can be safely utilized why would you want to see any type of hunting outlawed. We as hunters need to stop arguing with ourselves and worry more about our rights as a whole. Our kids and Grand kids might not be allowed to hunt them with shotguns if a lot of the folks in Washington get their way. Whatever your opinion is get out and vote for pro-gun/hunting politicians.

I hear ya and agree with you whole heartily about our rights under the 2nd Amendment but at the same time "we" the sportsman and gun owners need to police ourselves too.  As you can see by the voting that the majority of the turkey hunters feel that rifles have no business being a tool of choice in the pursuit of the wild turkey.  This issue isn't about gun ownership and our rights under the 2nd Amendment but more so about responsible safety issue which come with the sport that we all love and cherish deeply.

bird

[Stoner]

If you cannot call one in to shotgun range then you do not need a rifle to cheat.

[dirt road ninja]

A person who truly likes/loves to hunt turkey wouldn't use a rifle. I bet most of us on this site, myself included, are guilty of trying to gain very yard out of the shotgun. If a company came out with a shell/choke that would smoke'm at 100yards they wouldn't be able to keep them in stock.
What about the guys who are into longrange shooting and hunting. Going to Texas on a private ranch and killing a turkey @ 500yrds is a challange in it's self. It's not turkey hunting, but sounds like it would be fun. I like to know I have the right to do so, if I so choose.
I don't think this was the intention of this thread,sorry.

[gobbler74]

I think you will find that safety is the predominant reason rifles are banned in most states.

"Many years ago, rifles were allowed during the spring gobbler season in South Carolina, however, following a tragic accident the SC General Assembly prohibited their use. Most states that have fall seasons do not allow turkey hunting with rifles. The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Technical Committee Task Force on Hunter Safety does not recommend the use of rifles for turkey hunting and national statistics indicate that when rifles are involved in a turkey hunting incident they are ten times more likely to cause a fatality."

Quoted from http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/turkey/fallseason.html

More of our hunting accidents are caused by shotguns with buckshot overall. During turkey season this year there were two accidents with shotguns using legal turkey loads close to home that were not fatal thankfully.
Hunter education is key to prevention.

[ChiefBubba]

On private land I don't care if you use a full auto or a 50 cal cannon and sell tickets and I'd probably buy a ticket  but on public land should be shotgun only. Chief.

[Shotgun]

Ban them

[outlaw]

dont give antis a open door to take  more keep it legal 

[magicman]

A person who truly likes/loves to hunt turkey wouldn't use a rifle. I bet most of us on this site, myself included, are guilty of trying to gain very yard out of the shotgun. If a company came out with a shell/choke that would smoke'm at 100yards they wouldn't be able to keep them in stock.
What about the guys who are into longrange shooting and hunting. Going to Texas on a private ranch and killing a turkey @ 500yrds is a challange in it's self. It's not turkey hunting, but sounds like it would be fun. I like to know I have the right to do so, if I so choose.
I don't think this was the intention of this thread,sorry.

They make paper targets to shoot at that long of distances. You can challenge yourself with those if that is what you're trying to accomplish. Ban them when it comes to shooting turkey.

[Mailman]

i thought it was for banning rifles all together. so voted no. If i new it had been for banning them for turkey hunting I would have voted yes.