If you hunt w/ an airgun, please VOTE NOW

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Chip

Chip

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Mar 30, 2015
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Crosman has been an industry leader in creating and launching air-powered weapons that are capable of safely and effectively harvesting big game. Starting in 2011 with the groundbreaking Rogue .357, followed by the Bulldog .357 in 2015, and finally the Pioneer Airbow in 2016, more and more hunters want to use these tools during their states’ hunting seasons.

As such, Crosman has partnered with the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation to advocate for the expansion of Airguns and Airbows into whitetail and other game seasons across the US. We face a long journey as we educate state fish & wildlife departments, legislators, and consumers about the capability and power of our products, and we also face resistance from crossbow and firearms companies who feel like their turf is threatened by progress.

Today, I’m asking that you take a moment to make sure that our voices are heard. The Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation posted a poll on their website asking about support for Airgun hunting. While the poll is not controlled or scientific, a majority of yes votes would be a very nice data point to be able to leverage with the lawmakers we are talking to.

If you have a moment, please help put the “yes” votes in the lead by voting in the poll, and forwarding to your like-minded airgunner friends and family:

http://sportsmenslink.org/reports/polls/
 
@badammo : they are referring to the Pittman-Robertson excise tax on sporting goods. Guns, bows, arrows, bullets, accessories, etc. are subject to this tax and the funds go into a pool that is then doled out to the states specifically for conservation. This tax was pivotal for the legalization of crossbows b/c the argument was made that if crossbows were contributing to conservation efforts, they should be legalized. Airguns are exempt from the tax. If airguns, specifically large bore, have the exemption lifted, then arguing for legalization would be much easier.
 
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So if I read you right Chip the purchase of all the big bores will be subject to this tax, whether they are used for hunting or not? If this is the case every person who buys a big bore will have to pay this tax to support those who want to have them included for hunting, seems a bit much to me, but as I never use big bores and never hunt it will not effect me, but I still find it unfair on those who just like to shoot guns without hunting. Just my 2 cents. 
 
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you mean this chip?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittman%E2%80%93Robertson_Federal_Aid_in_Wildlife_Restoration_Act

if so, the pole still leaves a amassed grey area that doesnt define what the terms could be.

is this sales of game hunt able air rifles such as the bulldog and others, or is this the sales to airgunners for the tags to permit taking
said animals from public/private land.

cause i see possible issues with this whether taxed or not

1. here in oregon, there are only so many tags to be sold to the public for muzzle loader, bow, rifle (cant hunt with x-bow here still)
thus dis allowing everybody to have a tag for such game as ELK. I do know there are several states that only sell so many tags per
season are sold, and are recycled if the tags arent put through the states wildlife/state controlled agency as a successful hunt

2. Those that choose to hunt with an air rifle will end up under severe scrutiny if the rifle has any kind of moderator and could pose
a situation where any shroud, LDC, moderator must be removed posing some people accuracy issues and the in ability to even
hunt if such rules if allowed in the first place. This places an airgunner in this situation with an accurate rifle to be forbidden if
such a device is attached permantly

there is too large a grey area and there needs to be more information released about stipulations and possible limitations before
the people can accurately and knowingly say yay, nay or yay and no tax

it seems that people think that no taxation and allowance is a good thing, but once again. there are no stipulations even in place
so why start a pole or have a pole such as this
 
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I do think more states that open up hunting to air guns puts more light on us and also shows how powerful our guns are, This opens us up to a lot of restrictions of firearms and have Feds taking a closer look at our weapons. I am not sure that's a good thing,
In Texas I can shoot in my back yard, Stop on the side of a road and shoot a can or target, I can even shoot from my truck,
If they start hunting with them we will fall under the same laws as firearms,,,,
And I think it will be a big disaster for the sales of air guns,
Mike
 
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Those of you that don't already understand, every gun, bow, or hunting equipment you buy is and has been assessed this tax since 1937. I guess being a life long firearms enthusiast and hunter I don't see any issue here. A little research may help some of you understand that this tax instead of just being absorbed into the normal channels is put into its own fund. That money helps states manage game in many beneficial ways.

What is being proposed here is the same way that crossbows were made legal for hunting in many states.

Chip should have done a better job of explaining this tax prior to asking for your vote. -1 for that one Sir!! I would recommend everyone interested do some research and you will understand how crucial this tax has been to the Hunting and fishing that many of use enjoy regardless of method.
 
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"ajshoots"Those of you that don't already understand, every gun, bow, or hunting equipment you buy is and has been assessed this tax since 1937. I guess being a life long firearms enthusiast and hunter I don't see any issue here. A little research may help some of you understand that this tax instead of just being absorbed into the normal channels is put into its own fund. That money helps states manage game in many beneficial ways.

What is being proposed here is the same way that crossbows were made legal for hunting in many states.

Chip should have done a better job of explaining this tax prior to asking for your vote. -1 for that one Sir!! I would recommend everyone interested do some research and you will understand how crucial this tax has been to the Hunting and fishing that many of use enjoy regardless of method.


Click to expand...
i said the same thing, just longer winded.

it still i feel as mentioned will bring undo attention to the power some of these rifles have. for small game i think it should be ok, but untill X-bows are fully legalized in all states i dont think that air rifles should get a pass... one step at a time here.

hell, you cant hunt with a pistol here where i live still to the last of my knowledge. and there are few exceptions such as one cannot draw a compound bow only then is there a x-bow exception.

so untill atleast x-bows are legalized in states air rifles should remain off the docket.

fairs fair, i feel for those that have been waiting.
 
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In many states you can already hunt with airguns. Here in Ohio I can hunt almost all game animals except deer, turkey, and migratory birds. I don't see any push to regulate airguns like firearms. Muzzleloaders are still unregulated and they have reached amazing performance levels. In all honesty in today's political climate, regulations for everything seems inevitable like it or not.

Reaper, crossbows are and have been legal in Ohio for years. Hunting laws are not a national issue, they are handled at the state level and every state is different, so your comments about airguns shouldn't be legal until crossbows are legal would very state to state as many states already allow crossbows and varied degrees of airgun hunting.
 
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Right now we have a lot of freedom. I think bringing undo attention to these guns will lead to more legislation. I believe currently muzzle loaders need 400 fpe, and crossbows are legal in some situations. In one video on a private deer range the owner shooting in a controlled situation in his blind states the Rogue is a great tool for taking antlerless deer. I think while tying to increase sales I hope you don't create a monster requiring an FFL to transfer certain calibers or velocities, or individual state legislation. Gov't agencies feed on legislation, and tend to grow quite nicely, I'm happy with what we have now.. 
 
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In IL it takes an act of congress to legally shoot spitwads...

BTW Chip, I started a thread recently asking for IL hunters to email DNR to see if we can get more small game hunting access on pubic lands. The thread is here, with the email contact listed http://www.airgunnation.com/topic/information-for-airgun-hunting-on-il-public-lands/

If you have any professional contacts with IL DNR that could gain some ground the IL hunters would really appreciate it. Currently there are many IL public hunting sites that allow hunting with rimfire or shotgun, or shotgun only. But very few allow airgun hunting, even if rimfire hunting is allowed. This makes no sense, please help.
 
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I went to the site & voted, then looked up CSF program team contact for my area of the country & am sending him the following E-Mail;
Hello Mr. Culcalsure,
​ I wasn't sure where to start, so you seemed like the best person to start off with. Modern airguns aren't the Red Ryder BB guns we all remember fondly from our youth. Far from it, they won't even fire BB's anymore. But pellets of varying grain weights, calibers & styles from .177 to .457 calibers. My Winchester 1400CS, for example, in .177 caliber, has been tested accurate out to 100 yards plus & averaging 1410 FPS with a 5.2gr pellet. That's over 23FPE as well! That's more than enough to drop a turkey at 50-75 yards with a shot through the head. Some of the so-called " big bore" airguns like the .357 (aka 9mm to the rest of the world) can easily drop a deer with a well-placed shot. My Crosman variant one model 160 Co2 powered .22 caliber airgun (1955-56 vintage!) can easily drop small game at 30-40 yards. And most modern examples have suppressors to quiet noise at the muzzle & have scopes to provide greater accuracy at greater ranges than open sites can provide with the average hunter in mind. Both devices are quite common in our sport.
​Pellets can now be had with domed copper cores & lead or polymer skirts for greater penetration & knock-down power across many calibers. Besides other all lead or alloy styles that provide similar benefits in the appropriate shooting situation. But the real beauty of these modern airgun Target shooting/hunting arms is the fact that their muzzle velocities drop off rapidly after 100 yards or so on average. 200-300 yards or so for the big bore guns. This is another thing we as air gunners practice at shooting ranges on private property or public ranges where we can. A definite plus in urban areas where a hunting area's sheer size is at a minimum. The obvious benefit is fewer, if any stray shots traveling outside the hunting area where other people or animals could be injured. This, I feel, is a big bonus in our modern world that could help keep one of our most cherished traditions alive! It seems silly, here in Ohio, for example, to allow shotguns & arrows for Turkey, but not a well-placed pellet through the head at the average short distances Turkeys are harvested at? Which are well within the effective range of modern airguns with their rifled barrels, scopes & higher muzzle velocities.
​There are several other states recognizing the effectiveness of these modern airguns. I think Ohio & every other state in the Appalachian region should be among them! They're quieter, so as not to scare off other game animals, besides decreased noise pollution in the immediate area to none-hunting folk. They can kill cleanly with a well-placed shot we as air gunners practice to an art as part of the sport of airgun shooting in general. I am positive that thousands, if not millions of us would be grateful if we could get laws past to include airguns in state hunting regulations for other game animals besides birds, squirrels & rabbits. Taxed or not. Over & above some areas allowing rim fire or shotguns, but not airguns? Your consideration in this matter Would be hugely appreciated,
​ Leonard " unionrdr" Cogar, NE Ohio resident
I really hope this first effort on my part helps us, evena little bit?!

 
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I have news for you folks worried about bringing "undue attention" to the airgun world.... it's already watched.
I know of at least one paper produced by a Crime scene investagater that describes the possibility of big bore air rifles being used in a crime and possible methods of ballistic investagation. She in fact visited with Mr Quakinbush on the topic.
 
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OK, I got a reply E-mail from Mr. Culclasure. It reads as follows- " Mr. Cogar, Thank you for your email. I appreciate you reaching out to share your thoughts & provide input on the potential use of air guns for hunting big game. While we generally defer to state wildlife agencies on manner of take regulations, this information is very informative & will be helpful going forward as air gun enthusiasts pursue additional hunting opportunities. I would encourage you to contact the state wildlife agency directly to learn more about their position on the use of air guns.
​Thank you for taking the time to email me & please do not hesitate to contact me should I be able to answer any questions for you.
Thank you,

John Culclasure
​*** I just replied back this message- " After reading up on the site for the Congressional Sportsman's Foundation to start with, & finding you as the Appalachian states coordinator, I was under the impression you were a sort of go-between for us sportsman with the federal government & the states you represent? That was my reason for emailing you first. I sincerely want to help & thought you were the most accurate, best choice in this situation. I'm not looking for more detailed information on what is & is not legal/allowable. But, rather, to obtain reasons for decisions we as air gun sportsman find woefully inaccurate in today's world. or in the least, in need of minor updating from field test results & the like. I indeed hope you find the information I gave useful in the future in helping us air gun sportsman to get our just due.
Thank you for your time once again,

Leonard Cogar 
 
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