Air gun hunting in Washington

Air gun hunting in Washington: Hey @ztirffritz, enough already. Your efforts to the State, "in a manner other than with a firearm, airgun..." are gonna get us all in trouble and take away rights of the airgun community rather than increasing them. My grandkids LOVE to shoot my BB gun and Leshiy in the backyard. Please consider the other side of what you're doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJXOCjoCOVE 

Oops! They did it again! This is in the 2021 WDFW hunting rules:

Prohibited firearms/hunting
methods (WAC 220-414-020):
It is illegal to:
• Hunt game birds with a shotgun capable of
holding more than three shells.
• Hunt game birds with a rifle or pistol, except
forest grouse.
• Hunt game birds or game animals with any-
thing other than a firearm, a bow and arrow,
a crossbow, or by falconry. Bullfrogs may
only be taken by angling, hand dip netting,
gigging, and bow and arrow.
• Hunt game animals or game birds with a
shotgun larger than 10 gauge.
• Hunt any big game with a fully automatic
firearm.
• Hunt turkey with a weapon other than shot-
gun shooting #4 or smaller shot, bow and
arrow, crossbow, or muzzleloader shotgun
shooting #4 or smaller shot.

Kgun,

Can you please elaborate on why/how @ztirffritz's efforts to the State, "in a manner other than with a firearm, airgun…" are gonna get us all in trouble and take away rights of the airgun community rather than increasing them? I have 2 Air Force PCP's, one in .25, and one .457, and would very much like to hunt with them, just the same as folks from many other states already can, and do. These are not the same as BB/.177 pellet guns of yesteryear, and if the weapon has the power to quickly and humanely dispatch an animal the same way a firearm does, then, IMHO, it should be legal to hunt with. It's not like we are asking the state to allow us to use assault weapons with high capacity magazines, or flamethrowers, or stinger missiles to hunt small to medium sized game here!

Kgun,

Can you please elaborate on why/how @ztirffritz's efforts to the State, "in a manner other than with a firearm, airgun…" are gonna get us all in trouble and take away rights of the airgun community rather than increasing them? I have 2 Air Force PCP's, one in .25, and one .457, and would very much like to hunt with them, just the same as folks from many other states already can, and do. These are not the same as BB/.177 pellet guns of yesteryear, and if the weapon has the power to quickly and humanely dispatch an animal the same way a firearm does, then, IMHO, it should be legal to hunt with. It's not like we are asking the state to allow us to use assault weapons with high capacity magazines, or flamethrowers, or stinger missiles to hunt small to medium sized game here!

Click to expand...

It's simple.

Before his inquiry, the laws were vague about what weapons could be used for game. Now the laws have been changed to make it explicitly illegal to hunt most game with airguns. This is the entire reason why there are PACs (Political Action Committees) so they can have attorneys' do the following:

1. Write a sample bill/regulation.
2. Get access to the ruling body to explain the merits of the bill.
3. State how this will generate revenue for the state. It's always about money anyway.
4. Address any concerns and get the bill/regulation passed.
   [/LIST=1]
   
   During this process, you'd probably have to state that airguns can humanely take game. The problem with this is, as soon as you inform a legislative body that the most powerful air rifles can produce the same foot pounds of energy that even .44 magnum handgun, now someone is gonna want to regulate them just like firearms.
   
   It should have been a beg for forgiveness instead of ask for permission. The vague nature of the previous law would have had him covered. But he got the exact opposite, because for some reason, he thought the government was there to make things easier for him to enjoy his hobby.
   
   He still can enjoy his hobby though, but he just has to move to another state.

Estarkey7,

Apparently, me too, with regards to moving to another state. It's just a little sad that things in the woods have come down to that - money and politics. I guess I was mistaken in my belief that the WDFW actually gave a crap what Washington hunters think, much less was willing to provide us a means to do what we love in a way that we like to do it. Taxpayer dollars hard at work - I think I might start thinking to move my taxpayer dollars to places that use them in ways that I find more acceptable, or are at least more accepting of my interests and hobbies in a good way...

Ztirffritz,

Apologies if I sound like I'm on a rant, I'm just a little frustrated with navigating the slow process of attempting to change the minds of the powers that be. I would like to be able to hunt classified game animals (within reason), or at least ones I can put on the table for supper with an airgun - without fear of getting arrested, or losing my hunting or personal rights, or my guns.

I'm in the Cascades on the Western slope, and we have a lot of rabbit, grouse, deer, and dove. I prefer to use tools to hunt that I can power myself, so that I know that I can use them in long term survival conditions if I need to. I bow hunt elk and deer every year, and use snaro heads for small game during overlapping seasons, but it would be nice to be able to be able to use my airguns for rabbits, grouse, and black-tailed deer - just sayin', it's a little hard to carry 2 differently tuned bows at the same time! ;-).

I have seen you and others here working on getting changes made to the rules for a few years now, by going through the proper channels, and it got passed up yet again - that is why I posted the 2021 rules (that hadn't changed) in my previous post, because I was hoping it would go through, and I was bummed that it didn't. I commend all of you for the time, effort, and care to do what you have done - I certainly appreciate it. I'm just not sure how to change the minds of the right people to make this happen.

I can also see Kgun and estarkey7's points with regard to this as well - in other places, such as Britain, they have some really stiff gun laws (even with regard to airguns), but at least they can hunt rabbits with them! I really wish I had a better understanding of how the system works, so that I could be more helpful. Please keep me posted if you find anything that I can help with, and I'll keep an eye on this topic so that I can.

WDFW is a political entity that has historically been more concerned with managing hunters and harvesting dollars rather than managing wildlife in any meaningful way. A prime example is the introduction of (3) subspecies of non native turkeys to different areas of the state that have caused damage concerns while bringing in revenue for their mismanagement. Or their non-stance leading up to losing hounds and trapping.

From a department perspective, airguns would likely be an enforcement issue with little upside. i.e. Allowing air would not increase revenue. It would create enforcement issues with determining minimum power levels in the field. Which user group season (deer/elk) would get to share their time afield with air (archery/muzzy/modern)? You'll never see an airgun only season here. That time would have to be carved out from other seasons. 

Add to that the inaccurate perception that high powered air is ultra quiet and likely to be embraced by poachers and felons. It's unlikely to pass the preliminary questionaire that is put out when considering new regulations.

Thanks to all for the detailed discussion and effort!

Northlight