Suppressors could become legal in IL this January. Was just a few votes shy of getting it passed and sent to the governor last week. Would only be good for coyotes and target shooting, unless you wanted to buy one for a shotgun. Suppressors cannot quiet a projectile that breaks the sound barrier, and most suppressors only drop the decibels to safe hearing levels without the need for ear protection. What you see in the movies and hear from the anti gun crowd is complete fiction. If it's legal, do it. I can't be worried about what other people do unless it directly interferes with myself or puts me in a situation by association. Shooting turkey on the roost is legal in IL, I don't do it because you should know what is beyond your target. I have no clue where that arrow will come down
Like others have said a silencer does not make a high powered rifle quite like the movies. Now you get a sub-sonic round like a pistol or .458 SOCOM then you would be quiet, but then I have had my bow spook deer. I shot a doe this past week with a .270 Win at 67 yards and had other deer in the area I could have shot within 5 minutes. A silencer is legal in KS but cost twice as much as my rifle so I will not own one due to the cost. But see no problem with them. If you have a problem with them do not buy one or hunt with those who do if possible. But a good discussion like this is what is needed for the boundary of ethics to be laid. What is baiting... how is sitting in a white oak flat, the edge of a 500 acre corn field or a 50 lb bag of corn dumped in the woods? What would define a food plot? How close should should a stand be? Salt / mineral lick? "Hope for a poke " is the reason most try to increase their chances. But if dumping a bag of corn on the ground lead to instant success there would be very few deer left. I know what is legal here and what I will and will not do. I turn in violations when I see them and try not to judge to harshly because I may not want the same scale used on me.
You're either using a rifle with cartridge that industry made for you or a compound bow that industry made for you. None of us are hunting for survival. It's a game we enjoy. Play by your own rules and under the law and enjoy the game. Ethics has nothing to do with it.
This is a great topic. The way I see it a hunter most first know and follow all game laws in the area he hunts to one be a legal hunter and in the eyes of the the law be a ethical hunter, then he or she must make a decision if he or she wants to go to a higher plain on their own personal ethics. Bait is legal where I hunt yet i don't hunt over bait are food plots, I don't find it a enjoyable way to hunt and therefore it's against my ethics but I don't look down on those who hunt this way because it is legal and considered ethical by my states game laws. I don't Owen a suppressor but that's due to cost, would I hunt with one if I had the money? No but that's me, and not my place to push my views on others that due because the law says it's legal and ethical. When I bow hunt I will not take a shot past 30 yards even though I practice to 60 yards. But I do feel from watching hunting shows that lots of hunters take shots that are way to far and in my mind or unethical. That also goes for rifles as well I train with my rifle year round so when I get a shot I can make the shot, where most hunters in my area don't even sight in their rifles other then doing a basic laser bore sight. All that being said laws and ethics or two very different things yet are wrap together, it should be all of our stance to report the breaking of game laws but we should not be so quick to push our own personal ethics on to other hunters.
They are supressors not silencers. Guns still go bang, they however reduce the volume enough to help prevent hearing loss to hunters. The use of supressors is a safety issue and should be supported by all! Here's a video that shows a 30-06 fired with & without a supressor 30-06 suppressed - YouTube
I know for me. I hunt with the law. I am allowed to feed so I do. There can't be any electronic devices on my bow so I don't have them. In terms of shooting if I don't feel 100 percent comfortable about the shot I don't shoot. But this is just my way of thinking. Everyone is different. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
How about protecting your hearing? I wear hearing protection when I shoot and did when I rifle hunted. A subsonic cartridge and a suppressor together is super quiet, but a supersonic cartridge is mostly just rendered hearing safe. In many parts of Europe it's encouraged , some required. As to the trespassers and poachers....... That's a hog wash answer. Their already breaking the law, do you believe more laws stop them? Suppressors cost upwards of $600 for the heavy ones, more for the better ones, require a $200 tax stamp, paperwork and anywhere from 4-6 month processing time.
I didn't bash them just said I wasn't in favor of them and gave my reason why I would rather not have them. If it is different than your opinion that doesn't make it hogwash. If a scum bag trespasser shoots while I am there I can tell someone is where they are not supposed to be and deal with it.
I try to follow the laws even though I may find the laws foolish. Shooting hours end of day is probably a difficult one. I know I've been right at the edge and cannot say for certain if my actual shot was before or after the actual cutoff. I try to lower by bow when the time expires for the day. But when a deer walks in during the last few minutes and presents a shot I'm not checking my watch ever few seconds. Guess it is sort of like a speed limit, if the shot is within 5 minutes after I can live with it. Baiting vs plot is the biggest debate. Last year I could bait. This year I cant. Baiting for me was one Gallon of corn and diced apples mixed put out as I went to hunt or work the area so maybe 5 or 6 times in a month. This year because I can't bait I turned the same spot into a small kill plot. I can say for certain the plot had far more impact in grouping the deer than the baiting ever did. So I see no difference ethically other than one is legal and one isn't which makes no sense. Suppresses. If legal no problem but I do see them as something a poacher would love. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Actually you kind of did , suggesting that only a trespasser or poacher would see an advantage to them. And yes thinking that more laws stops anyone already breaking the law is hogwash. Well crap, bows are quiet might as well make those illegal.
As long as it's legal and you aim for a clean kill it's good in my book. Some laws try to enforce ethics, but mostly it's about keeping poor people from enjoying the sport and saving the wildlife for the more fortunate. Baiting laws are a good example. Pushed by the wealthy with large properties and farms to keep their neighbor with only a few acres from putting out some food and attracting a few of "their" deer while they spill some corn here and there and miss a few spots over on that corner. In the end it's about clean kills and food on the table. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I think it's interesting how we talk ethical hunting for deer but you can hunt hogs anyway you like. Isn't dead dead? Are deer so cute that we hunt them differently because of there looks. No one would like twice about putting poison out to kill rats and how inhumane is that? Just more food for thought. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
