Muley Hunter

We can't use a handgun for muzzleloader season either. The handgun needs to be legal for the season you're hunting. Which is only the rifle seasons.

Champlain Islander

I have seen a lot of black bears and although they appear to lumber they can go really quickly when they want to. Never seen any that did anything other than run away when I saw them. I am not sure anything other than a high quality bear spray would work for me on a grizz attack. Having something the size of a VW beetle coming at you at 30MPH would be pretty unnerving.

bronko22000

I'm sure the hunter panicked. It looked like he was going to draw then it was like he went "Oh $h_t". It also appeared from the video that the bear didn't know it was a human at first and sort of just ran over him.
Oldtimr you're correct. I do have a CC license and I do carry a handgun with me archery hunting. I've seen many a bear archery hunting but most of the time I was in my tree stand so any danger wasn't immediate. I did have a couple occasions when I was preseason scouting and stumbled onto a sow with cubs. But fortunately they stayed a safe distance and the wind was in my favor. But my hand was on my .44 as I silently watched them pass by. It was a real treat watching those 3 cubs playing as they lumbered through the woods.

mrbb

Oldtimr, didn't it also and could STILL BE, didn;t PA residents that WISHED to hunt with a HAND gun, be required to also have a sportsman permit, which was for hunting with a hand gun in PA.
I used to get one all the time when I first got and then re new my CCP here in PA.
It was always something to me VERY few folks knew about, as that was the difference MY understanding of a CCP and just carrying a hand gun to HUNT with!!

I believe the CCP over rides the sportsman permit
BUT is that still SUPPOSED to be had by hunters wishing to carry OPEN a hand gun while hunting in PA??

Just wondering if you can shed any light on this??

Oldtimr

The fact of the matter is you did not need that sportsmans permit to hunt with a handgun, the game law did not require it. The sportsmans's permit was to allow you to transport the handgun in your vehicle for the purpose of hunting and fishing and carrying the gun concealed while hunting or fishing. If you were carrying openly, you did not need the sportsmans permit while hunting or fishing, however, you can not carry it loaded or concealed in your vehicle while going to or from huntig or fishing. It didn't take me long to give up on getting the sportsmans permit and geting a license to carry a firearm because it is much simpler to deal with. You may not carry a handgun on a sportsmans permit while archery or muzzle loader hunting, only with a license to carry a firearm issued by the County Sheriff.