Should hunters be allowed to hunt with silencers?

[itsbob]

WHy can't hunters use silencers to protect their hearing? Even in the hoplophobic UK they commonly hunt and target shoot with silencers.
Silencers reduce noise pollution, save hearing, and help some varmint hunters get more game.

And these are the same Europeans that wanted to put silencers on the Bradley and the M1.. becaus the sound from 5 miles away was bothersome..

I think it ridiculous to silence hunting arms.. for one, what kind of gun are you going to hunt with that CAN be silenced? Secondly, it's nice to know who else is in the woods with you..

LASTLY.. if you want to hunt with a silencer, BUY A BOW!! It's more sporting anyways..

 

[Novus Collectus]

And these are the same Europeans that wanted to put silencers on the Bradley and the M1.. becaus the sound from 5 miles away was bothersome..

I think it ridiculous to silence hunting arms.. for one, what kind of gun are you going to hunt with that CAN be silenced? ....

ALL firearms can be sound suppressed. Only the subsonic can be essentially silenced.

Secondly, it's nice to know who else is in the woods with you..

Like I said before, if you are by yourself or it is just you and your hunting buddies, then that would not apply.
Also, what about scaring off the game you are also hunting? Is it actually easier to hunt skittish game?
Also, like I said before, how would you know you were not alone there untill they fired and most often when they fire that is the only shot when deer hunting.

LASTLY.. if you want to hunt with a silencer, BUY A BOW!! It's more sporting anyways..

Ok, so in order to prevent people who live in hunting areas from being distrubed by hunters, then we should ban all firearms hunting for all types of game then? Also, we should only use bows when hunting no matter what?
I think that statement was not well thought out. Especially since no one in MD can legally use bows to hunt geese, turkey or ducks.

 

[Kain99]

I think this might just be the stupidest question on earth..

 

[RadioPatrol]

Anyone with a basic gun certificate can buy a silencer. If they own a shotgun or rifle, then they can buy a silencer for it. It is easier to buy silencers in the UK than it is to buy them here.
In places like Finland it is easier and in Norway easier still where they sell them over the counter.

whacked aint it ............

 

[smoothmarine187]

I think hunters should only be allowed to use bows and arrows, then it would actually be hunting.

 

[itsbob]

ALL firearms can be sound suppressed. Only the subsonic can be essentially silenced.

You didn't say suppressor, you said silencer..

Like I said before, if you are by yourself or it is just you and your hunting buddies, then that would not apply.
Also, what about scaring off the game you are also hunting? Is it actually easier to hunt skittish game?
Also, like I said before, how would you know you were not alone there untill they fired and most often when they fire that is the only shot when deer hunting.

When you go into the woods you can hear the numnuts out there firing and would know to stay away from that area, and probably hike out in the opposite direction of the gunshots. It's nice to know where the dumbasses are.. NOW explain to all the good people here what you have to go through to own the hunting rifle in these "relaxed gun law countries", how many classes you have to take, how much money you have to spend to GO hunting, and what other requirements are in place for someone to go hunting "alone".. Personally I'd say let them have THEIR silencers, let me keep my guns!!

so in order to prevent people who live in hunting areas from being distrubed by hunters, then we should ban all firearms hunting for all types of game then? Also, we should only use bows when hunting no matter what?
I think that statement was not well thought out. Especially since no one in MD can legally use bows to hunt geese, turkey or ducks.

No, only those people that think they should be allowed to have silencers should be REQUIRED to shoot with bow and arrow.. though I agree with Smooth.. make it a sport.. stalk and shoot using bow and arrow, now that's sport!

 

[Tinkerbell]

Wrong. I hunt and wouldn't want silencers. 1) If you can hear someone shoot, you know from which direction the deer may be coming from if he/she missed or there are more than one deer. 2) When I hunt with a group, we know where each other is and from the sound of the shot we know who shot, and therefore would go to help drag the deer. 3) If there are idiots hunting in the same area, and a shot comes from an unexpected direction, at least you can yell at the ####### to let them know you are in the area and they are shooting at you. As hard as it is to believe, there are some stupids out there that hunt and don't respect others property. 4) Hearing the shots and direction are very important to a hunter. And believe it or not, unless you are close you can get off more than one shot at a deer before it moves. They don't know where it's coming from or what it is. Blackpowder is a little harder to get two shots. Been hunting deer since the age of 14 and I am now a little older and still alive to hunt.

Hubby is a hunter and thinks the silencer thing is stupid as heck. (not the words he actually used )

 

[Toxick]

Should hunters be allowed to hunt with silencers?

Yes.

And they should wear black suits with black ties, and wear black sunglasses, and black gloves and expressionlessly shoot their deer execution style.

 

[itsbob]

whacked aint it ............

Now ask him what someone in those countries has to go through to get a "basic gun certificate" (We don't have that requriment in this country by the way).

I'm betting it cost a LOT of money, and getting teeth pulled by way of your rectum would be more fun..

 

[Novus Collectus]

I think hunters should only be allowed to use bows and arrows, then it would actually be hunting.

How about the atlatl or hunting with just knives for that matter. Bows and arrows are cheating too by that logic.

 

[Tinkerbell]

Yes.

And they should wear black suits with black ties, and wear black sunglasses, and black gloves and expressionlessly shoot their deer execution style.

And, they have to introduce themselves first. "I am Bond, James Bond."

And play Mission Impossible music in the background.

 

[Toxick]

I think hunters should only be allowed to use bows and arrows, then it would actually be hunting.

Screw that.

You want to get in touch with nature? Ditch the weapons altogether.

Hunters should run down their prey, and take them down with their bare hands.

The only weapon you need is the one inside your skull.




Plus after you run down a deer and kill it with your hands, letting out a primal scream is extremely satisfying while you soak in your prey's warm blood.

 

[Novus Collectus]

You didn't say suppressor, you said silencer..

Sure, I misue the term too, but you asked what hunting rifles can be silenced. Well they all can be silenced if you use subsonic ammo and a big enough silencer, but since it is impractical to carry a four foot long silencer into the woods, one must do with a suppressor that reduces the sound to within safety levels.
All rifles, shotguns and handguns can be suppressed.

When you go into the woods you can hear the numnuts out there firing and would know to stay away from that area, and probably hike out in the opposite direction of the gunshots. It's nice to know where the dumbasses are.. NOW explain to all the good people here what you have to go through to own the hunting rifle in these "relaxed gun law countries", how many classes you have to take, how much money you have to spend to GO hunting, and what other requirements are in place for someone to go hunting "alone".. Personally I'd say let them have THEIR silencers, let me keep my guns!!

To own a shotgun in the UK you need a shotgun certificate which does not require a class, but it does require a background check, a visit with a doctor, a visit to the home, and a statment for the reason to own one. Hunting, pest control and skeet shooting are reasons.
As long as they are accepted shotguns (e.g. holds less than three rounds), once one has a certificate there is no limit on the number of shotguns that can be owned and no restrictions on the amount of shotgun ammo that can be possessed. You or I can get a shotgun certificate if we resided there as American citizens.

To own other shotguns (e.g. semi auto), shot firing handguns, muzzloading revolvers or high powered rifles one must show good reason such as hunting, pest control, or target shooting. I think one mus be a member of a target shooting association if they use target shooting as a good reason. The process is a little more strict, but I don't think you need lessons here either.

I think UK's laws are ridiculous and should never even be considered here, but if a country that has very little trust of their citizens and only begrudgingly lets them have any firearms lets their citizens freely hunt with silencers and freely own them, then what does that tell us about our prudish attitude about silencers?

No, only those people that think they should be allowed to have silencers should be REQUIRED to shoot with bow and arrow.. though I agree with Smooth.. make it a sport.. stalk and shoot using bow and arrow, now that's sport!

Try removing a groundhog, rabbit, prairy dog (out west) or nutria infestation with just a bow and arrow. Varmint hunting is the best reason for using a suppressor.
Target shooting without disturbing the neighbors is another reason to own a suppressor.
Shooting so one does not damage their own ears while hunting is a damn good reason to use a suppressor.
Using a suppressor to also help minimize recoil is another reason to use a sound suppressor.

I swear sometimes some members of the hunting community are elitists that say other people shouldn't own certain types of guns so that they can keep their hunting rifle. Some of you guys are like hunter John Kerry.
It does not look good IMO.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

No.

If you want to save your hearing, use earplugs or other similar devices.

If you want to shoot quietly, use a bow and arrow. The reason it is more sporting to use a bow/arrow (and still have it be quiet) is because of the lack of shooting distance using such device. You are limited to 50 or so yards. How is it fair to use a rifle capable of 150+ yards and be totally silent (or even greatly suppressed)?

If you really want to be silent, why not just use a camera and capture natures beauty forever? I'm all for hunting, but it needs to be fair in some ways for the animals too.

NOW, if we were talking about some animals that are overpopulating an area to an extreme effect, maybe i would consider silencers simply for the extermination purposes, but other than that... i cannot support silencers for hunting.

 

[itsbob]

I'm actually torn between yes and no.. I mean, ANYONE can build a silencer for most guns with very basic tooling.. so if the criminals wanted them would they have them? Yes.. but I really don't see a need for them EXCEPT for an in-town outdoor range.

Personally my favorite part of shooting is the sound.. well that and hitting the target.

 

[smoothmarine187]

How about the atlatl or hunting with just knives for that matter. Bows and arrows are cheating too by that logic.

Even better, but at least some skill is involved when using a bow and arrow. You can't just aim in from a few hundred yards away with your high powered scope that can zoom in on a pair of fly testicles from a mile away.

Screw that.

You want to get in touch with nature? Ditch the weapons altogether.

Hunters should run down their prey, and take them down with their bare hands.

The only weapon you need is the one inside your skull.




Plus after you run down a deer and kill it with your hands, letting out a primal scream is extremely satisfying while you soak in your prey's warm blood.

I don't know about your bare hands, it would be kind of hard to knock out or choke out a deer. I would say a Knife would be fare.

 

[I like it]

No.

If you want to save your hearing, use earplugs or other similar devices.

If you want to shoot quietly, use a bow and arrow. The reason it is more sporting to use a bow/arrow (and still have it be quiet) is because of the lack of shooting distance using such device. You are limited to 50 or so yards. How is it fair to use a rifle capable of 150+ yards and be totally silent (or even greatly suppressed)?

If you really want to be silent, why not just use a camera and capture natures beauty forever? I'm all for hunting, but it needs to be fair in some ways for the animals too.

NOW, if we were talking about some animals that are overpopulating an area to an extreme effect, maybe i would consider silencers simply for the extermination purposes, but other than that... i cannot support silencers for hunting.

I wish your dad would have worn a condom.

 

[Novus Collectus]

Now ask him what someone in those countries has to go through to get a "basic gun certificate" (We don't have that requriment in this country by the way).

Eh? You aren't familiar with D.C.'s, Massachussettes and New Jersey's laws are you. In D.C. you can own a shotgun or rifle, but you have to jump through many hoops and get a permit and it has to be disasembled or unloaded and locked up at all times. In Massachussettes and in NJ they make their gun owners get fingerprinted, photographed, get a gun certificate, make them pay to renew the certificate, pass a class and if they move they have to notify the state. In MA and NJ firearms owners are treated like sex offendors on the sex offendor registry.

I'm betting it cost a LOT of money, and getting teeth pulled by way of your rectum would be more fun..

You would lose the bet. Firearms certificates are 50 pounds sterling.

 

[itsbob]

Eh? You aren't familiar with D.C.'s, Massachussettes and New Jersey's laws are you. In D.C. you can own a shotgun or rifle, but you have to jump through many hoops and get a permit and it has to be disasembled or unloaded and locked up at all times. In Massachussettes and in NJ they make their gun owners get fingerprinted, photographed, get a gun certificate, make them pay to renew the certificate, pass a class and if they move they have to notify the state. In MA and NJ firearms owners are treated like sex offendors on the sex offendor registry.

You would lose the bet. Firearms certificates are 50 pounds sterling.

And the requried classes are how much?? how about he hunting licenses, and permits?? If I remember correctly in Germany it could cost well over a $1000 to go hunting.. permits, licenses.. the JagerMeister fees (not the drink)

 

[Novus Collectus]

No.

If you want to save your hearing, use earplugs or other similar devices.

Hunters need to hear their game or for safety's sake hear a possible other hunter or person in the area.
If I want to save my hearing, I will use a suppressor. You can use the ear plugs.

If you want to shoot quietly, use a bow and arrow. The reason it is more sporting to use a bow/arrow (and still have it be quiet) is because of the lack of shooting distance using such device. You are limited to 50 or so yards. How is it fair to use a rifle capable of 150+ yards and be totally silent (or even greatly suppressed)?

For some people it is not sport, it is how they feed their family part of the year. For farmers it is how they protect their crops from deer eating their livelyhood.

Also like I said before, hunting varmints for pest control with bows and arrows is simply laughable. Hunting them for sport or food with a bow and arrow is difficult.

If you really want to be silent, why not just use a camera and capture natures beauty forever? I'm all for hunting, but it needs to be fair in some ways for the animals too.

can't eat a picture.

NOW, if we were talking about some animals that are overpopulating an area to an extreme effect, maybe i would consider silencers simply for the extermination purposes, but other than that... i cannot support silencers for hunting.

And just what do you think one of the main purposes of hunting is? It is to cull the deer population to keep them from overpopulating and becoming a nuisance or a threat to public safety.

With Maryland being covered with suburban sprawl more and more and becoming more populated, it makes more sense to use suppressors for that alone. Unless MD bans hunting all together, there is a need for silencers while hunting in some cases, and it should be an ooption in all of them.