Just thought of something...!!! (about no hunting law in NY w/airguns)

[longislandhunter]

Welcome Paul,,, nice to have you with us  

Yeah, this is some mess,,, isn't it  ??  

Harry,,,,, Paul has his place up in Delaware County, matter of fact he's 5 minutes down the road from my place.  

One more thing Harry,,,, just for info purposes,,,  I looked up the legal definition of "gun" in numerous law listings and in every single one an air gun definitely qualifies as a  "gun",,, as I knew it would.   I'll tell ya Harry,,, this whole thing is so ridiculous that if it wasn't so serious it would be laughable. It's interesting to note that both the E.C.L. and the Penal Law DO NOT contain a specific definition for "gun".  Neither does the Criminal Procedure Law of NY,,,,, you know why?   Because it's not needed.  The laws of NY State recognize in practice that a firearm is a gun, any firearm.  I guess we could beat this thing to death forever but in the end it really doesn't matter....  Maybe some day the DEC and the ECL will specifically mention airguns, that would be nice,, but in the meantime I guess NYers just have to rely on the "whims" and personal "interpretations" of the DEC supervisors in charge of the region they live in.   Pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me.....  

Anyway,,, good job Harry, you got us lots of good and useful info in case we have to carry this a step further one of these days.    

If you need me just give me a yell,,,, you know where I am     I certainly don't mind getting involved and writing letters, emails, phone calls, whatever it takes if it really does come to that......  

BTW........ If I were you I wouldn't even mention to the DEC about "shrouds" and such things !!!!!!!!!!!   Personally I think that would be a big mistake..  They have enough trouble dealing with laws that the rest of us easily understand,,,, if you present them with something as controversial as "shrouds'  their brains will explode and God only knows how they'll "interpret" the laws regarding "shrouds".   Just remember,,, the laws concerning "you know what"  have to do with "firearms",, not "guns" but "firearms" and we all know the DEC says air guns are "firearms".     That's an arena I personally would not want to jump into.....   But of course that's just my opinion,,, you gotta do what you feel is right.....

Jeff

[airiscool]

Jeff, thanks,

My guess is I'm about an hour n.w of you both - north end of Chenango county. Lots of state lands all around us. But for now, think I'll keep my Wisper just that until I hear what the DEC decides ... or  doesn't decide .....

Yeah, it's a mess, and from what I've heard in past it doesn't surprise me. But then hey ....  it's NYS, ....  wad ya 'spect ?

Paul
Airiscool

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

I have some DEFINATIVE answers I can give you. Not about airgun/gun/firearm/NY hunting issues. (Sorry,, no help there) About other "stuff". :p  We NEED to talk. Im sending you a PM. Tim. PS,,,, do you know someone that is a welder near you??  :p  

[only1harry]

Thanks Tim!  

Paul:  Welcome to the GTA!  
Don't despair and start using your Whisper.  
One thing is certain.  We can still hunt unprotected species with airguns like Woodchuck (Groundhog), European Starling, pigeon, red squirrel and porcupine.  Groundhogs are beginning to come out from hybernation now and Starlings and pigeons are usually around all year round.  Just make sure you shoot the G-hogs in the head behind the eye or between ear and eye (broadside shot) and try to close the distance to under 30yds with the Whisper.  If you don't have a head shot, don't shoot!  They won't go down and will run down the hole wounded.  You may get lucky with a neck shot (slightly behind or under the ear), but if you have no head shot, it probably means you have no neck shot.  

Visit the Hunting Gate for more tips on taking Groundhog.  There should be stories of G-hog hunts and pics there soon since they 've been spotted already by some GTA hunters in NY, other states, and Canada.

[airiscool]

Harry,
Thanks,

Yeah this should be interesting. Maybe even  learn a whole new technique.... if that's possable for me ??  

I'm used to getting ground hogs from 100+ yards away while standing behind a round bail, by putting  a .223 50 gr V-max in their head.

Not sure I can get close enough with my big flappin' feet to do that with the Whisper. I've had deer and turkey walk up on me from up wind  while I'm standing out in the open with full  camo on, but no-way no-how if I start moving LOL. I'm 4.5 on the rickter scale when I'm just tippy-toein'. I'd have trouble sneeking up on a grave !!!!

Since it's light enough, my guess is I'll carry both the Whiper and my Savage. Use the Savage for the ones out in the fields  and use the Whisper for "boarder chucks". I know I can't sneek up on the ones out in the fields, but at least I can sneek along the hedge rows that boarder the hay fields. Lots of chucks living in thosehedge rows  who don't like the noise of tracters and bailers on their roof.

Anyway, last night I took that stupid scope mount extra rail off and put the scope mount  right in the barrel groves. That got it closer to barrel centerline,  which I prefer, but more importantly I now have a bettter cheek-weld on the stock. The Gamo scope was used for only an hour before I gave up on it. Wavy plastic lens made it look like heat waves near the target. Put my old Tasco on it that  I took  a slug gun a few years ago. Much better !!!! Some day I'll spoil it and put some nice glass on it.

More progress today. After I picked up the mail, I got to  put one of Mr Tuna's golden triggers in it at lunch time today. Yippee, no more playing, "guess  where the pellets going".  Now,  I just need to pick up some sling mounts .......

It's all coming together and I love it !!!!

Thanks again Bob for the fast service. You must have known I was iching to get this thing shooting.
Paul