As a dedicated deer hunter for the past half century, I’ve owned my share of deer rifles in various calibers and actions over the years. My first was a Marlin 336 lever action rifle in Remington 35 caliber that I harvested my first buck with back in the early 70s.
That gun was followed by a Remington 760 pump action model in 30-06 caliber. I downed a few deer with that rifle but I would often jam it when I rushed the pump action trying for a second shot – my fault, not the gun’s. I eventually gave up the pump in favor of a classic bolt action Remington 700 in Winchester 243 caliber, a gun I still own.
More recently I purchased another Remington 700 in 7mm-08 caliber, more suitable for elk hunting out west than the 243.
The thing that all those rifles have in common is that every one of them is manually operated, be it by lever, pump, or bolt. None of them is semi-automatic for the simple reason that semi-automatic center fire rifles are not legal for big game hunters here in the Keystone State. They’ve been prohibited for the entire time I’ve been roaming Pennsylvania’s deer woods. But that may be about to change due to legislation to be introduced by two Pennsylvania lawmakers – Sen. Daniel Laughlin of Senate District 49 and Rep. Charity Krupa of House District 51.
In his memo, Sen. Laughlin lays out his rationale for such a proposal.
“In the near future, I will be introducing legislation that would allow hunters in Pennsylvania to use semi-automatic firearms for hunting, provided the firearm is limited to a three-round capacity.
Currently, the Pennsylvania Game Commission authorizes the use of semi-automatic rifles for small game, but prohibits their use for big game hunting, despite widespread acceptance and use of these firearms in other states. Many hunters already use semi-automatic shotguns for turkey and waterfowl hunting with a three-shell limit. This proposal brings parity and clarity by applying the same three-round standard to rifles for hunting game such as deer and bear.
This legislation would not allow high-capacity magazines or fully automatic weapons. It simply aligns our state’s hunting laws with the practices of many other states and provides hunters with additional options, particularly those who have physical limitations that make operating bolt-action or pump-action rifles more difficult.”
Rep. Krupa provides similar arguments for her own proposal. “In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to amend the Pennsylvania Game Code to allow licensed hunters to use semi-automatic rifles for the lawful hunting of big game animals such as deer and bear. The bill will permit the use of semi-automatic centerfire rifles with a capacity limited to six rounds—five in the magazine and one in the chamber.
This proposal brings Pennsylvania in line with the states that already allow responsible use of semi-automatic firearms for hunting large game—typically with magazine restrictions similar to the one proposed here. These states have seen no measurable increase in safety concerns or negative wildlife impacts as a result.”
She goes on to explain why such legislation makes sense: “Semi-automatic firearms discharge a single round per trigger pull and are legally distinct from fully automatic weapons, which are stringently regulated under federal law. The current prohibition in Pennsylvania mistakenly conflates the two and denies hunters access to widely available, lawful, and commonly used firearms that are not military-grade.
“There is no compelling evidence to support Pennsylvania’s continued ban on semi-automatic rifles for large game. These firearms are commonly used for other lawful purposes—including small game and predator hunting within the Commonwealth—and their prohibition for big game hunting is inconsistent and unsupported by science or safety data.
Krupa advises that “semi-automatic rifles allow for faster follow-up shots, which can aid in the ethical harvesting of animals by minimizing suffering and reducing the chances of a wounded animal escaping. This enhances hunter success while promoting humane practices.”
She adds that “Pennsylvania’s deer population continues to grow and has increasingly become a nuisance in many areas, contributing to agricultural damage, vehicle collisions, and ecosystem imbalance. Allowing hunters to use modern, effective tools—including regulated semi-automatic rifles—can help the Game Commission better manage overpopulation and meet harvest goals.
The current rules and regulations regarding lawful arms and ammunition can be found under Big Game Regulations on page 20 of the Pennsylvania 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Digest. For the regular seasons on deer and bear, “Manually operated (pump, lever, bolt actions, singe shot) centerfire rifles and handguns (revolvers or single shots) with all lead bullet or ball or bullet designed to expand on impact.”
But when it comes to shotguns, the regulations are a little more liberal, allowing “manually operated or semiautomatic centerfire shotguns (shotguns do not have to be plugged) that propel single-projectile ammunition (buckshot is not legal in most cases.”
Although I own a semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun, I use it only for goose and turkey hunting. My preferred firearm for deer here in our special regulations area where centerfire rifles are no longer legal is a pump action 20-gauge lightweight Remington 860 shotgun fitted with a scoped cantilever slug barrel.
Truth be told, almost all of my deer hunting the last few years has been done exclusively with archery gear (either a compound or a crossbow), not shotgun or rifle.
I’ve never owned a semi-automatic rifle, so I have no dog in the fight to legalize them for deer hunting here, but I know others that do. My only reservation about the proposed legislation is that all that extra firepower might cause some hunters to concentrate less on that critical first shot, knowing they have instant backups at the ready.
Concentration on making that first shot count is why many hunters prefer single shot or bolt action rifles rather than the faster actions of lever or pump action rifles that make follow up shots more practical. I know that when I hunted the big woods back in the day with my pump action, the potential for a quick second shot was always in the back of my mind, something that I suspect might have influenced my focus on that initial pull of the trigger.
Would that same psychology apply to some hunters toting semi-automatics into the deer woods and promote less efficient first shots? Possibly, but certainly not a deal-breaker that could derail the proposed legalization of these popular firearms for hunting deer and bear.
Just as representative Krupa concludes in making the case for her proposed legislation, “this bill is narrowly crafted to allow only semi-automatic centerfire rifles with a six-round maximum capacity. Fully automatic firearms remain illegal for hunting, and the Game Commission will retain authority to regulate acceptable calibers and seasons. This strikes the right balance between safety, sport, and tradition. It is time for Pennsylvania to modernize its hunting laws and bring them in line with the practices of most other states.”
Tom Tatum is the outdoors columnist for the MediaNews Group. You can reach him at tatumt2@yahoo.com.
