West Virginia and Louisiana recently advanced legislation that expands the use of pneumatic rifles and bows for hunting.
West Virginia House Bill 210 legalizes hunting with air rifles for big and small game. For big game hunting, an air rifle of at least .45 caliber and a minimum 200-grain bullet is required. There is an exception for turkey hunting in which a hunter may use a .22 or larger caliber. For small game, any air rifle that is .22 caliber or larger can be used. The legislation also permits that air rifles can shoot within 500 feet of a dwelling, unlike traditional firearms that require at least a 500-foot buffer for hunting. The legislation is now awaiting Gov. Jim Justice’s signature.
The Louisiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 422, which allows hunting deer, wild birds and wild quadrupeds with a pre-charged pneumatic rifle or bow. For hunting deer, the rifle must be at least a .30 caliber with a minimum of a 150-grain bullet. The legislation is now pending before the State Senate where it has not been assigned to a committee.
“Over the past several years, there has been an uptick in the number of states permitting hunting with pneumatic rifles and bows. Pneumatic air rifles and bows have been a great benefit to expanding the sporting community due to their affordability and ease of use,” said Dillon Barto, manager of state services at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “It is our hope that this expansion will continue into other states, broadening the available ways to hunt.”
Louisiana sportsmen should support House Bill 422 by contacting their State Senator using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
