Hunting with Suppressors

[HotGuns]

There is a lot of confusion about the legality of hunting with suppressors on the Internet. Part of this comes from the fact that many people don't realize that the world is not the same everywhere you go. The United States is comprised of 50 states and they all have their own laws, so what it perfectly acceptable in one state may be punishable by a fine and jail time in another.

These days, the ownership and use of suppressors, also known as silencers, is getting very popular, so much so that several states this year have amended their laws to allow hunting with suppressors. The use and ownership of suppressors is really not difficult. You fill out a Form, get some fingerprints and pictures, get a CLEO sign off and send 200 bucks to the BATFE. The only thing hard about is waiting for the BATFE to approve the paperwork so that you can pick up your suppressor when the paperwork comes in.

Of course, it must be legal to own in the state you reside in. Some states allow ownership of them but not hunting, others allow ownership of them and hunting.

There are no downsides to hunting with suppressors really, in fact, its a good thing to do. In many cases a properly mounted suppressor will actually enhance the accuracy of the bullet. This is because the suppressor( which we'll call a "can" from here on out) strips the gases that normally overtake the bullet and destabilize it by slamming into the base. The bullet due to its shape, eventually stabilizes itself, but without the gasses acting upon it, it flies much truer and thus is more accurate. Also, recoil is reduced considerably. Another benefit to that is that the reduction of sound also tends to help "flinching" and anticipation of the shot that can cause one to pull the shot off target.

The best thing about hunting with a can is that because the shot is alot quieter, you will see more game than you ever saw before because you aren't alerting everything within a two mile radius when they hear a shot. An example of this would be when squirrel hunting. When using a can it is common to be able to shoot several squirrels out of one tree...to them the shot doesn't sound much different than an acorn falling through the leaves, they barely notice it.

I probably don't need to mention the obvious, but I will. It is so much easier on the ears that shooting becomes a pleasurable experience. You can talk to your buddies in normal tones and when one of you shoot, it wont ring your ears. It really does protect the hearing.

As of right now, the it is legal to hunt with silencers in the following states. According to Gemtech, one of the leading silencer manufacturers,here is the list from their website:

Alaska
Arkansas
Arizona
Colorado
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Maryland
Missouri
Minnesota
Montana (non game animals only)
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Mexico
Nevada
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia

Its getting better and more states are considering loosening the restrictions on suppressors. As always, check your local laws and regulations to stay current because the laws are constantly changing.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[C hawk Glock]

A can is the only way to go. Many times if hunting predators they will run towards you instead of away. Check out this suppressed hunting video it's crazy.

[HotGuns]

That was a good video.

[pdogkilr]

Very nice video - thanks for sharing.

[WHEC724]

Thanks for the post, HotGuns.

Many times, I've started to PM you and ask you to hook me up, but they've taxed suppressors to where they are cost prohibitive to me (once the hardware is included). I just can't justify it. It makes no sense why our government wants to make it so difficult.

[zacii]

That was a good video

I can imagine how exciting that must be to have 6 yotes closing in

Sent from my Galaxy S2

[dukalmighty]

Pretty cool,with the drop in fur prices etc the trapping/hunting for fur has dropped a lot and there has been a surge in the populations causing problems for farmers/ranchers

[CanuckQue]

Not allowed in Canada.

I wish we were! The entire problem of hearing loss is a major deterrent to me, and a huge source of frustration if I'm not just nesting. I want to be able to hear before and after a shot!

[Kenneth66]

Are you allowed to loan a suppressed weapon to hunt with ? Kenneth

[Cupcake]

Very interesting...I had no idea it wa legal anywhere. Unless something has changed, MI prohibits possession altogether.

[Rob99VMI04]

Are you allowed to loan a suppressed weapon to hunt with ?

Only if it is registered in a trust and the persons name is on that trust.

[Jeff F]

Wyoming is trying to get it passed this legislative session.

[tmoore912]

Georgia tried passing legislation last year (2012), but failed miserably. A lot of misinformation was getting tossed around. It may have a chance this year.

[jdsumner]

I think as more states, esp Fl and Ga attempt to curtail the damage done by feral hogs, we'll see more supressors in play.

dan

[FDE]

Very interesting...I had no idea it wa legal anywhere. Unless something has changed, MI prohibits possession altogether.

Actually things have changed in Michigan...
AG - Schuette: Federally Registered Noise Suppressors Permitted Under State Law
You can now own but so far hunting is still a no-go.
There have been groups working to change the DNR's negative opinion on suppressors for hunting.