A family member of mine was convicted of a felony, it wasn't anything violent, just wrong place wrong time kind of thing. Would she still be able to go deer hunting in Pennsylvania? Or turkey hunting?

With a bow and arrow yes, with a gun or shotgun, no.

Or possibly with a bag of rocks - :D

Her PO should have covered with her the Federal Law which prohibits convicted felons from being around firearms. She should re-read what was given to her by her PO because if she doesn't understand this she could very well be violating other terms/conditions.

She should even be near anyone else who is hunting, wrong time and place or not. Once she was convicted she lost her ability to have a firearm - particularly to go hunting.

Hunting is not the problem, having a gun to shoot them with is, they can not even live in a house with a gun available ( even a unloaded gun with no ammo in the home)

There is a case right now in MO ( under federal law) where a ex felon had a old single shot shotgun, that was so rusted it would not open to even load it, it was nailed on the wall for decoration. There was no ammo in the home, His attorney tells him he will be lucky to plea bargain to 3 or 4 years in federal prison for just having this in his home.

In NYS a man was recently arrested for having an old black powder gun - same thing, a decoration. He got himself arrested and is still in jail while the authorities fight it out.

I guess when they say "gun" they mean "gun."

Yes, I have been trying to come up with previous federal cases or even MO state cases to help in their defense for either a reason to ask for charges to be droped or at least defense in court. But so far, my only suggestion was to stock up on soap on the rope for about 4 years.

Here is the real deal... A felon cannot be in possession of a firearm... PERIOD. This means that even if another member of the family owns the firearm, it cannot be in the house.

Now, that said, you can hunt with bow and arrow, cross bow, and certain black powder guns. Note that I said CERTAIN. Some black powder guns can be easily transformed into a rifle, these are not legal guns for a felon to use. These are called "combo" guns. Means that they can be used either as a black powder or a rifle. This gun is subject to a background check.

Not to advertise, but to check out my credibility, please note that I am a gun shop owner... Brighton Arms

It may seem absurd (and it possibly is and the argument is always that it's a violation of your rights) but it's Federal law - note that J_9 owns a gun shop. This is posted often and the argument is when someone ELSE in the house has a firearm but it has to be removed because of the felony conviction, but it is the law.

Once again, before you contact the game warden or state police take a look at the probation papers. It should be spelled out.

I've been a bow hunter since I was 14yrs. Seemed more challenging to my family growing up in up-state PA. I'm currently on probation for 5 years, for escape(f-3) and resisiting arrerst(f-3). My p.o. tells me I'm not allowed to hunt, and that bows aren't permitted in my home(I have hand-made "native american" bows on display from my father inlaw, not for hunting). I talked to a PA game warden and was told I'm pemmited to bow hunt and that my p.o. should contact him on the regulations. I don't want to make waves, I'm not a criminal, I just want to go hunting again, I blew off a cop when he tried to arrest me for mowing my lawn while drinking with a push mower in my fenced in back yard and then went into the safety of my home to call 911. i.e. escape and resiting arrest. I want to know... can I go hunting again? This is a family tradition that brings us all together...

3 year old thread closed.