Bringing two guns hunting?

[BlackOps Badger 52]

I've looked through the hunting digest three times trying to find out if I could bring more than one gun with me in the field while hunting. I plan on coyote hunting with a centerfire rifle, but I would like to bring a shotgun with me for anything inside of 50yds. I will most likely have the shotgun in my Jeep anyway so I can hunt at night. Any help would be appreciated.

[DaveR 42]

Reading through the laws I can find anything covering having to two firearms in your posession at the same time.

Shotgun and centerfire rifle can be used during the day and shotgun only at night.

 

Best course of action would be to just contact the Division of FG&W with the question since their agents would be the ones making the decision in the field should it come to it.

 

www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/contact.htm

[maintenanceguy 510]

That which is not prohibited is mandatory.

[DeerSlayer 241]

No you can't sit with two guns, it specifically says that in the muzzle loading rifle section under general regulations. You can have the other gun in the truck. But you can only take one or the other out with you. This I'm sure is in the actual game code: N.J.S.A. Title 23, 13:1B-34 & N.J.A.C. 7:25-5. The Compendium (aka NJ Hunting & Trapping Digest) is not the full law. Page 25 in the digest states this. I have one of the CO'S cell phone numbers if you want to call him directly to ask your question. Pretty sure the answer is no. I know of no other hunting season you can have two firearms under your direct control. There's a reason why they limit rounds in a gun to three. I can't see them allowing two guns at the same time. PM me if you want that number.

 

[Parker 213]

^^ What Deerslayer said.

[mipafox 438]

It's PA, but my buddy uses a gun that has a .223 barrel and a 20 gauge shotgun barrel. He can choose which round to fire at any moment based on range of target. He uses it for turkey. Would something like that work?

[DeerSlayer 241]

It's PA, but my buddy uses a gun that has a .223 barrel and a 20 gauge shotgun barrel. He can choose which round to fire at any moment based on range of target. He uses it for turkey. Would something like that work?

Not allowed in Jersey unless One barrel is permanently plugged for hunting. I started out as a kid with a combination .22-.410g double barrel. My dad used to insert a wooden Dowell in the .22 barrel with a piece of tape over the end so I could use it bird hunting.

[mipafox 438]

That sucks. It doesn't even make any sense.

[DeerSlayer 241]

That sucks. It doesn't even make any sense.

Come on now man, this is NJ were talking about. The real question is what here does make sense?

[Smokin .50 1,907]

Back in the Old Days, before all of the RULES were written, folks used to hunt with bird shot in one barrel & buck shot or a single lead ball in the other.  Come upon a grouse or a rabbit, squirrel, or pheasant, and use your bird shot trigger.  Come upon a deer or an elk and use your buck shot or solid ball (old-timey slug).  SxS 10 ga. muzzleloading percussion scatterguns like mine were VERY popular!  Rich folks even used Drillings w/ THREE barrels (third barrel was rifled for longer range work) once center fire break-actions were invented.  Back then it was about SURVIVAL.  Now it's more about collecting TAXES and FEES, lol!

 

That all being said, a friend of mine brought a 20 ga. center fire with him (as a back-up, on a sling) when we went pheasant hunting on a preserve with our 10 ga. SxS's.  So he had two guns with him at all times and the Guide couldn't have cared LESS, and he was a retired NY state LEO....

[DeerSlayer 241]

Game preserves can set their own rules to a degree, there privately owned and stocked. Big difference between there and state land.

 

But I agree it's a stupid rule in some ways.

[ccrides350 1]

^{It's PA, but my buddy uses a gun that has a .223 barrel and a 20 gauge shotgun barrel. He can choose which round to fire at any moment based on range of target. He uses it for turkey. Would something like that work?}

 

 

^{Not allowed in Jersey unless One barrel is permanently plugged for hunting. I started out as a kid with a combination .22-.410g double barrel. My dad used to insert a wooden Dowell in the .22 barrel with a piece of tape over the end so I could use it bird hunting.}

 

^{You would have to plug the .22 barrel because you can’t use it to legally hunt birds in NJ. But with coyote both shot gun and center fire are legal. It’s a good question, would a 20ga/223 combo be allowed for coyote hunting?}

[Parker 213]

^{You would have to plug the .22 barrel because you can’t use it to legally hunt birds in NJ. But with coyote both shot gun and center fire are legal. It’s a good question, would a 20ga/223 combo be allowed for coyote hunting?}

 

Yes, provided you use it only during the special winter season set aside for coyote/fox, along with the appropriate ammo.

[DeerSlayer 241]

Yes, provided you use it only during the special winter season set aside for coyote/fox, along with the appropriate ammo.

Would probably have to be during the day only I would imagine. Shotgun only after sunset. I'm not sure if you wouldn't get jammed up if you run into a CO during nite hours while in possession of a gun that can fire a .223 cartridge? I'm going to ask a CO I know about this topic. I can't find anything in the compendium that says it's a no go. But that's not the full game code. And I really don't feel like reading that entire novel for one question.

[Parker 213]

Would probably have to be during the day only I would imagine. Shotgun only after sunset. I'm not sure if you wouldn't get jammed up if you run into a CO during nite hours while in possession of a gun that can fire a .223 cartridge? I'm going to ask a CO I know about this topic. I can't find anything in the compendium that says it's a no go. But that's not the full game code. And I really don't feel like reading that entire novel for one question.

 

Correct.