The PA Game Commission has approved hunting with semi-automatic rifles:
For deer and bear, full-metal jacket rounds are not permitted and semi-automatics used for big game are limited to a five-round magazine capacity. The measure also carries a sunset provision that expires on June 30, 2020 to allow for a board review the measure.
Limited five rounds in the magazine or five round magazines? Though, I’m guessing a blocked 10 or 20 round mag would work if not.
I need to get a 5 rnd mag for my SKS and a scope mount now :-)
Actually, a block of wood screwed to the magazine cover through the drain hole at the bottom, big enough to limit the capacity to 5 rounds works well. I’ve done it. Though I have to admit an SKS with an aftermarket Monte Carlo stock and a flush 5 round magazine makes a not-unattractive hunting rifle.
Those TimberSmith SKS stocks by Tapco are really attractive. The Monte Carlo ones, anyway; the thumbhole stocks look funny.
Is there anything showing that limiting the magazine capacity for hunting makes any difference? Similar laws seem to be common but I’ve never seen a point in them, just means I can’t go hunting with my Garand.
Sure you can – with a five-round clip, which they make for that exact purpose.
The purpose of mag limits while hunting is in theory to keep hunters from killing in excess and reduce the likelihood of hunters taking shots unlikely to hit. Many countries have done this since ~World War I where target shooting was unrestricted but hunting was restricted to 5 shot rifles.