Thank you for the anecdotal response to this and admitting that you don't have an absolute answer to the question. I am seeking legal council on this matter but you have showed that it isn't an absolute issue by illustrating that someone in deferment has been allowed to possess weapons for hunting.Read my lips:
GET - A - LAWYER.
Ignore any advice given on a forum unless you KNOW that the person giving it is an attorney. I knew a man who was on a deferred sentence for a felony arrest and trial. Had he not kept his nose clean, he would have been a felon.
When he wanted to go deer hunting, he had to first get permission from a judge and I don't know what he had to do about actually hunting. He may have had some restrictions on that as well.
I'm not taking the advice, I thought this might be a good place to ask the question and get a statute or something, silly me asking a question about guns on a gun forum and expecting any responses other than opinion.