Suppressors for Hunting in Indiana

[Rick983]

There has been a lively debate about the legality of hunting with a suppressor in Indiana. The DNR rules states "no". However, one of the posters from another thread stated that if you were a Class III / SOT dealer, you could legally hunt with a suppressor. Can anyone provide a definitive answer. How can we convince the DNR that hunting with a suppressor is better for our ears and the environment because it is quieter? Your thoughts please.

 

[Jack Ryan]

There has been a lively debate about the legality of hunting with a suppressor in Indiana. The DNR rules states "no". However, one of the posters from another thread stated that if you were a Class III / SOT dealer, you could legally hunt with a suppressor. Can anyone provide a definitive answer. How can we convince the DNR that hunting with a suppressor is better for our ears and the environment because it is quieter? Your thoughts please.

I'm all for eliminating any type of restriction on suppressors of any kind.

It is not currently legal to use a suppressor for any type of sport hunting of any type of regulated game animal.

 

[CSK22]

I'm going to guess if the DNR clearly states no, they don't care if your a dealer. However, I'd have to assume an animal could most likely still hear you even with a suppressor. I am not an expert in this area, just my guess.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I'm going to guess if the DNR clearly states no, they don't care if your a dealer. However, I'd have to assume an animal could most likely still hear you even with a suppressor. I am not an expert in this area, just my guess.

Just to flip the coin, I'm sure the animal could hear you, its really tough to completely cover that noise up. Any reason that I would take a suppressor would be for my own hearing protection. I would love to go to the woods hunting, and be able to hear things around me, yet save my hearing by using a suppressor.

Also, another note, a guy a work with has a very scared/nervous dog. Today he made a comment about how the dog is always afraid when it hears coyotes howling etc. It is also very scared of gunshots and has run away as a result of them before. I would love to go coyote hunting on his property to get rid of the coyotes, but he is afraid that any gunshots may scare the dog away.

1 more thing here, I know it isn't permitted to hunt with a silencer, but the IDNR hunting guide states that a coyote can be taken with any firearm. Technically a silencer is a firearm, can it be used to hunt coyotes? Also, under the nuisance animal part it also states that any equipment can be used to take a nuisance animal, and coyotes can be taken as nuisance animals at any time with written permission of the landowner. So where does that play in? I'd love to do some suppressed coyote hunting (on my coworker's land).

 

[Lakefield22]

A few thoughts on hunting with a suppressor, as someone who has done it a bit...

First, it is great for protecting your hearing. I used to carry earplugs with me and try to carefully slip them into my ears before shooting. Now, don't even worry about it.

Although the animals can still hear the shot, they don't seem as scared by it. Once while deer hunting with my .44 I had four deer walk out of the woods about 150 yards from me (I hunt from a small hill and have everything ranged around me), I dialed in my scope and took a shot. The first deer dropped almost right away, being hit by 300 grains will do that. The other deer only looked at me briefly when I first fired and then quickly forgot about me with the sound of the impacting round and their friend falling down. Although the group was on high alert, they didn't run and in fact only left when I finally stood up 5 minutes later to go collect my kill. This has generally been my experience with deer and suppressors. They hear it and are scared but they don't run and aren't as frightened/stirred up as from unsuppressed firearms.

Squirrel hunting with an suppressed .22 is great fun. I've had the others squirrels in a tree not even stop eating when I shoot one.

Finally, I've sat out on the front porch of my cabin in the middle of my farm, drinking coffee on opening day and not heard a single gunshot, only peace and quit, despite four other people hunting on the land.

Anyway, to summarize:
1) Better for the hunter's and others hearing
2) Less disturbing to game
3) Less disturbance to general area

DISCLAIMER: I do not hunt in Indiana, I know it is illegal to hunt in Indiana with a suppressor

 

[fullauto 45]

It is illegal to hunt game animals in Indiana with a suppressor,
It is not illegal to hunt predtory animals or nuisance animals like coyote, groundhogs or crows. In fact you can hunt them with any weapon you can own. That included fullauto weapons of any caliber.
That was from a call to the DNR last year.

 

[alfahornet]

It is not illegal to hunt predtory animals or nuisance animals like coyote, groundhogs or crows. In fact you can hunt them with any weapon you can own. That included fullauto weapons of any caliber.
That was from a call to the DNR last year.

F/a for hunting - that really takes the sportsmanship out of it

 

[VUPDblue]

It is illegal to hunt game animals in Indiana with a suppressor,
It is not illegal to hunt predtory animals or nuisance animals like coyote, groundhogs or crows. In fact you can hunt them with any weapon you can own. That included fullauto weapons of any caliber.
That was from a call to the DNR last year.

This is how I understood the law as well. It says about nuisance animals "...can be taken any time with any firearm..." I always understood this to include suppressors because by definition, they are a firearm.

 

[fullauto 45]

F/a for hunting - that really takes the sportsmanship out of it

Not really, you ever hit a 'yote with a blast from an M16? Or a burst from a M60? Not that is fun.
Whistle pigs with a suppressed hit at over 100 yards. Never knew what hit 'em.

 

[remymartin]

no question a supressor is off limits for hunting in IN. But the definition of "nuisance" always comes into play. is it on your property? did it **** you off? I'm no lawyer but that defines nuisance to me.

 

[tenring]

Coyote not a game animal? Then why is there a season on them?

 

[curraheeguns]

I think you are all reading way to much into it. I think it is pretty clear.

IC 14-22-6-11
Silencers prohibited
Sec. 11. (a) This section does not apply to an employee of the department or an employee of a federal wildlife management agency who:
(1) is acting in the performance of the employee's duties; and
(2) has received the express written consent of the director for the employee's action.
(b) A person may not:
(1) use or possess an apparatus designed for use with or on a firearm commonly called a silencer; or
(2) use or possess a device used as a silencer;
in Indiana while in the act of hunting.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.13-2007, SEC.2.

 

[VUPDblue]

Yet another way Indiana firearm laws are contradictory Reference fullauto45's post above where he called the DNR for clarification....

 

[nighthawk80]

Coyote not a game animal? Then why is there a season on them?

There is a season on Coyote, but you can take them out of season if they are a "nuisance". As in killing of your animals, endengering lives, etc...

 

[CountryBoy19]

There is a season on Coyote, but you can take them out of season if they are a "nuisance". As in killing of your animals, endengering lives, etc...

Agreed, it is just like that with deer. Deer are a game animal, but if you get a depredation permit and take them out of season with Centerfire rifles that don't normally fit the IN requirement for a pistol caliber rifle (.308, .270, 50. BMG, etc). So that example shows that not all game laws apply to game animals that are being taken out of season as a nuisance. My main curiosity was if a silencer fit the definition of "any firearm". And as VUPDblue pointed out, I believe it does, but some local CO may not think so and make a good day a very bad one, even if you do eventually get it cleared up, being hauled to jail can make your day very bad.

 

[KokomoDave]

What about shooting starlings and such? I thought it was okay to use silencers?