DNR Proposal for .243 and up rifle for deer season?

[avboiler11]

My concern about allowing more calibers are the platforms from which they are launched. If they are idiots with a pump gun how about a legal caliber in an AR type gun?

You know one can already legally hunt deer in Indiana with a 450 Bushmaster or 458 SOCOM from an AR rifle, or 6.5 Grendel/6.8SPC/300 BLK from an AR pistol....right?

 

[Expatriated]

I think the best reason to allow rifle for deer is that rifle is already allowed for everything else. If it's legal to stand on the ground and shoot squirrels up in a tree with a 30-06, it certainly should be legal to sit in a deer stand and shoot down at a deer with the same rifle. Why is it legal to shoot up in the air at small game with a .50 cal while hunting in IN? That makes sense to someone?

I can hunt rabbits with a .243 but if a deer comes by, I've got to put the rifle down and pick up the 12 ga? That makes sense to someone?

Whoever proposed these "safety" regs was certainly not thinking clearly. If you are concerned about population density and bullet over travel, you would be concerned about it for every species of game, not just for 2 weeks and for deer only.

In PA where I grew up hunting, some counties were shotgun only. For all game. At least that is consistent. It seems IN is more concerned with what is being shot at than what might actually get hit accidentally.

I'd like to see the rule changed from a selfish standpoint so my 25-06 can get back into the action. But for the people arguing against keeping it illegal to use rifle for deer from a safety standpoint ought to be a bit more concerned about the other, more crazy things allowed by DNR first.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

My concern about allowing more calibers are the platforms from which they are launched. If they are idiots with a pump gun how about a legal caliber in an AR type gun? I guess after thinking about it some it is more the style of rifle that the rules change may allow that concerns me. Why be so hung up on more calibers? If I were to ranke the 12 ga, 44 mag rifle and 357 mag rifle in order of effectiveness on the deer I have shot, all three resulted in dead deer. One was not more dead than the other. Just practice shooting and be sure you can place the bullet where it needs to be. It is that simple.

Shotguns do not only come in pump action. They are also available in the dreaded semi-auto action as well, just like evil black guns.

 

[pike]

If you are questioning my knowledge of the current hunting laws there should be no doubt in the fact that that I do know what is allowed. It is becoming obvious to me that the lack of good common sense that I see in the field extends to this forum. Unlike most of the "weekend Warriors" on here I actually live in the area that you all hunt in. Me and my neighbors don't let the kids out during deer season due to hunters already, and these rules will do nothing to help the situation. Too many mall ninjas out there.

 

[pike]

Shotguns do not only come in pump action. They are also available in the dreaded semi-auto action as well, just like evil black guns.

Semi auto shotguns don't have 20-30 rounds either. Semi auto and multiple rounds will never make up for you lack of hunting prowess.

 

[avboiler11]

If you are questioning my knowledge of the current hunting laws there should be no doubt in the fact that that I do know what is allowed.

If that's the case, stating "If they are idiots with a pump gun how about a legal caliber in an AR type gun?" betrayed your knowledge.

 

[Willie]

Semi auto shotguns don't have 20-30 rounds either. Semi auto and multiple rounds will never make up for you lack of hunting prowess.

As explained earlier there are some already legal rifles out there NOW that have that capacity. The horse has left the barn..

 

[Mark-DuCo]

If you are questioning my knowledge of the current hunting laws there should be no doubt in the fact that that I do know what is allowed. It is becoming obvious to me that the lack of good common sense that I see in the field extends to this forum. Unlike most of the "weekend Warriors" on here I actually live in the area that you all hunt in. Me and my neighbors don't let the kids out during deer season due to hunters already, and these rules will do nothing to help the situation. Too many mall ninjas out there.

I shot my first deer (with a bow) at age 12, and I have shot plenty every year since then. My hunting knowledge as well as firearm knowledge is plenty adequate to decide that most of the complaints about rifles being used has nothing to with caliber or magazine capacity and everything to do with people being irresponsible with firearms.

I also live in the area that people hunt in. Heck I used to just walk across the road about 300 yards to my deerstand. With the hours I work I guess I am considered a "weekend warrior," but when I can't leave work until 5pm it makes it hard to get set up in my stand with enough time to shoot before dark.

 

[Hookeye]

I think the best reason to allow rifle for deer is that rifle is already allowed for everything else. If it's legal to stand on the ground and shoot squirrels up in a tree with a 30-06, it certainly should be legal to sit in a deer stand and shoot down at a deer with the same rifle. Why is it legal to shoot up in the air at small game with a .50 cal while hunting in IN? That makes sense to someone?

I can hunt rabbits with a .243 but if a deer comes by, I've got to put the rifle down and pick up the 12 ga? That makes sense to someone?

Whoever proposed these "safety" regs was certainly not thinking clearly. If you are concerned about population density and bullet over travel, you would be concerned about it for every species of game, not just for 2 weeks and for deer only.

In PA where I grew up hunting, some counties were shotgun only. For all game. At least that is consistent. It seems IN is more concerned with what is being shot at than what might actually get hit accidentally.

I'd like to see the rule changed from a selfish standpoint so my 25-06 can get back into the action. But for the people arguing against keeping it illegal to use rifle for deer from a safety standpoint ought to be a bit more concerned about the other, more crazy things allowed by DNR first.

More people deer hunt, in concentrated areas. Varmint hunters use varmint bullets. And nobody shoots a .30-06 into the tree canopy after a fuzzy tailed rat.
If you've got good arguments for rifles in deer season I'd like to see them backed by logic and not such boolsheet.
If this is really how you think, then you're exactly the type we don't need hitting the sticks with an '06.

 

[Hookeye]

Now back on topic...........

I wonder if it passes, how extended range and maybe more people hunting, is going to affect deer movement.
Much of what is hunted during deer season is smaller, of patchwork type.

Will it mean more competition for all ground, esp bigger places (what about lease pricing?)
How many new folks will it bring in?
Roadhunting/poaching increase?

I have an eye on a spot, could hold 2 hunters. But if HP rifle goes through, one guy with a 7 mag has it covered.

 

[ghuns]

Roadhunting/poaching increase?

Do you think that someone who is inclined to break the law, by shooting from the road or flat out poaching, is concerned with using a legal firearm to do so?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Are there really that many hunters out there who are not hunting deer in Indiana only because they cannot use a high powered rifle? I really do not think we will see a change in the number of hunters, only in the choice of weapons. In all honesty I would like to see the change, but it won't affect me much, I will stick with my shotgun in the woods as almost all my shots will be under 75 yards, but I would like to have my .270 when I sit on a field in the evenings.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I read the whole thread so far and it seems like the main arguments against this change are that people will shoot faster with rifles, they will care less about where they shoot with rifles, and they will shoot deer out of trucks with rifles. Seems to me that these are not arguments against rifle calibers, they are arguments against idiots who are already doing these things with shotguns.

Just came back from Wyoming chasing pronghorn with sharp sticks. That's rifle country out there - no question about it. Last day and a half we unloaded the rifles to take down the local prairie dog population and were welcomed everywhere we went - saves the ranchers time and ammunition cost. Longest confirmed prairie dog kill - 500 yds with a Savage 22-250.

My point? States that have had rifle seasons in place for many years really don't see the problem - safety or poaching. Wyoming East is flat as slate with very few trees, Wyoming West is mountainous and timbered. Kind of like Indiana North and Indiana South. I hunt out of state and out of country, don't see the issue with rifles. They're a tool - choose to use it - choose to leave it be - as always, I'm pro-choice on weapons.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Are there really that many hunters out there who are not hunting deer in Indiana only because they cannot use a high powered rifle? I really do not think we will see a change in the number of hunters, only in the choice of weapons. In all honesty I would like to see the change, but it won't affect me much, I will stick with my shotgun in the woods as almost all my shots will be under 75 yards, but I would like to have my .270 when I sit on a field in the evenings.

Doesn't really affect me either. I do most of my hunting at Crane with bow and arrow. Also, their gun hunts are restricted to shotgun and muzzy only, so I use my muzzy when I participate in the gun hunts. May very well be back on my old Hawkin black powder this fall just for old times sake...channel my inner JJ, or Jim Bridger.

 

[tenring]

30/06, 8.0 gr. 700X, 172 gr. GC, SWC @ 1200 fps. Worked for me, but then YMMV.

 

[tenring]

More people deer hunt, in concentrated areas. Varmint hunters use varmint bullets. And nobody shoots a .30-06 into the tree canopy after a fuzzy tailed rat.
If you've got good arguments for rifles in deer season I'd like to see them backed by logic and not such boolsheet.
If this is really how you think, then you're exactly the type we don't need hitting the sticks with an '06.

30/06, 8.0 gr. 700X, 172 gr. GC, SWC @ 1200 fps. Worked for me, but then YMMV.

 

[bwframe]

Sounds as if some folks need to attend some organised shooting events to maybe get an understanding that shots fired DO NOT equal people shot.

Even mall ninjas and bubba's understand that touching random rounds off into the woods could result in harming people just like them.

 

[Expatriated]

More people deer hunt, in concentrated areas. Varmint hunters use varmint bullets. And nobody shoots a .30-06 into the tree canopy after a fuzzy tailed rat.
If you've got good arguments for rifles in deer season I'd like to see them backed by logic and not such boolsheet.
If this is really how you think, then you're exactly the type we don't need hitting the sticks with an '06.

The point is not whether or not people will do it. The point is that it is currently legal. The DNR says it's ok. I thought we were discussing legalities, not whether you should or shouldn't do something.

There are more than a few hilljacks in this state shooting at squirrels with high-powered rifles, for sure. And to think varmint hunters always use varmint bullets is a little naive. But again, you are permitted to use high-powered rifles with any ammo you want under DNR regs now for anything other than deer. Why are you permitted to do something stupid on one hand and not do something responsible on the other?

If you can shoot rabbits with a Barrett, it makes no sense (from a legal standpoint) why you can't shoot a deer with a .270. It's completely inconsistent. That's the point.

 

[roadrunner681]

i want the law to change so i can use all my rifles not just one of them, ive hunted for 10 years with a muzzleloader and a shotgun but i would really like to take the same guns i use for coyotes, ive never had a issue with using the rifles during that season it be nice to try something a little different that i didn't have to buy a new gun for.

 

[spaniel]

Just came back from Wyoming chasing pronghorn with sharp sticks. That's rifle country out there - no question about it. Last day and a half we unloaded the rifles to take down the local prairie dog population and were welcomed everywhere we went - saves the ranchers time and ammunition cost. Longest confirmed prairie dog kill - 500 yds with a Savage 22-250.

My point? States that have had rifle seasons in place for many years really don't see the problem - safety or poaching. Wyoming East is flat as slate with very few trees, Wyoming West is mountainous and timbered. Kind of like Indiana North and Indiana South. I hunt out of state and out of country, don't see the issue with rifles. They're a tool - choose to use it - choose to leave it be - as always, I'm pro-choice on weapons.

The population density of Indiana is 183 people per square mile. Wyoming? SIX. To compare the two is utter nonsense.