1. High powered rifles are already used on game other than deer. What does your 80 year old grandfather think will be different with deer hunting?
2. How many times has your 80 year old grandfather's livestock or house been hit by .22lrs, shotgun pellets, pistol bullets or centerfire rifles now?
3. Centerfire rifles are far safer than shotguns according to studies on this subject.
4. Centerfire rifles are ALREADY used for deer under predation permits (remember, I pointed this out on INGO in a different subforum and made the OP who assumed that centerfire rifles were illegal or something all butthurt) without safety problems.
5. IDNR's magic bullet theory is nonsense and more and more people realize that it has no merit and no rational basis.
My aunt, when in her 40's had her house shot at least 3 times, deer hunters on the property next door. One slug hit the window frame edge and plowed a groove in the carpet to the kitchen area.
Yeah, I shoot a highpowered rifle all the time on non deer game, have for decades (chucks and yotes), using VARMINT BULLETS (highly frangible, minimal chance of carry past initial dirt contact, should on rare occassion I miss ).
IMHO the average person is an idiot. That means the average deer hunter is one too. Yeah, like wearing blaze orange and toting a .30-06 rifle changes everything.
Yeah, we have morons sending shotgun slugs skipping across fields at distant deer, and we have some that already do that with HP rifles (poachers). But........if John Q Dumbarse can go to Wallyworld legally and take his Barska equipped (see through rings dontcha know) Savage .30-06...........it's my guess there will be more accidents.
Remember, while many here are (or seem to be) of some safety/gun knowledge......we are not of the "average".
It's already a freakin zoo in some hunting areas, I think making it easier for the weekend warriors to shoot at things farther away will only make it worse.
Think the DNR is playing it too safe? Spend opening weekend of gun at Mississinewa Res.
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