Indiana deer hunting equipment confusion.

[JB357MAG]

I was just looking over the Indiana deer hunting requirments for
rifles & handguns and the calibers look backwards????

From the DNR website:

Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf.

Handguns, other than muzzleloading, must have a barrel at least 4 inches long and must fire a bullet of .243-inch diameter or larger. The handgun cartridge case, without the bullet, must be at least 1.16 inches long. Full metal-jacketed bullets are not permitted. The handgun must not be a rifle that has a barrel less than 18 inches or be designed or redesigned to be fired from the shoulder.

Handguns are not permitted on any military areas.

Some handgun cartridges that are legal for deer hunting include .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .35 Remington and .357 Herrett.

Some handgun cartridges that are illegal for deer hunting are .38 Special, .38 Smith and Wesson, .38 Colt New Police, .38/200, .38 Long Colt, .38 Super, .38 ACP, .38 Colt Auto, .45 ACP, .45 Automatic and .45 Auto Rim. All .25/.20, .32/.20 and .30 carbine ammunition is prohibited.

Jimmy

 

[kudu]

The laws have gradually opened up from shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery only years ago to pistols and finally to select lower power rifles. No .30-30. 30-06's and such for deer here. You can take an 06 and hunt squirrels and rabbits if you want but not deer. Indiana is currently looking at releasing basically all rifle calibers this year for deer hunting, but I don't know where the legislation is at right at this time. I thought it was to be decided by June or July.

 

[Doc7]

Why do you think it looks backwards?

 

[Hookeye]

The opening of the regs to use more "normal" rifle cartridges did not pass.

Also, those handguns using smaller caliber cartridges (you can run a .30-06 in a pistol, but not in a rifle- during sporting season)......those types of handguns usually are scoped and extended eye relief scopes for most folks are a PITA to use.

Read: some jackarse isn't going to blast from his idling on the road truck with one at yonder Bambi.

People do use "regular rifles" in the nuisance stuff, pre hunting season. That requires special damage assessment and application.

This is different than the old "depredation tags" which were also issued by damage assessment for antlerless take during the sporting season.

Wording has changed, so with the opeing up of bonus quotas/system years ago.....most folks using the word "depredation" are referring to the pre hunting season damage control stuff- where "regular rifle cartridges" can be used.

Even some old timers can't remember how it used to be, or worded.

As for the often cited "can use a .30-06 for squirrels" argument.........uh, it'll trash 'em, and nobody shoots up into the trees with that crap. On another forum some dipsh*t lawyer and tacticools tried to sway opinions with such.

The current regs allow for rifles, if they shoot .35 cal or larger and the case length is between 1.16 and 1.80.

Its not that difficult to undertstand the progression of the rules, or how it actually does make sense if one has had their pulse on the average Walmart Nimrods understanding of sport,game and ballistics (read: people are idiots, doesn't matter if they shoot/hunt or not).

I worked gun retail at a hoppin shop for yrs, and still help out..........I'd say the avg deer hunter rarely shoots or has any gun sense.

Weekend warrior types.

Some still think the IN law is for single shots and lever guns. Nope.

The laws are cailber and case length based per platform.

I run a .35 Remington rifle.......which has the cases trimmed to be legal.

Doesn't matter what your barrel says.........it's what you're shooting out of it.

 

[Hookeye]

The people are backwards, the regs aren't.

i dread the Mosin marauders if they open it up. We already have less deer, and I seriously doubt the DNR is managing it for health/size.

Politics is IMHO over-riding proper game management.

Selling tags, insurance lobbying.....idiot voters and legislators.........I think they ought to leave things the hell alone.

 

[jerkface11]

Its not that difficult to undertstand the progression of the rules, or how it actually does make sense if one has had their pulse on the average Walmart Nimrods understanding of sport,game and ballistics (read: people are idiots, doesn't matter if they shoot/hunt or not).

So your claim is people in your state aren't smart enough to deer hunt with a .30-30??

 

[bocefus78]

The laws have gradually opened up from shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery only years ago to pistols and finally to select lower power rifles. No .30-30. 30-06's and such for deer here. You can take an 06 and hunt squirrels and rabbits if you want but not deer. Indiana is currently looking at releasing basically all rifle calibers this year for deer hunting, but I don't know where the legislation is at right at this time. I thought it was to be decided by June or July.

The center fire rifle bill was shot down a week ago or so.

And if anyone wants to see why, I will gladly host you on an opening day deer hunt on state property. I suggest you bring LOTS of hunter orange.

The weekend warriors here empty their 12 guage at running deer and have no idea as to what's behind their target.

I hunt with a 44mag rifle. Granted I hunt woods, not ag fields, but I haven't seen a deer yet in the woods that I couldn't take. A shot over 100yds is rare.

 

[Hookeye]

I hunt central to north, private ground (some places more ag than woods).
100 yard shots common, can go further too (if one has the gear).

Buddy's place has big open fields. You can rip to 700 off the main field, but if stashed in a ditch, when they cut the middle that'd be 200-300 yard shooting.

WSSM wildcat could go to 300 or so.

I've taken a fair number of deer non rifle stuff to 150 or a little past.

What gets me is how a lot of guys think 100 yards is far. I call that a gimme.
But then I grew up shooting HP rifles on chucks.

 

[Hookeye]

We already get road hunters/poachers.
Opening the regs will get more of that, and IMHo punk kids with Mosins will lob FMJ at yonder brown bouncing dot.

With the instant check, liberal doe tags, and EHD outbreaks (plus X bows and current rifle allowance)...........I don't think we need to slam the deer pop down further.

Sure some spots are OK..........but overall it's pretty sucky.

Hell in the late 80's you could damn near throw a rock and kill a 100" buck up north.

Started to see decline in deer numbers in the late 90's. The old areas still decent, but not the grand hunting fields they once were.

EHD also hit my fave area..........has yet to recover.

 

[kudu]

Most of Indiana is pretty well populated and has many urban areas. 30 years ago there were hardly any houses in agriculture areas except the farmers. Now every little woodlot has a house or modular home dropped in it. Opening up to rifle would almost assure nice little ventilation holes popping up all over these houses in woodlots. I live on a 350 acre farm that's been in the family since the 1840's, when I was a kid the nearest neighbor was 3/4 mile away, now I have a dozen within 1/4-1/2 mile.

I have a Marlin lever rifle in .45-70 that is trimmed down to the 1.8" brass to make it legal. Even then I have to be careful, as always, when shooting. Too many houses too close.

 

[Hookeye]

Funny, my aunt's house, built in the country 35 yrs ago, got shot by slug gunners 3 different times (hunting a brushy draw between her place and the farm a few hundred yards away). Her house large and could be seen from anywhere, was up on the high ground.

One slug hit the big window frame in family room, deflected down and plowed a groove in the carpet before rolling slowly onto the kitchen floor.

Down the middle, nobody got hit.

 

[Frostbite]

Some horror story. Over here, rifle is allowed almost everywhere hunting is permitted, and when it is not, it is a bow only area. These area are designated rather based on political pressure than on security purposes for all I can understand about it.

 

[Hookeye]

Pop a booner on patchwork land and see what circus comes up next yr.