Curious

[Miles42]

I am new to this site and also to the state of Indiana. There seems to be little interest in Hunting rifles here. I know in Ohio one must hunt deer with Shotguns. Is it the same in most parts of Indiana? Is that the reason for lack of interest in quality hunting rifles? Just Curious.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Since I don't hunt, I don't follow the regulations that closely, but it used to be that you could only hunt with muzzle loaders .45 or greater, shotguns, handguns with cartridges with the .357 magnum representing the minimum standard on both case length and bore, or archery. In more recent memory, they started allowing rifles with a maximum case length which evades my memory. Almost forgot to mention archery. It used to be that crossbows were only available to those who were considered to be handicapped, regular bows only for the spry and healthy, although I am not sure if that is still the case.

 

[wolfman]

Can't hunt with "most" centerfire rifles, in Indiana, so unless you travel to other states, you really have to like them to own one. But there is a huge interest in everything that can be fabricated to fit into what the DNR rules allow to be used to hunt deer with.

 

[rockhopper46038]

There's quite a bit of interest in hunting rifles, but many of the "standard" hunting rifle cartridges don't meet the somewhat odd dimensional limitations that the State of Indiana has imposed on rifle cartridges legal for hunting here. It's led to some pretty interesting "wildcat" cartridge development. In short, I would surmise that most people do in fact just use a shotgun.

 

[Miles42]

Ok I am starting to understand. I came fro Pa where everyone or the majority at least that hunted had a interest in nice rifle. I brought some nice ones with me and recently thought I would sell off some and there seemed to be little interest in them. Being new here and no where to hunt also the fact I am getting old LOL I thought about selling off some things but it would appear this is not the market for them.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Ok I am starting to understand. I came fro Pa where everyone or the majority at least that hunted had a interest in nice rifle. I brought some nice ones with me and recently thought I would sell off some and there seemed to be little interest in them. Being new here and no where to hunt also the fact I am getting old LOL I thought about selling off some things but it would appear this is not the market for them.

You never know. Some people with a little extra green in their jeans will buy things because they are nice guns for the sake of enjoying them even if they can't be used 'productively'.

 

[Mosinguy]

Go south of Bloomington and interest will peak. I cannot confirm nor deny the fact many deer are shot with 45-70, 30-30, and 30-06 down there.

 

[A-savvy]

Ok I am starting to understand. I came fro Pa where everyone or the majority at least that hunted had a interest in nice rifle. I brought some nice ones with me and recently thought I would sell off some and there seemed to be little interest in them. Being new here and no where to hunt also the fact I am getting old LOL I thought about selling off some things but it would appear this is not the market for them.

Since the law says you cant hunt deer with high powered rifles in Indiana, the ruger m77/44 and the marlin 1894/44mag seem to be the most popular for hunting deer here. Firearms season is short and alot of guys I know are using crossbows because archery season doesn't end until Jan.6. If you have high powered rifles you want to sell, wait until Jan. after deer season. Thats when people will start coyote hunting and looking for these rifles.

 

[remauto1187]

Ok I am starting to understand. I came fro Pa where everyone or the majority at least that hunted had a interest in nice rifle. I brought some nice ones with me and recently thought I would sell off some and there seemed to be little interest in them. Being new here and no where to hunt also the fact I am getting old LOL I thought about selling off some things but it would appear this is not the market for them.

You looked outside lately? Kinda flat, huh? unlike PA. Thats why they call it prairieland in this area. A 30-06 will go pretty far when you got some dipshi^ shooting 300yds across a field and aiming 4ft over the top of the deer's back! Thats why they dont allow the big boy rifles for hunting.

Oddly though I remember about 2-3yrs back some lady got shot/killed while sleeping in her bed, from a hunter X amount of yards away from her home when he missed a deer with a rifle.......in PA.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

You looked outside lately? Kinda flat, huh? unlike PA. Thats why they call it prairieland in this area. A 30-06 will go pretty far when you got some dipshi^ shooting 300yds across a field and aiming 4ft over the top of the deer's back! Thats why they dont allow the big boy rifles for hunting.

You realize that, historically speaking, this isn't at all the reason that Indiana has been a "shotgun slug" only state up until the last few years...right?

It had nothing at all to do with hunter safety.

-J-

 

[netsecurity]

You realize that, historically speaking, this isn't at all the reason that Indiana has been a "shotgun slug" only state up until the last few years...right?

It had nothing at all to do with hunter safety.

-J-

Please enlighten us, what's with the teaser post?

 

[Hookeye]

I've owned a dozen big game (7mm or larger) rifles.
Nice stuff.
Never went out of state to use any of them.

IIRC PA doesn't allow semi auto's for deer hunting. And up to a few yrs ago their idea of a muzzleloader was a flintlock.
Probably not the best model for comparisons.

We can hunt with "regular" rifle cartridges in Indiana, just not deer hunt.
I've taken groundhogs with 250 grain bullets in a .35 Whelen. But I had a backstop
I usually use a .243 though

Deer this yr was with a .35 Rem, shortened.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Please enlighten us, what's with the teaser post?

Shotgun only was instituted WAY back when in order to help control the population...because slugs were EXPENSIVE and hard to come by. The government wanted to restore the deer herds in the state after they'd become almost wiped out during the depression and shortly thereafter.

If you really think it's for hunter safety...or the safety of others, why is it 100% perfectly legal to use a .50BMG to squirrel hunt?

-J-

 

[Fordtough25]

Shotgun only was instituted WAY back when in order to help control the population...because slugs were EXPENSIVE and hard to come by. The government wanted to restore the deer herds in the state after they'd become almost wiped out during the depression and shortly thereafter.

If you really think it's for hunter safety...or the safety of others, why is it 100% perfectly legal to use a .50BMG to squirrel hunt?

-J-

Thanks for the info and I agree, using a .308 for squirrel hunting and not deer always amazed me.

 

[po7g]

I think its funny you can use a .50 AE caliber round to kill a dear but I cant use any common rifle calibers

 

[savage308]

Shotgun only was instituted WAY back when in order to help control the population...because slugs were EXPENSIVE and hard to come by. The government wanted to restore the deer herds in the state after they'd become almost wiped out during the depression and shortly thereafter.

If you really think it's for hunter safety...or the safety of others, why is it 100% perfectly legal to use a .50BMG to squirrel hunt?

-J-

I never knew that. I was always under the assumption it was a safety issue. Thanks, learn something new everyday.