Deer Hunting Reg Changes - Lunch with IN State Representative

[RealTree]

I have the opportunity to have a 1 on 1 lunch with a state representative this month and plan to bring up the topic of deer hunting caliber regulations. This topic has been discussed many times on INGO (i.e. https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...tory_of_deer_hunting_firearms_in_indiana.html)

I am looking for suggestions on how you would approach the topic and main points I should get across. I have informed the rep that this is the point of conversation.

I have hunted for years in Kentucky with a rifle, but as an IN resident have to pay a pretty penny for a non-resident license.

I would love to be able to hunt close to home with a servicable rifle and want to try and do my part to help the laws change soon.

Thank you!

 

[digitalmonster]

I hope it is Mike Crider

 

[wtfd661]

I am not a hunter but I would probably approach it from the point of how many other states allow hunting deer with a rifle caliber and that they are having no issues with it. Not sure where you can go to research that to get your facts and figures.

 

[bigcraig]

Kirk Freeman has posted, in the past, an excellent article/document on the subject of the falsehood of the added safety of shotgun slug hunting and centerfire rifle hunting.

Hit him up via PM.

 

[digitalmonster]

I would also make sure they are in the committee for DNR or the likes.

I hope they are aware of your intentions and not blindsided.

 

[jbell_64]

I'd go with the "It would interest more hunters which means more licenses and tags purchased which means more $$$ for the state."

 

[ctbreitwieser]

Is it wrong of me to hope they dont allow rifle hunting since I bought a .358 Hoosier chamber reamer and die set and was hoping to make a little money building barrels and guns for friends?

 

[downzero]

Is it wrong of me to hope they dont allow rifle hunting since I bought a .358 Hoosier chamber reamer and die set and was hoping to make a little money building barrels and guns for friends?

Nope, crony capitalism is the new competition.

 

[Archer46176]

I habe been hunting here in Indiana since I was 7-8 and have been deer hunting since I was 10. So for 26 years I have used either a 12 gauges shotgun or a .45-.50 caliber muzzleloading rifle as well as compound and trwditional archery equipment. I have NEVER felt the need to hunt deer with a rifle and I truly dont see the need for it in our State. I know some states with populations as high and possibly higher allow rifle seasons for deer and hen there are the western states that allow hunting forblarge game with heavy rifles. I just dont see the need for it as it will do NOTHING to further the sport in our State. I highly doubt the angle of more licenses being sold will be a valid point. You could be met with opposition saying hat would allow someone to buy a high powered rifle and license then go hunting the next day without proper instruction. Then you would have to combat that with the fact that more hunters are taking hunter safety classes now than.ever before and that the State requires hunter safety for hunters born after a certain year or those hunting on public lands during special draw hunts.
What is the big draw of hunting with a centerfire rifle.caliber anyway? So you can shoot a deer at 300-400 yards in a State where the terrain largely dictates your distance. The terrain also dictates the wind direction A LOT. So the distance doesnt play greatly into being able to play the wind so you are successful. It seems to me anyome wanting to use a rifle just wants to be able to say how far away the deer was when he or she shot it.
If you take the time to respect the game and LEARN to hunt you can get plenty close enough to take a deer with the pistol caliner rifles or a shotgun ask all of us archers or even some guys that bow and gun hunt. It doesnt take a mind reader to see the underlying motives here.

 

[LarryC]

I habe been hunting here in Indiana since I was 7-8 and have been deer hunting since I was 10. So for 26 years I have used either a 12 gauges shotgun or a .45-.50 caliber muzzleloading rifle as well as compound and trwditional archery equipment. I have NEVER felt the need to hunt deer with a rifle and I truly dont see the need for it in our State. I know some states with populations as high and possibly higher allow rifle seasons for deer and hen there are the western states that allow hunting forblarge game with heavy rifles. I just dont see the need for it as it will do NOTHING to further the sport in our State. I highly doubt the angle of more licenses being sold will be a valid point. You could be met with opposition saying hat would allow someone to buy a high powered rifle and license then go hunting the next day without proper instruction. Then you would have to combat that with the fact that more hunters are taking hunter safety classes now than.ever before and that the State requires hunter safety for hunters born after a certain year or those hunting on public lands during special draw hunts.
What is the big draw of hunting with a centerfire rifle.caliber anyway? So you can shoot a deer at 300-400 yards in a State where the terrain largely dictates your distance. The terrain also dictates the wind direction A LOT. So the distance doesnt play greatly into being able to play the wind so you are successful. It seems to me anyome wanting to use a rifle just wants to be able to say how far away the deer was when he or she shot it.
If you take the time to respect the game and LEARN to hunt you can get plenty close enough to take a deer with the pistol caliner rifles or a shotgun ask all of us archers or even some guys that bow and gun hunt. It doesnt take a mind reader to see the underlying motives here.

I have to disagree, honestly I don't hunt any more but have son's and friends that do. 30 year ago, I disdained scopes on muzzle loaders and military type rifles and could shoot within an Moa of the rifles capability. Today my eyes and a little more shake in my muscles etc. no longer allow me that capability. But I can shoot pretty well with a scoped rifle. I never hunted trophy - only meat. I have a very close friend that is disabled, has diabetes and missed a good deer this year with his muzzle loader at a little over 100 yards. I doubt he would have missed with a 30/30. The second issue is that I never took a shot at game I didn't feel was within my ability to kill - not wound. A rifle with proper ammo is much less likely to wound an animal - given the same distance and skill level.

 

[threedhuntr]

Kirk Freeman has posted, in the past, an excellent article/document on the subject of the falsehood of the added safety of shotgun slug hunting and centerfire rifle hunting.

Hit him up via PM.

^^^^^^ I second this. I have read numerous test results on centerfire cartridges being just as safe if not safer than shotgun slugs as far as in terms of ricochet concernes. The ricochet concern is the reason I hear given for not going to more conventional centefire rounds.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

The Pennsylvania study which destroyed the inane notion that shotgun slugs are somehow "safer":

www.[B]americanhunter[/B].org/blogs/shotguns-safer-than-rifles/

 

[sharkey]

I habe been hunting here in Indiana since I was 7-8 and have been deer hunting since I was 10. So for 26 years I have used either a 12 gauges shotgun or a .45-.50 caliber muzzleloading rifle as well as compound and trwditional archery equipment. I have NEVER felt the need to hunt deer with a rifle and I truly dont see the need for it in our State. I know some states with populations as high and possibly higher allow rifle seasons for deer and hen there are the western states that allow hunting forblarge game with heavy rifles. I just dont see the need for it as it will do NOTHING to further the sport in our State. I highly doubt the angle of more licenses being sold will be a valid point. You could be met with opposition saying hat would allow someone to buy a high powered rifle and license then go hunting the next day without proper instruction. Then you would have to combat that with the fact that more hunters are taking hunter safety classes now than.ever before and that the State requires hunter safety for hunters born after a certain year or those hunting on public lands during special draw hunts.
What is the big draw of hunting with a centerfire rifle.caliber anyway? So you can shoot a deer at 300-400 yards in a State where the terrain largely dictates your distance. The terrain also dictates the wind direction A LOT. So the distance doesnt play greatly into being able to play the wind so you are successful. It seems to me anyome wanting to use a rifle just wants to be able to say how far away the deer was when he or she shot it.
If you take the time to respect the game and LEARN to hunt you can get plenty close enough to take a deer with the pistol caliner rifles or a shotgun ask all of us archers or even some guys that bow and gun hunt. It doesnt take a mind reader to see the underlying motives here.

How about I honor YOUR CHOICE to NOT HUNT WITH a rifle, and you honor MY CHOICE to HUNT WITH a rifle? Sounds like a win-win.

 

[AtlasDM]

I would point out that other states don't have problems with hunters using rifles. Hunter safety classes are already in use and the outdoorsman culture is being built on the idea of safety first from the ground up with new generations of hunters. Opening up the season to rifle calibers would increase permit/tag sales because more people would be interested in hunting if they could use rifles they already own; not everyone wants to hunt with a bow or a muzzleloader and expanding options for hunters will draw more people in. Also, allowing the use of rifle calibers will increase the number of firearm/ammo sales in the state and help out more than a few small business owners that sell guns and ammo.

I think the detractors that say there is no need to use rifles need to understand that not everyone is the same as they are. They should realize that times change. Just because you're older and you've been doing it a certain way for decades doesn't mean that other people shouldn't be able to enjoy the outdoors in a way that they prefer. There's no need to get butt hurt over what other people do if it doesn't have any effect on you. People that want to continue using PCRs can go ahead and do that, and no one in the rifle caliber crowd is going to detract from them.

I say let the people have the increased freedom to enjoy hunting in different calibers. There's no good reason not to.