Should Indiana deer hunters be allowed to use high-powered rifles.

[avboiler11]

Same with Western Kentucky - topography very similar to the northern 3/5 of Indiana and yet, despite people being legally allowed to use 50BMG for whitetail, none of the awful-terrible-so bad hyoptheticals posed on INGO, the IndyStar comments section, or to DNR actually take place.

 

[Willie]

This could be true but if they are I DON'T believe they are taking them to the local locker plant for possessing and if the law passes it will make it much easier for them to road hunt and do such a thing without getting caught ???? That's all Im saying....

I'd say most, if not all, road "hunters" want to shoot deer close to the road for easy dragging. A longer range poaching tool wont help that.

 

[phylodog]

I don't particularly want to see it passed but I'll admit that is 100% for selfish reasons which isn't right. I don't want more hunters than we have now. I don't want the increased competition, I don't want an increase in non resident hunters coming here and I certainly don't want to see every last acre of private property in this state leased out to those with deeper pockets than the average person.

I know it's selfish but that's the way I feel. I did not express opposition to it to the DNR for that reason but that's how I feel about it. I'm confident it's going to pass and I don't plan to complain about it. I have no interest in shooting deer with a gun and this won't change that so it really has no direct effect on me.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I don't particularly want to see it passed but I'll admit that is 100% for selfish reasons which isn't right. I don't want more hunters than we have now. I don't want the increased competition, I don't want an increase in non resident hunters coming here and I certainly don't want to see every last acre of private property in this state leased out to those with deeper pockets than the average person.

I know it's selfish but that's the way I feel. I did not express opposition to it to the DNR for that reason but that's how I feel about it. I'm confident it's going to pass and I don't plan to complain about it. I have no interest in shooting deer with a gun and this won't change that so it really has no direct effect on me.

What makes you so sure this will increase deer hunter numbers? My gut feeking is the numbers won't change much. I would bet you'll have people putting away the slug guns and pulling out their 308's (or whatever) but I'm having a hard time seeing that many more people hitting the woods because they can finally use their AK's.

 

[phylodog]

I'm having a hard time seeing that many more people hitting the woods because they can finally use their AK's.

I'm not convinced of that. You could very well be correct, time will tell.

 

[pathfinder317]

I say YES ! because you can already use high power to hunt yotes, and you can use some high power in pistols like the contender , so I don't see any real issues.

 

[indiucky]

Next year will be a good time to buy .44 magnum lever rifles......

 

[Lost Californian]

what is a "high-powered rifle"?

I think we should be limited to air guns. They worked fine for Lewis and Clark for on their little excursion thru the area, don't see why anybody would need anything more powerful nowadays. YMMV.

 

[Leadeye]

I would imagine that this legal cartridge legislation will be done incrementally. It maximizes the amount of money retailers will make from those folks wanting to replace what they have with the latest and greatest. Really won't change my hunting, I can't see that far in the woods.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I'm not convinced of that. You could very well be correct, time will tell.

Oh...OK. In the back of my mind, I thought maybe there was some study or research you might have been referencing. I do agree with you that it does seem to get harder for people to find places to hunt as time goes by.

 

[Hookeye]

I don't deer hunt anymore so I'm wondering...what percentage of deer hunters hunt from deer stands? Seems like most all of the people I know do. I'm sure even those that do will take a deer on foot if it presents itself but it seems like most do a majority of their hunting from a stand of some sort. If my impression is correct, wouldn't that mean most shots taken will have a downward trajectory, no matter what type of weapon/caliber/chamebering is used?

Regardless, when I was living in Tennessee we could hunt with anything larger than a 243 (I believe) and there was no blood in the streets, no carnage, no mowing down of the deer population. Now, they can use any center-fired weapon to take deer--still no meyhem. And yes, in western Tennessee, there are some very flat, open, expansive fields.

I take half of my gun kills from the ground.
A good hunter can use a variety of tactics.

Bowhunting, almost all of my deer from a stand............doesn't mean I don't try to kill some from the ground

 

[Willie]

I would imagine that this legal cartridge legislation will be done incrementally. It maximizes the amount of money retailers will make from those folks wanting to replace what they have with the latest and greatest. Really won't change my hunting, I can't see that far in the woods.

"incrementally"?

I think they have already done that. First handguns which could be any number of hand cannon cartridges. Then PCRs which got changed from REAL pistol cartridges to a set diameter and length- which opened it up to some pretty potent wildcats and off the shelf calibers.

Now - full monty

It has done been done. I said years ago that the DNR was piece mealing in all centerfires.

 

[dusty88]

I say "yes" but my answer is almost always "yes" when the sentence starts with something like "should we be allowed" as the government is not my mama. But that's a story for another day.

I don't think most locations in Indiana benefit from a high-power rifle. I think we may increase the chance for accidents, including those that follow ricochets. But if that's what people want to use, then I hope the individual hunters use good judgment.

 

[buckstopshere]

This could be true but if they are I DON'T believe they are taking them to the local locker plant for possessing and if the law passes it will make it much easier for them to road hunt and do such a thing without getting caught ???? That's all Im saying....

That's a legit point.

 

[bwframe]

If they don't like the results of allowing HP rifles, they can always change back, right?
Just like they gave us back our second buck of the season, right?
Just like they did after the last few tag price increases, right?

 

[Kdf101]

I vote yes. The extra range is insignificant to me, my slug gun can already shoot as far as I can see where I hunt. The much cheaper cartridges for rifles versus the 3 plus dollars per slug is significant to me. It means I get almost 10 times more practice in for the same amount of money, especially since I reload for rifle already.

 

[Hookeye]

Once one learns a rig, how much practice do they need (especially when shooting closer than 200 yards)?
If one does want to get used to a new rig........lets say shotgun..............they could use the cheaper ammo to learn the trigger, recoil and other.
Then just switch to the premium stuff for final zero and hunt.

I used to run WW HI Supremes. If testing a new rig or changing a scope, I ran the cheaper and easier to find reg WW BRI style.

So..............not gettin' the practice being that much cheaper. Two trips to the deer woods in my truck burns $60 in fuel. Ammo aint cheap, but when factored into the rest of what is spent on deer hunting, I think it pretty insignificant.

 

[Dargasonus]

I would vote no.

 

[jstiz]

I can't decide! Where I hunt my longest possible shot would be 100 yards, and I feel confident in my 12 gauge and 44mag at that range.

Now if they allowed me to take my 243 out in the woods I probably would. I just worry of the inexperienced hunter seeing a trophy and not even thinking of the backdrop.

I'm stupid when it comes to calibers they would allow, would a 7.62x39 be legal?

 

[Jagunn]

I vote no as well..Not sure if anyone has been on state land during opening day of shotgun, but it sounds like WWIII going off out there. Dont think i want to be out in the woods with 1000 other hunters carrying a high powered rifle.