The .44 Magnum is well suited to most Indiana deer hunting situations. Allowing more powerful centerfire calibers I feel will lead to hunters attempting shots beyond their marksmanship capabilities. The greater range of high powered cartridges I feel also carries with it potential danger.
Never said guns were too dangerous, rather what irresponsible people do with them that's the dangerous part. I also do not buy into the reasoning that just because you can't have something will lead to losing firearm and hunting rights. We seem to go through this paranoia every election and every Newtown/Aurora incident. The PETA and Brady followers will never get thier way, certain factors in the firearm community vastly overinflate this issue. It has been going on since the RFK assination and the creation of the 4473. I stand behind my assertion that the legalization of the .44 Magnum for deer hunting in Indiana was a good thing, larger centerfire calibers is NOT.
They're probably the girlymen who insist on hunting deer with varmint rifles, .223,.243 etc..
I disagree, I just don't think either of those cartridges are adequate for the task. I don't care how much success shooters of those cartridges have had harvesting deer. You wouldn't select either of them for hunting grizzly bears or cape buffalo would you? Nor would you choose a deer cartridge like .270 or .30-06, you'd select something adequate for the task, .375 Magnum or similar. Why then the insistance on using a varmint rifle on deer? In the case of youth, ladies and the recoil sensitive there are reduced recoil loads available for .30-30,.270, .30-06 and other deer cartridges, also reduced power handloads. Nothing about that is detrimental to guns and hunting, your statement is simply not valid in my opinion.
Gunswiz:
I'm going let this rest after this post since you seem fairly set in your belief that the 44 Mag is the "Goldilocks" cartridge for Indiana deer hunting and that any other cartridge is too much of something.
I am just not following your logic as to why other cartridges are wrong for deer hunting in Indiana. My understanding was that you were initially stating hunters would use cartridges that are overpowered for deer and have too much range. Now you seem to be suggesting that hunters will use cartridges that are too underpowered for deer but suggest using a 270 or 30-06. Aren't those examples of cartridges that you initial said were too powerful? Even reduced recoil loads are typically producing 2500 to 2800 fps at the muzzle. This seems to be contradictory to your intial argument.
Please, go to the Indiana DNR and give your opinion.
I hope the rule proposal passes so that I can use what ever rifle I like next year and you can too.
Sincerely,
Scott
