Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Indiana and high power rifles

Indiana DNR is having a meeting this evening about regulations changes. One of the proposed changes is to allow rifles for deer hunting. The minimum bullet diameter will be .243 and the minimum case length 1.16. I personally have no problems with this. I have always wanted to use one of my 300 Savages. What are some other Hoosier hunters thoughts ?

I don't think they will do it, however I'm for it !

Ohio legalized rifle hunting,but only with straight walled shells.I would rather hunt with slugs.

You've obviously never fired a .45-90 or .45-110 from a High Wall or a Sharps.

I've never fired one ,but I know the reputation of such guns,but very,very few have them,Most people will be using shells more suited for pistols.

What other people do doesn't change what you stated as a preference.

A .357Maximum will give you very good ballistics in a single-shot. The .38-55 and .375 Winchesters are no slouch.

I don't live in Ohio,I live in West Virginia,right across the river from Meigs Co Ohio,and I'm just saying that I personally don't see any advantage of their new law for the vast majority of the hunters.

The ones who have any sense at all, and in OH that might be very few, will figure it out quickly. The rest? Well, that's there problem.

The primitive weapon rules changed here several years ago to include break open single shot rifles of certain calibers instead of actual muzzle loaders. Hunters figured out quickly that Handi rifles in 45-70 and 444 were legal and sales of those rifles soared.

The regs changed again a few years later making 35 caliber cartridges in the same rifles legal. At that point Handi's in 35 Whelen became the hot sellers.

I bet the hunters will quickly adjust and start purchasing rifles that meet the new regs.

I hope it passes! I'm skeptical, but lots of data out there showing rifles are no less safe than sluggers. I'm wondering if this will be statewide or if some of the counties (like Marion) will stay shotgun only. Either way I'm for it. I have a nice/good slug gun, but the slugs are too expensive and kick too much for shooting deer.

When I lived in Indiana it was explained to me that the reasoning for the no-centerfire rule was because of #1. Tradition and #2. ranges hunted.
I think they made the initial change to include pistol cartridges in a rifle to try and increase the numbers of hunters. As was stated earlier, hunters figured out pretty quickly that the H&R's and the like, fit the bill perfectly.
Going to bottle necked cartridges of whatever dimensions should help increase gun sales in the state as well as possibly bringing in a few more hunters into the folds.

All-in-all I think that it would be an item of mixed blessings. The positive would be more hunters taking more deer. The negative would be the pressure those additional hunters would put on the price of leasing the hunting rights on property around the state.

They will be far more accurate than most slug guns, and just as deadly at similar ranges, with much less recoil

Also nothing will prevent you from using slugs if you prefer to handicap yourself

Ever hear Foster slugs bouncing down thru the timber after someone misses a deer? Just about anything else is safer to the hunting public.....

According to the info I have found: Indiana was limited to shotguns and muzzleloaders starting in the early 50's when they had the first recognized deer season. The shotgun and muzzleloader were used because of their short range capabilities. The DNR was trying to grow the herd and was trying to limit the hunters advantage.

They better not change the law. I just had a 358 Hoosier built for this fall!!!

Well from what I have heard it passed. A friend of mine just had one built also.

Lots of folks like you are gonna be a bit peeved I'm guessing. Glad I was too broke to build one.

Now I'm thinking my boys might need a 6X204 Ruger instead of the 357 I have...

In NY wer were always allowed to use rifles for deer in the north and in the Catskill region. Now they've opened up almost the whole state to rifles.

The wife and I just moved from our hometown on the northern border to the south shore of Lake Ontario where it previously was shotguns only. I'm amazed at how nervous some of the guys who hunt deer around here are about it. They're all concerned about how far a rifle bullet will travel. When I ask them how many deer they've shot at in the tree tops a little light seems to come on. Now, wait'll they find out I use a .223.

What was the reason for no rifles in the first place?

It'll be alright. It's still a cool round. And the new rule probably won't be in effect until next fall...