Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Indiana Boys - What rifle will you use in 2015?

The study’s conclusions are based on ballistics analysis of shots fired by deer rifles, shotguns and muzzleloaders. Ballistics data were calculated for Mountaintop by the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Here’s how the study went. ”Technology has changed for the shotgun and muzzleloader, and the difference between them and a [deer] rifle is decreasing from what it was years ago,” Mountaintop consultant Todd Bacastow said. The study examined ballistics data on three popular deer-hunting guns: a .30-06 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .50-caliber muzzleloader. The rifle had the greatest maximum range at 2.64 miles, followed by the shotgun at 1.97 miles and the muzzleloader, which generally uses heavier and slower bullets, at 1.74 miles. However, Bacastow noted that to achieve maximum range, shots must be fired at a 35-degree angle, which is highly unlikely in a hunting situation. He noted that a bullet fired at a 35-degree angle toward a deer 100 yards away would fly 210 feet above the animal’s back. Most shots fired by hunters are relatively flat, and even a slight aiming error usually results in a shot less than 5 degrees above the horizon. When shots are fired at an elevation of 5 degrees, the total distances traveled, including ricochets, are 1.66 miles for a rifle bullet and 1.3 miles for a shotgun slug. When shots are fired holding the guns level 3 feet off the ground, the shotgun slug will travel 0.99 of a mile, 16 percent farther than the rifle bullet will travel under the same circumstances. The reason, Bacastow said, is that slugs tend to hold together better and lose less energy during ricochets than rifle bullets. Therefore, slugs often can travel farther than rifle bullets in common hunting scenarios - See more at: http://www.skinnymoose.com/bbb/2007...s-for-deer-hunting/#sthash.MdFmLhJI.dpuf

From Today's Outdoor Hub:

Some Indiana hunters looking forward to using their rifles in the upcoming deer season may have run up against a wall. In a recently released memo, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stated that it does not recommend approving a proposal that would allow hunters to use larger-caliber centerfire rifles, citing a lack of support among hunters and heavy opposition to the rule change. The decision ultimately rests in the hands of the state’s Natural Resources Commission, but according to the Indianapolis Star, those who have followed the controversial proposal say the 12-member board is likely to follow the DNR’s recommendation.

Indiana currently allows only muzzleloaders, shotguns, and a limited range of rifle calibers to be used to hunt deer. State regulations specifically prohibit the use of any centerfire rifle caliber bigger than .243. Large-caliber rifles are legal for harvesting small game like coyotes and groundhogs, but have long been prohibited during deer season due to worries that it could lead to over-harvest and threaten public safety.

Despite these concerns, the DNR had already previously determined that the use of centerfire rifles should not reduce the size of the deer herd, and a survey of the many states that allow similar rifles also showed that safety is not generally a concern. Instead, the agency said that the debate over the use of centerfire rifles is a social issue.

“The Division of Fish and Wildlife surmised from all of the comments that while many people are interested in using these center-fire [sic] rifles, we found out that many people are not interested and strongly oppose their use,” the DNR wrote.

Officials say that the issue has caused a rift among hunters. Some sportsmen believe that due to the flat topography of central and northern Indiana, larger-caliber centerfire rifles do pose a safety hazard. In addition, they argued that the use of centerfire rifles may further restrict hunter access, especially in towns sensitive about gun safety. On the other hand, supporters of the proposal say that these kinds of rifles are already used in many other states for hunting deer, can be more ethical due to their greater power, and are easier for new hunters to use.

The slug may travel further for its maximum range compared to a rifle bullet in its maximum range.
max travel est. 300yds vs 3 mile range
over travel: 24yds vs 422yds
72ft vs 1266ft

So I still don't understand peoples logic on this. If the landowner of the property that you hunt on doesn't want high power rifles used on his property you can still use your shotgun or muzzleloader. They aren't outlawing shotguns so that argument doesn't even make sense.

They have one advantage: They own the property.

If they tell me I can only use a rock, a rock is what I will use.

They may be old school and do not like change. I can live with that. I think that if HPs were used the number of hunters would not increase, only the type of weapon that the hunters use would change.

Every deer within HP rifle range would be ducking for cover. Even the deer you see driving around would be headed deep in the woods because of "road hunters".

I use a rifle now but in a pistol cartridge, and I use a muzzleloader in that season. I may be old school because I still use a patched round ball, and my rifle still has an ear. I have tried the sabots but the round ball shoots best in my rifle.

If allowed I would use my HP too. The argument goes on and may change sometime in the future but you got to to go with the flow. I didn't like it when speed limit dropped to 55 but I adapted.
God I'm old I can remember stuff like that. What some of you read about in history books I lived thru.
Well better get back to the grind stone (got to sharpen GWs axe).

Remember what Pogo said. Red 53, I heard the same arguments (blood in the woods from all the dead hunters) (all the deer shot off)and rhetoric in Wisconsin during our conservation congress sessions and absolutely none of it came to be. Since passage of rifles for the whole state I have never heard one of the naysayers even remotely discuss that they were WRONG.

*The result has been the safest seasons (13 and 14) along with 4 others in the last 100 years.

*Young hunters have become good marksman and don't have to deal with the excessive recoil from a shotgun so they are now practicing more.

*Far less shooting in the areas that were once just shotgun.

*Way less confusion for hunters that hunted in the shotgun/rifle border areas. And easier more uniform enforcement for the conservation officers.

This was a big win for Wisconsin hunters!!!!

They have one advantage: They own the property.


The state could pass the law allowing any type firearm and it still comes down to the property owner allowing it on his property.
I would hate to make several farmers mad and lose all rights to hunt on their property.

My granddad always told me "don't piss where you hunt". Words to keep you out of trouble in life.

Looks like the new proposal didn't get passed.

The Natural Resources Commission voted against a proposal that would have allowed hunters to use high powered rifles currently prohibited under Indiana law.

Yep, guess I'll just use my 35 caliber wildcat center fire rifle instead of a "high powered" .243....

It's a farking joke. The farmers I know just want the deer dead. They don't care what I use...

Very disappointing.

That is too bad. I was hoping a few safe seasons there would pave the way to a similar proposal in Ohio.

Raw deal for sure.

I will keep hunting with my legal center fire rile under the old rules. Not going back to slugs.

Maybe I will get a TC in 7mm-08 and sling some 120 grain NP's out of a 15 inch barrel too since hand cannons are still legal. Should be able to get 2600 FPS out of that set up. My hands aren't that shaky yet so it should be safe...

All this shows is that bow hunters and those who are afraid of change have too much pull with DNR. Well, it also shows the DNR bureaucrats also don't understand the current laws and the absurdity of regulations that would allow me to shot a "high powered center fire" cartridge out of a pistol but not a rifle. A big step backwards.

bummer.

I can hunt groundhogs and coyotes with my .243 or my 30-40 Krag, shooting in open country but not in the woods and that's safe. Puzzles me.

They admitted in at least one press release that I read that it was entirely a social issue and weren't prepared to push it. Squeaky (bow) wheels got the grease on this one...

If I had the money, I'd build a 7 mag pistol of some flavor and shoot deer with 162gr Amax's in protest.

Oh Well look's like I will just keep shooting Deer with my nula MZ...

These post are good for lots of yakking!!

that's disappointing to hear