No rifle hunting, Slug gun vs. Rifle.

[Arkel23]

I know there are many states that don't allow rifle hunting, but do allow Slug guns. If I go out and get a rifled barrel and a scope like most people do in these states, It's just like hunting with a rifle, so whats the point in having no rifle hunting in these states?

 

[bad_aim_billy]

Perhaps ballistics has something to do with it, who knows...

 

[MCgunner]

The poor, misled game management agencies in those states think slugs won't carry as far, so they're "safer". Perhaps, but people hunt near towns all over Texas and I don't hear about people dying in the streets from falling bullets. It's just a bogus control over hunters, way I figure it. If I lived and hunted in such a state, most of 'em allow BP rifles, too. I'd just use it as an excuse to rely on my Hawken.

 

[Arkel23]

I think people still use rifles in those states, and I can't really blame them.

 

[61chalk]

Here in Indiana I've always been told its because rifles bullets will carry farther...
then several yrs ago you can hunt with handguns that have some big calibers....doesn't figure does it...?.... now they say its because its more sporting..could be true...years ago
heard a guy shoot his shotgun 6 times at a buck, an missed....asked him where he saw it
an he pointed to a spot across a field to a thicket...it was about 300 yds away. Ya there's nut cases out there.

 

[Nicodemus38]

they assume the person will be using the same ammo that uncle fred used in 1940, buckshot or rifled lead slugs. They dont consider that people will be using saboted slugs with a 200 yard zero.
Most shotgun zones allow for muzzle loading weapons, rifle OR shotgun. and everyone knows that even the simplistic 3 band enfield or whitworth rifle of civil war production will still have the ability to harvest 200 pound animals at 500 yars.

 

[leadaddict]

people will be using saboted slugs with a 200 yard zero.

Yep, that's me! It doesn't make a lot of sense. I agree that it is outdated thinking that has kept us with this law in Illinois. It doesn't help that the firearms seasons are so short, which guarantees that everyone is out on the same days. Just let us use our rifles!!!

The only part of the law I do appreciate is the magazine restriction for deer hunting. The way some people spray lead at running animals even with the restriction and shotgun makes me glad they're not carrying an SKS loaded with 30 rounds. I hate that there has to be such laws in place. Common sense and courtesy should be enough.

 

[Arkel23]

61, 300 yards at a deer 6x with a shotgun, that is insane. Gregaw, I bet you would like to be using a .270-.300 right about now, but you really don't need to cause you're shooting a bigger "bullet".

 

[schlockinz]

I used to hunt a place in NY that was shotgun, and IMHO it should have been a bow only area (I was nervous about hunting some places with a bow due to houses). This was a place with houses less then 100yds apart, usually on the order or 30yds, with farms in between, and houses on the roads.

Other than areas like that, I don't get it, maybe put a restriction on muzzle velocity/ballistics? I think that in a shotgun area, you should be able to use a 45/70 or so loaded to blackpowder pressures.

 

[Arkel23]

Other than areas like that, I don't get it, maybe put a restriction on muzzle velocity/ballistics? I think that in a shotgun area, you should be able to use a 45/70 or so loaded to blackpowder pressures.

That's a good point, I mean do they let people shoot rifles at outdoor ranges in these states? I just assume, but with a rule like that you never know.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, it could be worse. There's a WMA near me that has 2 months of hog hunting in the spring. But, catch is, buckshot only. I e-med Parks and Wildlife about perhaps using Dixie Tri-ball. They said, nope, that's not buckshot. So, I got some 10 gauge 3.5" 00. the good thing, at least hogs are usually close shots in brush. Tell ya what, though, I cripple one, I ain't goin' after it. It can die a long, slow death, better him than me. I ain't trackin' a wounded hog in heavy cover with a long gun that I don't have room to maneuver. Can't carry handguns there. Hey, it's their rules and I have to follow 'em.

 

[Deadbolt]

I think people still use rifles in those states, and I can't really blame them.

handguns can be good fun.

 

[Arkel23]

I would feel better using a slug on a hog, I don't think I would hunt on that particular WMA, too much of a risk in just making a mad hog. Deadbolt, i have a friend that's using a 9mm this year because he had shoulder surgery, and he can't shoot his .300 Rem Ultra Mag right now, but I think he sighted his 30-30 in left handed, he hated using his handgun, I've never tried it.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Here in the People's Republic of Maryland, the prohibition in most of the state is against rifle hunting of large game, as .22 hunting of the small game is acceptable. It's more of a sop to the anti-hunters, to keep all firearms hunting from being banned. Still there are "no shoot" zones were even bows and air guns are verboten. AND it is silly, for BP is allowed, so you can't shoot a .45-70, or or a .444, or a .357 or .44 mag, BUT you can shoot a 450 grain slug from a muzzleloader rifle with a powder charge of 120 grains of Black Powder...., and shoot shotguns galore as well.

LD

 

[MCgunner]

I would feel better using a slug on a hog, I don't think I would hunt on that particular WMA, too much of a risk in just making a mad hog. Deadbolt, i have a friend that's using a 9mm this year because he had shoulder surgery, and he can't shoot his .300 Rem Ultra Mag right now, but I think he sighted his 30-30 in left handed, he hated using his handgun, I've never tried it.

Hmmm, well, my favorite hunting handgun IS a .30-30.

 

[Arkel23]

Lolz.

 

[scythefwd]

The poor, misled game management agencies in those states think slugs won't carry as far, so they're "safer".

A shotgun slug won't carry as far. A .30-06 has a kill distance of about 1k meters. You'd have to have that shotgun pointed at a 45 degree angle just to get the slug there I do use a shotgun here in VA in my county... well did till I got my BP rifle. Slugs may have massive amounts of energy, but the drop on the bullet is insane.

In IN, do they allow BP rifles during shotgun season? I think they do in IL, but it has been 15 years since I hunted there and that was bow only.

200y Zero on a rifled shotgun? I have got to see those targets. Not that I don't believe you, but I couldn't do it. Shoot, I pattern at 100y, still kill zone, but it ain't a group by any imagination.

 

[Offfhand]

It's the same with today's muzzle loading only hunts, with hunters in the field with scope sighted in-line muzzle loaders.

 

[Arkel23]

Offfhand, that's true, If I'm shooting a muzzle loader, why can't I shoot a rifle?

 

[Speedo66]

I can only assume it's shotgun only to keep the projectile distances down.

However, every time you change the weapon, the number of hunters also goes down.

Shotgun, less, muzzle loader, less still, bow, even less.

Good way to cut down on hunting if that's your objective.

 

[FRJ]

Back when I lived in the midwest the slug was the only thing allowed for deer in areas with high human density. Some areas of Wisconsin and all of Illinois were slug only and with good reason. A rifle bullet will travel MUCH farther than any shotgun slug thus a greater chance of harming or even killing an inocent bystander. Want to see your hunting privledges go away? Start shooting inocent citizens. The slug is a good compromise and allows you to hunt in areas that a rifle simply wouldn't be allowed. FRJ

 

[Matt-J2]

The area where I'll hopefully be deer hunting next year is a Shotgun/Handgun/Muzzleloader only are. Course, if I want to hunt whitetail with, say, a .223, I can do so there, since I have a .223 handgun. Even has a 15" barrel on it.
That's the part that I never quite understood.

 

[Clipper]

The southern half of lower Michigan is slugs/BP/handgun only, and I don't hunt birds anymore, so am going to cut my 12ga model 12's 30" mod barrel to 20" and install rifle sights for deer. Gonna make a world of difference in the blind when I have to line up the shot. Gets kinda cramped...

 

[Remedyman]

Indiana does allow rifles in handgun caliber. I was going to use mt 45/.410 with 45+p rounds in it, but I didn't like the little dot at the end of the gun for accuracy. I will be getting a 500 S&W shooting rifle for next season. It is single shot, but I can cycle it pretty quickly. I would say almost as quickly as I can my bolt action 30-06.

What gets me is this, I can't use a rifle for hunting dear, but I can use it to hunt coyote. Including my 22-250 which has a much better range than the 30-06. I can hit a 2'x2' target at approximately 650 yards with the 22-250. And realistically, much smaller as I was dead on. So why can't I use my 30-06 for deer?

I will admit, I haven't compared the ballistics of a 30-06 to a BP gun. I will also admit that since you get a month with the BP but 2 weeks with a rifle, I might invest in a BP gun also.

FTR, I am in north central Indiana.

 

[CajunBass]

I suspect because the laws just haven't kept up with the technology. When those shotgun only laws were passed there were only shotguns and rifles. Shotguns only used buckshot and slugs (Forester). Shotguns had a shorter range therefore were seen as "safer" in higher populated areas.

Opening up the use of rifled shotgun, sabot slugs, muzzle loading rifles and such is actually a more liberal philosophy, not more restrictive. When I was a kid, in rural Virginia, it was SHOTGUNS only. There was no such thing as hunting with a muzzleloading rifle, and nobody, and I mean NOBODY bowhunted. The compound bow really changed that. Now a lot of people bowhunt. Nowbody really much hunted with a muzzle loading rifle. Then came the inline muzzle loader and now you can use a muzzle loading rifle and there is a special season for them. Same thing with a crossbow. Years ago if you'd been caught in the woods with a crossbow, buddy you were in deep do-do. Now they're leagal and have a season for them too.

These things just from my casual observation, have seemed to increase the number of hunters, not decrease them.

Will they ever get to use "high powered" rifles where I grew up? Probably not, the county is just too grown up, and the terrain is pretty flat, but it might happen.