Why do certain states not allow rifles?

[jeff-10]

I live in Florida where the distance hunting shots are taken is probably the shortest of any state but yet the vast majority of hunters use rifles. Why do some states, I believe Iowa, Deleware, Indiana and maybe a few others do not allow the use of rifles? Is it a safety reason?

 

[killzone]

himmmmmm


I really have noo idea, I;ll be looking forward for the out come of this thread....

 

[Cosmoline]

I ain't never been there, but I hear tell that an Alaskan rifle would shoot clean through Delaware.

 

[mete]

For the simple reason that rifles have longer range than shotguns.And of course shotgun slugs have greater range than buckshot.

 

[dakotasin]

probably has a lot to do w/ population density, and number of hunters in the field. a high population density, and a veritable orange army surrounding and in 5 or 10 square miles is a recipe for disaster the first time a hunter is sitting w/ his back to a tree, and a deer crosses in between he and a hunter walking an area... i don't think it has anything to do w/ the mean distance of a shot. it isn't that hard to get really close to a deer - just ask a bowhunter.

 

[shermacman]

Massachusetts has a huge number of deer per square mile. We also have a lot of people per square mile. A shot gun makes a whole lotta sense compared to a .300 magnum rifle.

 

[birddog]

Dakotaskin nailed it. Here in NY, in the relatively mountainous areas rifles are legal. In the flatter farmland areas, it is shotgun only.

 

[Oldnamvet]

In Michigan they divided the Lower Penisula. Bottom half - no rifles, top half and the UP rifles are OK. Bottom half mostly farmland without obstacles to stop a bullet from traveling several miles. Top half, lots of obstacles (trees). Even so, on state land, a lot of lead flies through the branches overhead on opening day . I always wonder if they are squirrel hunting with their rifles or they see deer a lot bigger than I ever have.

It is interesting that where you can see a long way and the extra range of a rifle would be useful, you can't use one. Get into the heavy woods where a long shot is 75 yards, and everyone has rifles - some with really BIG ones with up to 20 power scopes.

 

[jacobtowne]

As stated, it apppears to be population density and safety.
In Massachusetts, while deer are shotgun/archery/muzzleloader only, black bear are very different. Shotguns are prohibited for bear hunting - only revolvers .357 magnum ar larger, or centerfire rifles .243 or larger.
OF course, bear hunting is allowed only in the central and western part of the state.
JT

 

[El Tejon]

In Indiana, it's a combination of population density and alleged safety for the shotgun only rule.

Of course, I've always used rifle for deer here, centerfire and blackpowder. Typical government, make a rule, make a bunch of exceptions (where the power is).

 

[dfaugh]

What's dumb here in NY

Is that its shotgun (or muzzleloaders if you're so inclined) only...However, You can use a handgun in any caliber, including, for example a .308 ????????????? This year they are allowing rifles ins the "southern Tier" area (PA border), and they always have in the Adirondack (Upper state)..but still shotgun or pistol in my area....

AND I can use a rifle for most other types of game besides deer!

 

[smokemaker]

The handgun hunting laws in NY have never made any sense to me either. There's a guy last year who used a Savage Striker in .300 WSM, when the rest of us were using shotguns or muzzleloaders. Tell me he couldn't reach rifle ranges with that handgun.

 

[TrapperReady]

This thread got me interested, so I looked at Wisconsin stats for 2004 hunting accidents. For all of the two-party shootings (ie. one person shoots another), there was only one incident where the distance was more than 100 yards. The other 19 were under 100 yards, and the vast majority were under 50 yards.

Now, in 2005, there has been one case of someone shooting at a coyote with a .300 RUM and did the following:

Cause/Circumstance-Shooter observed coyote. Shot twice. 400 yards away was house partially behind trees. Second shot entered house through steel entry door, passed through chair spindle and struck victim seated in chair.

We also have the state split into areas which allow rifles and areas which are shotgun/handgun/muzzleloader only. Of course, rifle cartridges can be used in pistols chambered for them.

I don't think I'll let my wife see the 2005 stats until after I'm done turkey hunting this Fall.

Related Links:

2004 Wisconsin Hunting Incidents
2005 Wisconsin Hunting Incident Synopsis

 

[Sunray]

Logic doesn't apply when it comes to why one firearm or calibre is allowed and another isn't. No semi-auto's allowed in PA, for example.
Up here, in parts of the Province(mostly Southwestern Ontario), using any centerfire greater than .275 is illegal at any time for any hunting(range shooting doesn't count). The name of the cartridge is the determining factor, not the actual bullet diameter. So a .275 Weatherby is ok, but a .280 Remington is not. Speculation has it that it was enacted to prevent W.W. I vets from using surplus .303's for deer hunting. Mind you, having driven around the back roads a bit, there's a building of some type every 2-300 yards in every direction. Even a .22lr is dangerous.
There are 'shotguns only' areas and some 'archery/muzzleloader only' areas too. Usually close to heavily built up areas, but there's no logic to any of it.

 

[LHB1]

Quote: "So a .275 Weatherby is ok, but a .280 Remington is not. "

Sunray,
I don't believe Weatherby makes a ".275" caliber. They make a .257 (bullet diameter .257), .270 (bullet diameter .277), and 7 MM (bullet diameter .284, same diameter as .280 Rem) among many others. Of course they also make a .375 caliber.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[22-rimfire]

A state's decision to allow or not allow rifle hunting for deer is almost always a perceived safety issue. As mentioned it relates to hunter density also. For some reason, states don't consider black powder rifles much different than shotguns. With the growing popularity of handgun hunting for deer, I think states should allow centerfire handgun hunting during the black powder season if inlines are legal for use. Primitive black powder.... no problem with the distinction.

 

[444]

I never thought this made any sense, and over the years it has been proven to me that it doesn't make sense.
I grew up in Ohio and still have family there, which means I deer hunt there.
At some point in my life I wondered why a shotgun slug wasn't dangerous or a muzzleloader bullet wasn't dangerous but a rifle round was. Where I hunt, I am probably within a hundred yards of three houses. Any of these projectiles could possibly make it that far.
You can also use certain handguns. But it is illegal to use the identical cartridge in a carbine/rifle. .44 Mag handgun-OK .44 Mag carbine-illegal.

I never heard about cartridges like .308 out of a handgun but that is just par for the course. IMO, not a lot of stuff that happens back there makes sense. They have been complaining for years that they have an over-population of deer. They complain about the huge costs associated with deer vs. vehicle accidents. Logic would dictate that they would make it easier to legally kill deer, but as far as I know they haven't. They still have the same week of "gun season" and week of primitive weapons season. I don't know if allowing carbines firing the same cartridge as an already legal pistol would help anything, but I would like to see that happen.