Goofy New Indiana Deer Hunting Reg!

B JACKSON

B JACKSON

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Sep 19, 2012
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"The Department of Natural Resources has received numerous questions regarding recent legislation that legalizes certain rifles for deer hunting beginning later this year. Most questions have to do with calibers and cartridges allowed under the new law.

House Enrolled Act 1231 that was passed earlier this year by the Indiana General Assembly allows some additional rifle cartridges to be used only on private land during the firearms season.

The new legal cartridges include, but are not limited to, the .243 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, .300 AAC Blackout, and .30-06 Springfield. Additional requirements are:

• The rifle must have a barrel length of at least 16 inches
• The rifle cartridges must have a cartridge case length of least 1.16 inches
• The rifle cartridge must fire a bullet with a diameter that is
o .243 inches (or 6 mm); or
o .308 inches (or 7.62 mm)
• No cartridges with a bullet diameter between .243 and .308 are legal (such as the .270 Winchester)
• A hunter may not possess more than 10 such cartridges while in the field

Rifles with pistol cartridges that have been allowed in previous years may still be used to hunt deer on both private and public land.

Additional cartridges that are legal under HEA 1231 include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 6mm-06
• 6mm BR Remington
• 6mm PPC
• 6mm Remington
• .240 Weatherby
• .243 Winchester
• .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .30 Carbine
• .30 Herrett
• .30 Remington AR
• .30-06 Springfield
• .30-30 Winchester
• .30-40 Krag
• .300 AAC Blackout (.300 Whisper)
• .300 H&H Magnum
• .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum
• .300 Savage
• .300 Weatherby Magnum
• .300 Winchester Magnum
• .300 Winchester Short Magnum
• .300 Remington Ultra Magnum
• .308 Marlin
• .308 Winchester
• 7.62x39mm
• 7.62x54mmR

There are other cartridges that meet the law’s specifications, and there are others that do not. A partial list of cartridges that are not allowed under HEA 1231 includes the .270 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, .444 Marlin, and .45-70 Government. "

So.....I can shoot at deer with an enemic 30 carbine, or a 300 Weatherby Magnum...but not a 35 Rem, a 8mm Mauser, a 7x57, a 257 Roberts, a 270 Winchester..or any other cartrige that isn't a 30 0r 243 caliber!

The knife analogy would be: You can field dress your deer with a 4" blade knife, or a 7" blade but not a 5" or a 6" ?

WTF!
 
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Who writes these rules and regulations? It's got to be someone who sits behind a computer all day and thinks up ways to make a very simple task complicated and convoluted.
What is the logic of allowing a .243 but NOT a .270?
 
That's really... odd. .270 Winchester & .25-06 is a very popular deer calibers where I lived in Montana.

Why on earth are they banned?

~Chris
 
Usually these days the regs are written by those who know little to nothing. It will only get worse.
 
Wow! Here it's anything CENTER FIRE above a .22 cal.

Isn't the .30/.30 the most popular deer cartridge in the world? Hardly a difference between a 270 Win Mag and a 300 win mag!!
 
My understanding is that in Indiana firearm hunting has been limited to shotgun and pistol caliber rifles for a long time. There are some very specific rules as to what does and does not constitute a pistol caliber in Indiana. They are, apparently, on the way to legalizing more common rifle calibers- but still have quite a way to go. Surprisingly, this is a WIN for those hunters in Indiana, as now they can use more common rifle calibers for hunting- albeit only on private land...
 
So this means a 30-30 is legal on private land only and a 270 is illegal public or private? I thought the Commonwealth of Virginia had some strange laws. If it's a step in the right direction congratulations to the hunters. I hope things continue to improve.
 
Was born in Indiana. Now I live in Texas. And now you all understand why!

Regards,
Ron
 
These calibers or the restricted ones make little sense. But if I were deer hunting in IN, I would be carrying a revolver.
 
Laws made by persons ignorant of firearms. Seems like the same type of ignorance and subsequent fear we see in most firearm laws.
 
DNR fought this for the last few years. legislature overturned it went against the DNR ruling and said this is what they can hunt with. I've talked to a bunch of people in Indiana and most of them think that it's stupid. too damn flat to be slinging 300 Magnum at Deer.
 
Indiana ,always the " tick free state" .Not anymore !!! Did dumb politicians invite them in ? Ticks + Lyme ,now we in the NE aren't the only ones !!!
 
I've been hunting in Indiana for about 32 years. Small game and deer our regulations are goofy as hell. Since I can remember I was always told some rounds arent used because of our open fields and travel distance of rounds. Dosent really make sense since some of the allowed rounds can travel as far. Oh well getting the 22 ready for squirrel in 4 days can't wait.
 
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I think they did it because they knew it would cause confusion, thus promoting violations resulting in fines and asset forfeitures. Always follow the money. The fish cops will enjoy enforcing their new authorities.
 
I don't understand why they picked out certain calibers. I'm not complaining. I bought a .243 for my daughter to use this fall. I'll use it as well. It will be nice to have a deer gun with a scope on it. I have killed deer with every type of legal weapon in IN except a rifle. I hope to cross it off my list this year.
 
BFS said:
I think they did it because they knew it would cause confusion, thus promoting violations resulting in fines and asset forfeitures. Always follow the money. The fish cops will enjoy enforcing their new authorities.
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I call bull$×××, the money DNR gets frome fines and forfeitures doesnt come close to covering hourly pay for the DNRcops that do the investigations, or enforce the laws that are the reasen we can hunt deer and other game now.

Most of the people that i hear talk about how the DNR guys are dicks are usually people that go5 caught doing something they knew was wrong, but pulled the ignorence card out of thier pocket and it didnt fly.

Could be wrong, but i dont think i am, am i?
 
The fishcops get paid with taxpayer money. It doesn't matter if the fines pay their salary. Where did you get that lame brain idea from? The state gets to nickel and dime their constituents to death with candyass regulations like in the OP. Why are you defending them? You a fishcop?

As for your other childish statement, it doesn't deserve a response. Try not to screw up the thread with your personnel attacks.
 
BFS said:
The fishcops get paid with taxpayer money. It doesn't matter if the fines pay their salary. Where did you get that lame brain idea from? The state gets to nickel and dime their constituents to death with candyass regulations like in the OP. Why are you defending them? You a fishcop?

As for your other childish statement, it doesn't deserve a response. Try not to screw up the thread with your personnel attacks.
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Not an attack just an opinion. and no im not a "fish cop" nor do i work for the DNR, just someone whose seen things go from bad, as in no turkey, or deer to to many turkeyand deer. That didnt happen by the "fish cops" nickel and diming people to death. it happened because of rules and regulations that keep people from doing stupid stuff that they know is wrong but don't care because 1 it's on private property or 2 because they just feel it's their right. say what you want as far as childish statements and attacks I don't believe I made one I just stated my opinion. obviously yours varies from mine. have a nice day don't forget to buy that fishing and hunting license.
 
IMHO - "IF" the DNR wildlife officers were writing the new regulations, they would make them easier to interpret so as make their job easier to enforce.

The old KISS principal... keep it simple stupid!

As Esav says, "written by a committee."
 
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