Whats Legal for hunting deer in Indiana?

[ChalupaCabras]

With the new law, why would anyone want to hunt with a shotgun when you can shoot a rifle with one of the following cartridges.

Because none of those cartridges give you any sort of range, energy, or trajectory advantage over a shotgun with a sabot slug. Not even a 458 SOCOM. Not even a 500 S&W.*

A few months back, I started pouring over the DNR regulations, cartridge dimensions, wildcat cartridges, and the archives of several different internet forums. What I found was disappointing.

IF the new deer regulations get passed, and the case length restriction gets boosted to 1.80", then a 460 carbine would be able to give you a HAIR better trajectory according to the data guys are reporting, but it really wont be all that much. While it would have plenty of power, the ballistics are nearly identical to a 45-70, and as such, the trajectory is abysmal much beyond 200 yards.

The WSSM wildcats (such as the BFG version) are ALREADY legal, and effective to 300+ yards. IF the new regulations get passed, similar cartridges based on the WSM cartridge would be able to extend that.

* The 500 S&W carbine can indeed generate more power than any shotgun slug at the muzzle... but its ballistics are even worse. Even if you gain 300fps with a carbine over revolver velocities (3,700 ftlbs @ muzzle) the 350gr bullet would loose a staggering 1,500 foot pounds in the first 100 yards, and have nearly a foot of drop at 200 yards if zeroed at 100.

Basically there is no advantage, at this point, to using any factory pistol caliber rifle over a rifled shotgun. The ONLY way you are ever going to top it in the near future (read: several YEARS) is to custom build a wildcat rig. The only advantage as of now is the novelty of using a rifle.

I know, it sucks and its stupid. But that's how it is for the time being. I was pretty upset to hear that news when I was trying to decide what my deer rifle would be, but you just have to roll with it. The DNR is playing it VERY safe with these new grants and cartridges. They simply are not giving up very much.

I'm going to go with a 12ga Browning A-bolt. That's about as good as it gets for hunting deer with factory guns in Indiana. If you want anything with appreciably better ballistics, then you have to build a wildcat.

 

[DerFreischutz]

There might be an obvious answer, but why does the DNR limit ammo as such? I understand the minimum bullet diameter is for humane killings. Is their goal in limiting cartridge length to keep people hunting at close range for safety reasons?

 

[kludge]

Basically there is no advantage, at this point, to using any factory pistol caliber rifle over a rifled shotgun. The ONLY way you are ever going to top it in the near future (read: several YEARS) is to custom build a wildcat rig. The only advantage as of now is the novelty of using a rifle.

I can think of a few... and none of them have anything to do with novelty.

Before I built the 358 WSSM, I hunted with a 9.5" Ruger SRH in .454 Casull. The advange was a drastic increase in accuracy over 1oz shotgun slugs... either in a smooth barrel or a Hastings slug barrel my 1100 could not reliably hit a paper plate at 50 yards off off sandbags. I know that other people do better, perhaps I got a bum barrel.

I shoot 2.5"-3" groups at 50 yards with the .454. I know there are people that can do that at 100 yards, but that's not me... yet. But I can hit paper plates and that's good enough. Forget using the 1100 at that distance, even hitting a paper plate with that gun would be a random chance event. Perhaps thats why we hear hunters out in the woods shooting off 2... 3... 4... 5... shots.

People routinely shoot 1"-2" groups with their lever action .44 Mags at 100 yards and they are a lot easier to carry around than that big 1100.

The .454 has a flat trajectory out to 125 yards and is lethal to 200; regardless it would be irresponsible of me to take a shot at 200 yards with a handgun... I know there are people who can do better, but I'm not those people.

Sure the new fancy slugs are great, but who can afford $3-$5 per shot? I can reload the .454 or any rifle for that matter for about $0.50 per shot, which means I get more practice.

I know, paying $1000 for a custom deer rifle and dies seems like false economy, even when paying $20 for a box of 5 shells, but knowing I can hit a deer, exactly where I want to at 50, 100, or 200 yards means I'm not wasting money on a tag, gas, food, and most of all, time in the woods.

You don't have to spend $1000 though, you can buy $200 H&R Handi Rifle and rechamber it the .357 Max and get .35 Rem ballistics which is a solid 200 yard deer rifle that is a lot nicer to shoot than a slug gun.

 

[shooter1054]

Knowing what your abilities and your limitations are the most important things in hunting as well as in general. With my 44 mag lever gun, I'm accurate out to 100 yds; 10 rounds in a baseball. When I used a shotgun, I could hope for 5 rounds in 10" circle. And the 44 is incredibly easy to shoot. And I have the 10 point, 141 inch 163lbs mount on my wall to boot. That said, I'm not going to try a shot at 200 yds. for a few reasons. A 200 yd. shot is out of my range. The bullet drops too far for me to feel like I could make an effective shot. Where I hunt, I don't have a place where I can see a deer at much over 100 yds. so a 200 yd. shot is moot.

 

[brasshead]

I'm with you kludge I have a 358 BFG and will never hunt with a slug gun again. My H&R ultra slug in 20 gauge shot really well but nothing like my BFG. Something about a rifle just feels better.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

There might be an obvious answer, but why does the DNR limit ammo as such? I understand the minimum bullet diameter is for humane killings. Is their goal in limiting cartridge length to keep people hunting at close range for safety reasons?

It's NOT for safety reasons...

Shotgun only limits are a hold-over from when white tailed deer were first reintroduced into Indiana shortly after the Great Depression.

If cartridge limits were for safety reasons, you'd see severe limits on what you can hunt squirrel with.

.270 Winchester = out of a rifle, illegal for deer hunting
.270 Winchester = out of a rifle, perfectly legal for squirrel hunting

-J-

 

[Fordtough25]

It's NOT for safety reasons...

Shotgun only limits are a hold-over from when white tailed deer were first reintroduced into Indiana shortly after the Great Depression.

If cartridge limits were for safety reasons, you'd see severe limits on what you can hunt squirrel with.

.270 Winchester = out of a rifle, illegal for deer hunting
.270 Winchester = out of a rifle, perfectly legal for squirrel hunting

-J-

This. Our laws and regulations amaze me. At least I can take my AR squirrel or coyote hunting.

 

[IndySSD]

Is their goal in limiting cartridge length to keep people hunting at close range for safety reasons?

I don't think so....

Last I checked a .308 doesn't get more dangerous during deer season than it is during coyote season.... also it's not really any more dangerous to use a .308 on your private property to hunt deer, you just have to file for a special permit from the state to do it....

 

[DerFreischutz]

Thanks for the replies. I completely agree that the regulations, taken broadly, aren't coherent (as the squirrel example shows), but is there a stated purpose for the deer regulations?

 

[back40hunter]

It looks like a rule change will be made to include all handgun cartridges with a cs=ase length of no more than 1.80".

 

[EvilBlackGun]

Which of these T/C calibers are approved for IN deer?

20" .460 S&W, 10" .45 Colt, 14" .357 Herrett. What about Desert Eagle in 10".50AE, and .44M in 14"? ? Thanks EvilBlackGun

 

[dbd870]

Here we go:
20" .460 S&W - no go this year in a rifle, legal next year
10" .45 Colt - good to go (a handgun I presume)
14" .357 Herrett - ditto
What about Desert Eagle in 10".50AE - yep
.44M in 14" - good to go (a handgun I presume)

The 357 Herrett will be legal in a rifle next year. I see nothing in 312IAC 9-3 about not being allowed to use a SBR for deer hunting so as long as the cartridge meets the requirements I would think you could take a 14" 44Mag for example and use it as a rifle; assuming you have all the NFA paperwork in order.

 

[95wrangler]

As far as shotgun vs. rifle, Im originally from western NY state, my grandpa stopped hunting when it was shotgun only because the recoil hurt his shoulder. Since NY went to centerfire, he is back out in the woods. Hes fine hunting, his head is still sharp, just his body is falling apart. Hes a 91 year old farmer. God hes stubborn! haha!

 

[EvilBlackGun]

Yes, all of these are pistols:

Here we go:
20" .460 S&W - no go this year in a rifle, legal next year. [[This is a pistol, per Thompson, via a phone-call to a very knowledgable lady @ Thompson.]]
10" .45 Colt - good to go (a handgun I presume) [[Yes, it is a Contender, 10-in. .45C-.410.]]
10" .357 Herrett - ditto [[ditto, a Contender, 10-in.]]
What about Desert Eagle in 10".50AE - yep [[BTW, 10-in. is a LOT louder than te 6-in.!!]]
.44M in 14" - good to go (a handgun I presume)[[Yep, Desert Eagle]]

The 357 Herrett will be legal in a rifle next year. I see nothing in 312IAC 9-3 about not being allowed to use a SBR for deer hunting so as long as the cartridge meets the requirements I would think you could take a 14" 44Mag for example and use it as a rifle; assuming you have all the NFA paperwork in order.

I intend to use the D.E a lot in .44M, and be real choosey using the .357 Herrett. Thanks for the back-stopping. It wold have takenme 6 hours to dredge up the info. But now that I have it, I will search it all dow again, adding to the knowledge base. Thanks again.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I intend to use the D.E a lot in .44M, and be real choosey using the .357 Herrett. Thanks for the back-stopping. It wold have takenme 6 hours to dredge up the info. But now that I have it, I will search it all dow again, adding to the knowledge base. Thanks again.

In a pistol:

Must be .243 diameter or up

Case must be equal to or longer than 1.16"

Handgun must have a barrel equal to or longer than 4.0"

Seriously...the IN hunting regs are EASY to google...

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-deerhuntguide.pdf