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.
One of the advocates for allowing the use of larger-caliber centerfire rifles is none other than rock star and hunter Ted Nugent.
“I think the legalization of center-fire [sic] rifles in old age shotgun-only zones is a great upgrade for the deer hunters of those states and long overdue,” Nugent posted to his Facebook page in March.
Deer hunting is popular in Indiana, and last season saw more than 260,000 hunters take to the woods in the hope of bagging some venison.
Image from Jim Wrigley Photography on the flickr Creative Commons
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Amusing to see a 30-30 styled as overpowering, game destroying, people endangering killing machine.
Yeah, since they are going on diameter of the bullet and not power. There are a couple 308 diameter bullets that are a lot more powerful than 30-30, also. That is probably why.
It is unfortunate as the old 30-30 is about a perfect whitetail round.
I don’t think of .30 as “larger caliber.”
So you can use varmint calibers such as .223 22-250 243 etc. but not a legitimate deer caliber. “Poodle shooters” are legal, but ballistically appropriate deer calibers are not. Wonder how many deer are wounded and lost due to the use of these marginal deer caliber rifles each season. Indiana has some heavy weight whitetails and they deserve a better fate than becoming a meal for a coyote.
totally agree.
the law is as ass backwards as they come.
any ethical hunter wants a clean kill, not a wounded animal that will run too far with a bunch of meat destroyed in the process.
Only rifles in HANDGUN calibers, such as 45 Colt, 44 magnum and 357 magnum, are legal. Article is misleading. Small rifle calibers have NOT been legal. The new proposal would have permitted calibers LARGER than .243 to be legal.
Hi Destea, thanks for reading!
I noted that certain rifle calibers were allowed, not small rifle calibers. As far as I know, Indiana does allow certain rifle calibers to be used. The following is from Eregulations.com on Indiana.
“Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf.”
Poorly written article. Legal cartridges for deer in Indiana have a minimum caliber of .357 and the empty brass much measure between 1.16″ and 1.80″. It is NOT only handgun cartridges that are legal and small caliber rifle cartridges have never been legal for deer in Indiana.
Even the title of the article is bad. Larger calibers are legal under the above mentioned conditions. The proposal was for smaller calibers and longer cartridge lengths.
Thanks for reading!
You are correct on several points, but I wrote “a limited range” of rifle calibers are currently allowed, not small calibers. I apologize for any confusion that the article may have caused. For additional clarification, here is an excerpt from Eregulations.com on Indiana.
“Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf.”
Make a lot of sense. You can hunt coyote with your 300 RUM but not deer. Got it!
It is rather funny i can shoot a squirrel with a .50 bmg in indiana, yet rifle calibers like the 30-30 are not allowed. and yes we all get the regulations for indiana hunting wound the deer kill the rest GOT IT! (exactly why i leave indiana for large game hunts… with appropriate license and tags of course.
Article is bullshit. I live in Indiana and all we can use is handgun rounds in rifles and rifle rounds in handguns. Seems inhuman to me, as a hunter I want an ethical kill, I want rifle rounds in rifles, heck just give me a 3030 much better then a 357 mag out of a lever gun.