TOPIC:

High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
Pence signs measure feared to endanger people
Story
Comments
Image (2)
Print
Create a hardcopy of this page
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size




21
Previous Next
High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
This fall, Indiana deer hunters for the first time will be allowed to use high-powered rifles like the ones displayed at Midwest Gun Exchange in Mishawaka. Tribune Photo/BECKY MALEWITZ

Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2016 5:00 am | Updated: 1:35 pm, Thu Mar 24, 2016.
By Jeff Parrott South Bend Tribune
Jeff Parrott
Posted on Mar 24, 2016
by Jeff Parrott
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has signed into law a bill that critics say will endanger hunters and suburbanites, and possibly cut too deeply into the state's deer herd.
When deer firearms season opens for two weeks in November, hunters for the first time will be allowed to use high-powered rifles when hunting on privately owned property. Historically most Indiana deer hunters have used shotguns since the only other types of allowable long arms were muzzle loaders or rifles that fire handgun-caliber bullets.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources last year considered making the change but decided against it after hearing heavy opposition from the public, including many hunters.
“We now have the legislature micromanaging the DNR and wildlife management and hunting methods,” said Doug Allman, spokesman for the Indiana Deer Hunters Association. “What’s next, fishing lures?”
Allman said today’s high-powered rifles can hit a deer from a half-mile away, “and if you miss, that bullet is still going.” That situation becomes increasingly dangerous as land development pushes hunters closer to highly populated suburbs.
“Rifles are allowed to be used for some animals in this state but you don’t have 250,000 hunters out there on opening weekend (of deer firearms season) shooting, sometimes at running animals,” Allman said.
South Bend deer hunter Dave Holcomb said he doesn’t like the new law and will continue using his muzzle loader or .44-caliber revolver this fall. He also has concerns about safety since Indiana has such flat terrain and high-powered rifles can shoot further distances. But he’s more worried that hunters, able to hit more deer from further away, will reduce the deer population too much.
Holcomb, 28, said he’s been hunting deer since he was 8, and last year was the first year ever that he didn’t kill a deer in either firearm or archery season. His father hasn’t gotten a buck for eight years.
“The whole idea of high-powered rifles seems asinine to a lot of guys,” Holcomb said. “I don’t see why they feel this is a necessary change.”
Holcomb’s perception that he’s seeing fewer deer would seem to be supported by the DNR’s annual deer harvest statistics. In 2014 hunters killed 120,073 deer, down 12 percent from the 136,248 bagged in 2012. In St. Joseph County the decline was even larger during that time, dropping 18 percent, from 1,415 to 1,155.
But the bill’s author, Rep. Lloyd Arnold, R-Leavenworth, said he isn’t worried about safety or overly reducing deer herds.
“We aren’t increasing the season, we aren’t increasing the deer count you can take,” Arnold said. “There are only five new calibers you can use (the .243, .30-.30, .300, .30-06 and .308), and we already have muzzle loaders that can shoot over 300 to 400 yards. I can use every one of those guns 365 days a year for any other species besides deer. Why do we have that restriction? It doesn’t make sense.”
Arnold noted that the bill directs the DNR to study effects of the change in 2020, and he vowed to reverse it if critics' fears are realized.
Of the 43 states with reportable whitetail deer harvests, Indiana had been one of nine that didn’t allow high-power rifles, said Dan Schmidt, editor-in-chief of Iola, Wis.-based Deer & Deer Hunting, the world’s oldest and largest deer hunting magazine. Indiana formerly joined Iowa, Illinois and Ohio in banning high-powered rifles because of flat topography. Five others have it because of their higher population density — Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware. Michigan allows high-powered rifles for deer only in the northern part of the state, which has more hills.
Schmidt said he doesn’t expect more injuries and significantly more deer taken under the new law because that hasn’t happened in states that have made the change. His native Wisconsin formerly was divided, like Michigan, but two years ago started allowing high-powered rifles statewide and have seen no increase in accidents, Schmidt said.
Pence also angered hunting and conservation groups this week when he signed a bill that formally legalizes the existing practice of hunting deer in preserves that are enclosed by 8-foot fences, derided as “canned hunting” by critics.
The DNR had tried for 10 years to ban the preserves but lost a court case in February, paving the way for the legislation.
More about Shot And Killed
High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
More about Deer
High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition High-powered rifle bill triggers opposition
ARTICLE: Outdoors: Main Street loses legendary buck
Discuss

I would think certain county's would be safe for rifles and south of 70, the rest of state would be scary. I would think a brush gun like a 30-30 or a 35 whelen but when you get in the other calibers like 243 or 30-06 that can go out a ways. Just wonder what a 300 is consider? does that include a magnum. Mike

Mike thats a good question. Since the DNR had nothing to do with the bill, and the bill went thru and was signed into law. The bill said .300 caliber. So I don't think that the DNR will be stopping people saying that a .300 mag can't be used. Since the DNR was by passed I don't look for them to be pressing issues and policeing this new law. It was written leaving alot of gaps.

Shot guns and muzzleloaders used for deer hunting have muzzle velocities around 1200-1500fps. for shot gun, and 1600-2100 fps. for muzzle loaders. Some of the new legal rifle calibers will be shooting between 2800fps and upto 3200fps. Thats a tremondous difference. And the chances for a richotte bullet is extremely high with high powered rifles compared to shot gun and muzzleloader. I agree with you that possibly this new law would of worked out better in the southern hilly area of the state. But there are so many flat farm fields up here with no obstructions. A bullet skipping on frozen ground can go along ways.
If the new law said from a elevated deer standonly so the hunter is shooting down, that would of at least shown some common sense to this. But, the other point is the state legislature bypassed the DNR. So whats next, The same people changing fishing regulations as they see fit and not the DNR? Bad situation anyway you look at it.

Much ado about nothing. Hunters didn't like it when the DNR allowed does to be shot with muzzleloaders. Didn't like it when they legalized handguns, didn't like it when they legalized crossbows. They've struggled for years to get the deer herd under control with bonus tags, urban zones and the like. Hasn't really worked. Rifles aren't going to make much difference and to up-play the "safety" factor is playing into the anti-hunter's game. I'd rather think the overwhelming majority of Indiana hunters are safety aware and won't be shooting if there are houses, people, towns, trucks or other stuff downrange of where the deer is standing.

The biggest point is this was turned down by the DNR which as you know is the state enity that is to control such things. The DNr did a good job of having statewide meetings to discuss this last year. First time the state legislature has taken matters in to their own hands and bypassed the DNR and the public. Down were you live Mike it maybe ok. As far as some hunters and the way they hunt and choices they make on a shot, well we have seen alot over the years. Glad I hunt private property. It is a little scary when the night before opening day you see huntrs buying a gun the night before the opener. Think he knows were his gun is going to shoot?
Talked to our landowner yesterday. He made it clear that no rifles on his property at all. He said that the adjoining farms felt the same way, no rifles. To much open flat ground. That was all we needed to hear.