Questionare for all you Hunters....

[NSP64]

I hail from the state of Illinois and we are not allowed to hunt deer with rifles (muzzleloaders yes), but we can hunt with handguns of at least 30cal and 500ftlbs @ muzzle. Straightwall case cartridges can be any length, bottleneck cases can be a Max 1.4" I would like the hunters from other states that do not allow rifle deer hunting to chime in if their state allows handgun with stipulations like Illinois. Thanks

[leadeye]

I hail from Indiana next door and have used 44 mag handguns in the past with some sucess as the area I hunt is brushy and ranges are short. Shotguns are the primary firearm here although the state let us hunt with rifles chambered for handgun cartridges like 44 mag so I went back to this in a Marlin this year. Here is one taken a few years ago.

[Blammer]

NC allows rifles so I'm out, sorry.

[Chunky Monkey]

Pennsylvania also allows rifles. However, there are certain drives that I go on where I only carry a Ruger Super Red Hawk 44 mag cause of the brush and thickets.

Got a Uberti Colt Walker recently and thought I would take it along instead. PA game laws do not allow black powder handguns smaller than 50 cal.

[JSH]

I am not sure what your question is? Mike Bellm did come up with a 30 caliber bottle neck just for Illinois, So head stamped to so as to be a factory cartridge

[NSP64]

He did? what was it called and who carries it, for what platform?

[garandsrus]

The lower 1/3rd of Michigan has similar rules. Pistols need to be straight walled though, no bottlenecks allowed.

John

[JSnover]

Mass is shotgun or muzzleloader only. No handguns.

[Johnch]

Ohio , no centerfire rifles
Shotgun , muzzel loader or handgun

Straight walled , no bottle necks
Dose not say parallel
As 444 Marlin and 45/70 are legal

Case must be 1" or longer and 357 cal or larger and the gun must have a min of a 5" barrel
I alway saw a problem with the way the law was writen
As a 38 spec is legal , but not a 10 mm auto

I will be using a 44 mag Ruger Redhawlk and TC Contender in 45/70

John

[Sven]

MN has shotgun only zones and handguns are allowed in the same zones. I don't have the rule book handy, but I believe the only stipulation is length of brass must be 1.290" and .30 carbine is not legal. So I think any bottleneck case is OK, down to .223 caliber. .223 is new this year.

[NSP64]

I am not sure what your question is? Mike Bellm did come up with a 30 caliber bottle neck just for Illinois, So head stamped to so as to be a factory cartridge

This has to be the smartest group on the internetI google him and sent him an email
There goes my idea

[Lloyd Smale]

nothern michigan is anything as long as its a centerfire 22 or bigger. Down state they have shotgun areas where only shotguns and handguns with staight walls in rifle season. I think there all the same in black powder season. Anything as long as it loads from the muzzle.

[bigbore442001]

I was going to add a comment about Massachusetts. You can't use a handgun for deer or waterfowl but with a license to carry and the appropriate hunting license you can shoot small game, varmints and black bear in September.

Ironically I can shoot a coyote with my TC 45-70 but can't shoot a deer.

[JSnover]

I was going to add a comment about Massachusetts. You can't use a handgun for deer or waterfowl but with a license to carry and the appropriate hunting license you can shoot small game, varmints and black bear in September.

Ironically I can shoot a coyote with my TC 45-70 but can't shoot a deer.

BigBore, are you familiar with the recent coyote laws? Some friends of mine are telling me it's now legal to shoot them with centerfire rifles down here on the Cape. I haven't seen it in writing yet.

[44man]

The laws were written so the bullet has limited range like a shotgun because of the high population in those areas. But then they allow inlines with sabot's that shoot as far as a 30-30 and sabot shotgun slugs.
Of course they don't know I shoot revolvers to 500 meters so don't tell them, keep it under your hat!
Most is based on bullet drop anyway so they hit the ground before going too far.
I am from Ohio and I could always use a rifle or handgun for varmints but not for deer because of the huge amount of hunters in the field for deer season. The year I had to leave was the first year they allowed revolvers for deer so I missed out. But I can use them here in WV.
The barrel must be 4" or longer, straight wall cases must be .357 or larger and bottle neck must be .24 caliber or larger for deer, bear or boar. Muzzle loading pistols must be .38 or larger and only a single shot can be used in muzzle loader season. I can use my cap and ball in regular gun season.
If you have a concealed carry you can carry in any season just for protection. For hunting you need a pistol stamp and the gun has to be outside.

[bikerjr1]

Oklahoma allows rifle .22 centerfire and larger and handgun .357 or larger or .22 centerfire rifle cartridge and shotgun 20ga and larger with slug, no buckshot. There are some wildlife management areas that I hunt that ONLY allow archery or shotgun with slugs. I don't really understand them not allowing muzzleloaders because out of my Ultra Slug Hunter I can beat most all muzzleloader balistics if I running a hot sabot rounds. It really doesn't worry me to much the USH will group 1-1.5" at 100yrd with a scope IF i do my part. In an 8.5 pound gun you have NO doubt that you pulled the trigger. I wish they would let us use handguns, my TC Contender gets lonely sometimes round deer season.
Good luck to all in the woods,
JR

[gray wolf]

I read this and get a little sick to my stomach--WHY pray tell--
Well I will tell you why

Perhaps I am in a bad mood today--perhaps that's a good thing.
I am about lawed and restricted to the hair line.
W T F is the difference if a window gets shot out or a hunter gets shot from 300 yards with a rifle or a sabot slug. Now don't get me wrong If in a populated area and two many hunters --well sure we got to slow things down a little --hey common sense always comes first. But my point is how much bull crap and stupid laws and restrictions do we put up with. My point is I don't think we really see what is behind all this crap. Well maybe we do and we just put up with it. Come-on 1. bla, Bla, inches for a shell length. --shotguns with sabots, smoke poles that shoot 300 yards. Who the hell decides what is sane anymore and what is not.
It is clear to me they want to restrict and or want the guns. Just read a post on another board that a church in Toledo Ohio had a gun by back for food
HELLO !! Oh and how about all the states that have bills now for coded ammunition. Have we let them go absolutely insane??

OK,OK. I wont go on I know this is not the place.
So I will answer the post.
Here in Maine You can carry a hand gun anyway you like while hunting, all you need is a hunting license--any gun over 22 long rifle for Deer.
You can shoot DEER with a 22 Mag. I don't like that one--OK for lawn Deer but I think it's a little light for Deer.
So that's it for Maine and thank you for letting me VENT.

GW.

[badgeredd]

The lower 1/3rd of Michigan has similar rules. Pistols need to be straight walled though, no bottlenecks allowed.

John

Added comment to MI laws in the lower 1/3 of the state: Handgun must be a repeater, I believe there is also a minumum number of cartridges one must be able to carry, I am thinking it is 5 or 6 which eliminates TCs and such for the bottom third.

Also Indiana I believe put a new rule in this last year that one can use a rifle chambered for some handgun cartridges, 454 Casull being among them. GO FIGURE THE LOGIC of it all!!!!!!!!

[bobk]

gray wolf,
You don't think these knuckleheads know anything about ballistics, do you? Personally, I don't take skyline shots. I want a backstop in case I miss or shoot-through. Almost any rifle bullet is not going to bounce. I have proven that to my satisfaction by putting up old political signs behind my impact area on my 100 yard range. I'm shooting into a gently sloping bank. Got a trough after all these years.
Hard cast round balls for the shotguns may be a different story. I'll bet they would bounce off anything but a flat surface perpendicular to their line of flight. I should test that, make a little winter project, for when it's too windy to shoot.
But, to address the topic, here in upstate PA we can at least use rifles, punkin balls, etc., so that's good. I do wish they allowed handguns concurrent with the late season flintlock hunting season.
Bob K

[NSP64]

Been emailing with Mike Bellm and he has a 23" barrel for the contender in 30 Bellm (7mm ppc fireformed to .30) that meets Illinois requirments to be legal to hunt with. He said should get 2900fps with 125gr nosler. Much safer than a rifle.