I live in a state that doesn't allow rifles to hunt deer, but does allow in-line muzzleloaders, rifled shotgun slugs, and some rifle rounds in pistols. For instance, .45-70 govt. is allowed in a pistol, but not in a rifle. It seems to me that a rifled shotgun with slugs, or a modern in-line using the latest bullet technology is just as dangerous as a .45-70 or .30-30 in a lever action. Also, I don't understand the logic behind not allowing rifles because they travel further in flat areas, especially since some states that allow rifles also have large areas of flat areas with no ill effects on hunting accidents. I wonder how hard it would be to challenge that particular rule in the legislature? I really, really would like to hunt deer with a Marlin guide gun in .45-70
You'll need to get your state DNR to support it. If they don't then you're wasting your time with the legislature. If you are wanting a change only to certain rifle calibers just imagine the administrative headache that would be to implement and enforce. .45-70 OK but a .45-90 isn't. .444? .300 Savage but not a .30-30. Do you propose to limit by caliber, power, case size, ???
vart, if you try to get the legislature to change their rules and it don't work. Do what I did , more to a state that don't have those silly rules.
The reasons for the rifle hunting ban are sound, but the laws were generally written before sabot slugs, rifle caliber handguns and inline muzzle loaders became commonplace. In most areas that have such laws, the laws exist because the state is somewhat densly populated and a stray bullet is more likely to hit an unseen person 400 yards away than it would be in say, Montana. Here in wisconsin, the southern half is no rifle, the northern part is rifle country. I hunt with a smoothbore 12ga in both parts with equally good luck.
I live in Ohio. In my area the sprawl is so bad that I don't think using a slug gun or muzzle loader will give you that much of a disadvantage over a modern rifle. Plus I go to West Virginia or Kentucky every year, so I get my rifle kicks off there ;f
