DNR Proposal for .243 and up rifle for deer season?

[MRP2003]

Now think if they allow semi auto center fire. I know a lot of guys who hunt Kentucky and think it is as safe but on public land it would be crazy. I also hunt PA on public land and too often hear multiple shots from multiple guns within minutes at times. Seems like a deer is in the run or a bunch of deer. Witnessed one guy shooting 6-7 times at a bunch if does. Several ran near me while I was in my climber. I was extremely concerned of stray bullets. If he had a semi, it would have been even scarier. Imagine a guy who struggles hitting a deer at 50 yards getting to shoot an Ak or SKS at deer a couple hundred yards away across a field where the deer are near the woods on the other side of the field from him.

 

[Leadeye]

I have public land on my northern and eastern border, fortunately most of it is at lower elevation. It's high density forest so I'm hoping I don't hear the snap of rounds passing in future seasons.

 

[Willie]

MRP2003,

I'm not a rifle man except for my Ruger .44 so enlighten me... Do AKs and SKS rifles come in .243 and up calibers?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with semi-autos in deer season. I can fire my 870 pump gun 5 times in about the same length of time a hunter can shoot 5 through a semi shotgun..

 

[Willie]

BTW MRP2003,

We heard the same thing when the DNR was considering pistol cartridge rifles. Some thought that we would all turn into Chuck Conners blasting everything in sight..

The Rifleman intro - YouTube

 

[tjh88]

It will happen! I haven't even received my D-tech 358 WSSM upper yet so it's bound to go into effect within the next couple of years...

 

[singlesix]

Blood will flow, think of the children, oh the humanity ... geez if these types of guns are so bad than maybe civilians shouldn't own them.

 

[42769vette]

Do AKs and SKS rifles come in .243 and up calibers?

243=6mm

Ak/SKS are typically 7.62MM

 

[IndyGunworks]

Blood will flow, think of the children, oh the humanity ... geez if these types of guns are so bad than maybe civilians shouldn't own them.

While I don't see that happening, I do have some concerns. That being said I would like to see more freedoms as opposed to less.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Now think if they allow semi auto center fire. I know a lot of guys who hunt Kentucky and think it is as safe but on public land it would be crazy. I also hunt PA on public land and too often hear multiple shots from multiple guns within minutes at times. Seems like a deer is in the run or a bunch of deer.

I don't understand. PA does not permit semi-automatic rifles.

How would semi-auto rifles be any different than semi-auto shotguns with slugs?

We have the study which proves centerfire rifles are far safer than slugs. What could the rational basis objection to centerfire rifle (for deer) be?

 

[MRP2003]

Kirk, the multiple shots are from guys with bolt actions and/or lever actions who seem to not be able to hit the deer and so they shoot and shoot and shoot and often because there are many hunters in a general area, the deer ends up get shot at by a few hunters or as the group of deer takes off, you start hearing a barrage of shots. A few years ago, I watched as approx. 10-12 doe walked up a trail along a hill right toward where I knew another hunter was. I heard him shoot and thought that he got a nice easy shot as the deer could not be more than 30 yards away from him, then I heard another shot and thought, him must have a bonus doe tag, then another shot and another which caused the small herd to scatter and I had 3 that ran within 30 yards of the tree I was in and I heard another shot. I seriously thought that the guy was going to try to shoot the doe by me so I hid behind the tree until there was a 1-2 minute break. I then heard the guy shouting to his buddy. He ran down the hill toward my back right side. He did get a doe. Funniest thing is he shouted out " one shot, one kill". Half the mountain could hear him. I think that he heard me start laughing but did not know where I was. His buddy came running over and asked him where the rest went. He did not know so I yelled out where they went and off his buddy went. If that guy would have had a semi auto rifle, as much as an idiot that he was, he probably would have had a 30 round clip and would have shot all 30 rounds.

I have heard way too many guys say that they saw a few and shot but must have missed. The story they usually tell is how the deer was moving and got around some bushes or they took an off hand shot and could not cycle another round quick enough. I then wonder how they will be hunting with semi autos.

Truthfully, I don't see a problem with semi autos in the right hunters hand but usually those are the same hunters that can use a single shot just as effectively.

I have heard enough stories of people hearing bullets whiz by because another hunter did not see them or did not consider the background.

My personally feeling is that we should be allowed to hunt with what we want but to do it safely is different. I prefer the restrictions because I am concerned with how others act. But this is just my opinion

 

[bwframe]

When are they gonna give us our second buck back? That's what I'd like to know.

 

[Willie]

When are they gonna give us our second buck back? That's what I'd like to know.

Sorry, but IMHO - never. They shouldn't have taken it away in the first place..

 

[bwframe]

Sorry, but IMHO - never. They shouldn't have taken it away in the first place..

IMHO, it wasn't their's to take for lifetime license holders.
Are license purchases up or down since?

 

[midget]

Well, if this does happen, it is an excuse to build another rifle. Hell, I used the current regulations to justify a 458 build.

 

[AtTheMurph]

The study examined ballistics data on three popular deer-hunting guns: a .30-06 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .50-caliber muzzleloader. The rifle had the greatest maximum range at 2.64 miles, followed by the shotgun at 1.97 miles and the muzzleloader, which generally uses heavier and slower bullets, at 1.74 miles.
However, Bacastow noted that to achieve maximum range, shots must be fired at a 35-degree angle, which is highly unlikely in a hunting situation. He noted that a bullet fired at a 35-degree angle toward a deer 100 yards away would fly 210 feet above the animal’s back.
Most shots fired by hunters are relatively flat, and even a slight aiming error usually results in a shot less than 5 degrees above the horizon. When shots are fired at an elevation of 5 degrees, the total distances traveled, including ricochets, are 1.66 miles for a rifle bullet and 1.3 miles for a shotgun slug.
When shots are fired holding the guns level 3 feet off the ground, the shotgun slug will travel 0.99 of a mile, 16 percent farther than the rifle bullet will travel under the same circumstances.
The reason, Bacastow said, is that slugs tend to hold together better and lose less energy during ricochets than rifle bullets. Therefore, slugs often can travel farther than rifle bullets in common hunting scenarios.
- See more at: New Study Shows Shotguns Are Not Safer Than Rifles For Deer Hunting

 

[IndyGunworks]

Its not necessarily the round that I am concerned about... its the amount and type of rifles that shoot them. I could see a 20 round mag in an AR-10 with 10 shots being fired by someone who is only hunting now because it became "easier"

 

[ghuns]

Its not necessarily the round that I am concerned about... its the amount and type of rifles that shoot them. I could see a 20 round mag in an AR-10 with 10 shots being fired by someone who is only hunting now because it became "easier"

Ummm, you do understand that if you change deer hunters to mass shooters, you are making the same argument the gun ban crowd uses to attempt to take our evil black rifles?

 

[Hookeye]

I've had bullets whiz by, guys running pumps and single shots. I know what they had when they came by (trespassers).
Yup, some folks blast and blast away, because they can't shoot.
Others can shoot, and like movers, and put multiple shots into their target zone. It's fun. Usually that's shooting behind the shoulder.........which doesn't always put a deer down at the spot. Aiming on the shoulder helps keep deer on your side of the fence.
Lots of lower velocity bullet users have switched to on the shoulder aiming point.
High powered rifles are different, ought to help keep deer on "your side of the fence" with behind the shoulder shots.

My concern with HP usage is the current crop of idiots will have an enhanced range of stupidity, and that there will be more idiots drawn into the "sport".
Dipsh*ts with Mosins, FMJ's... cranking off shots at moving deer 200+ yards away.
Worked behind the counter at a gun/bow shop...........if you think the interwebs is bad!

 

[Hookeye]

My buddy hunts with a RR in .458 SOCOM, we have used other AR's for yote hunting.
They're just rifles.
Even if the shooter was amped on Monster energy drinks, my guess is that the deer would hit Warp speed before the 5th shot was fired.
My concern would be with shots 1-5, not 6-10.

 

[Hookeye]

Well, if this does happen, it is an excuse to build another rifle. Hell, I used the current regulations to justify a 458 build.

I like my .35 Rem, just means I have 60 cases a little short
Run reg factory ammo, save a few $.
Like you said, put those few $ towards a new rifle.
Probably a Ruger #1A or a Rem 7600...........eventually both