Just goes to show as with other gun rules, the people writing them have very limited knowledge of the subject at hand.
While this is often the case, its actually less so with game rule equipment, though a lot of "stupid stuff" does seem to happen,
Sure, you can hunt groundhogs and coyotes with your .220 Swift, but are prohibited from using it for deer in some states. Why you ask?
Because the game laws there prohibit it. Why?? because of what the majority of people do, and have done, and what is considered to be in the best interest of game management.
Do some of the regs discourage people from hunting? Yep. Is that the intent?? Sometimes. Is it irritating? Yep.
Sometimes the reasons for the regs are not obvious, or understood by people outside the conservation field.
This makes them seem "stupid", but there nearly always are valid concerns the regs are written to address. (note "nearly always" is not "always"
)
I know some place that doesn't allow any rifles for deer. They have valid reasons, (which I happen to disagree with) but they are legitimate concerns, because while "we" are always safe, good shots, and good sportsmen,
not everyone is. And some hunting rules are made to deal with that, too.