I live in Ohio, a state that does not permit rifle hunting at all, as far as I know, but I have had my fill of shotguns and blackpowder. I am debating on a good hunting rifle, but I won't buy one unless I have someplace nearby to hunt. Anybody know of states in the midwest that allow hunting, preferably something other than whitetail. I really want to hunt something a bit bigger.
Rifle hunting question
- Thread starter nitouken
- Start date
Rifle hunting
I was just talking to my wife about going on another rifle huunt. I live in Indiana where rifle hunting is a no-no also. I'd like to go on a feral hog hunt and plan on checking Ky., Tn., etc. That's not a bear but for some reason it sounds like it could be an adrenalin rush.
I was just talking to my wife about going on another rifle huunt. I live in Indiana where rifle hunting is a no-no also. I'd like to go on a feral hog hunt and plan on checking Ky., Tn., etc. That's not a bear but for some reason it sounds like it could be an adrenalin rush.
pinkfloydman
New member
its the same in massachusetts, and it also includes a number of animals including squirrils(sp) and what am i supposed to use???shot gun???
Rifle hunting
Here in Indiana you can use 22 for squirrels and as far as I know it's pretty much open for varmints. For deer, different seasons for Archery, Muzzleloader and shotgun. I've never gone after deer with a handgun but I guess 357 & up is legal now. There are limits for minimum power but I don't know about bullet weight.
Twenty years ago there was a bear reported around Waterloo, In. Never shot, and disappeared to the best of my knowledge so it may have been a hoax. About twenty years ago we started hearing more about coyotes and they are now spread throughout the northern half of the state. Don't know anyone in the southern half to check with. Most of the 7-8 guys I know that go after coyote with 223. We have fox, but not as many since the coyote moved in.
The problem with rifle hunting with big bores in northern Indiana is we have a large number of small farms, small towns etc. In the northeast portion of the state there are a large number of Amish farmers. The farm size is limited by how many acres they can farm with a team of horses. Thet equals many more rural homes, lots of kids running around in their black and dark blue clothes and generally less safe hunting conditions. Many of the farmers are happy to have you come in and kill groundhogs in the spring because it means less crop destruction. They just call the kids in for chores around the barns while you are there. They don't use the high powered fertilizers with their horse drawn equipment and it helps keep the yield up to get rid of groundhogs.
I don't know how long it's been going on because I was absent from the area for a few years with job moves and health problems when I came back, but some of the Amish are carrying guns into the field. You could have knocked me over the first time I saw a Amish guy in a gun shop. He was trading in a NEF 44 Mag rifle on a 9MM Glock. Seems the rifle was too difficult to manage while behind the horse drawn plow and the occasional groundhog target or rattlesnake were pests he wanted to get rid of. There are different sects of Amish and each has different limitations on what they can do within their faith. Last fall I saw a couple of young men carrying shotguns walking back home.
Even so, hi power rifle shells carry too far with too much residual energy to have big bore hunting in most of the state.
Here in Indiana you can use 22 for squirrels and as far as I know it's pretty much open for varmints. For deer, different seasons for Archery, Muzzleloader and shotgun. I've never gone after deer with a handgun but I guess 357 & up is legal now. There are limits for minimum power but I don't know about bullet weight.
Twenty years ago there was a bear reported around Waterloo, In. Never shot, and disappeared to the best of my knowledge so it may have been a hoax. About twenty years ago we started hearing more about coyotes and they are now spread throughout the northern half of the state. Don't know anyone in the southern half to check with. Most of the 7-8 guys I know that go after coyote with 223. We have fox, but not as many since the coyote moved in.
The problem with rifle hunting with big bores in northern Indiana is we have a large number of small farms, small towns etc. In the northeast portion of the state there are a large number of Amish farmers. The farm size is limited by how many acres they can farm with a team of horses. Thet equals many more rural homes, lots of kids running around in their black and dark blue clothes and generally less safe hunting conditions. Many of the farmers are happy to have you come in and kill groundhogs in the spring because it means less crop destruction. They just call the kids in for chores around the barns while you are there. They don't use the high powered fertilizers with their horse drawn equipment and it helps keep the yield up to get rid of groundhogs.
I don't know how long it's been going on because I was absent from the area for a few years with job moves and health problems when I came back, but some of the Amish are carrying guns into the field. You could have knocked me over the first time I saw a Amish guy in a gun shop. He was trading in a NEF 44 Mag rifle on a 9MM Glock. Seems the rifle was too difficult to manage while behind the horse drawn plow and the occasional groundhog target or rattlesnake were pests he wanted to get rid of. There are different sects of Amish and each has different limitations on what they can do within their faith. Last fall I saw a couple of young men carrying shotguns walking back home.
Even so, hi power rifle shells carry too far with too much residual energy to have big bore hunting in most of the state.
Lonestar.45
New member
I feel for you guys in the "no rifle hunting" states. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't hunt with a rifle. Sure, bowhunting is fun, I've had my fill of it, and it would give me an excuse to get further into muzzleloading and shotguns...but not being able to hunt with my dad's old 30-30 or my .270 would just plain suck.
Pinkfloyd
Double check your hunting regs, I bet your just not allowed centerfire rifle on squirrels. Does it specifically prohibit rifles? or Just centerfire rifles
Far as I know deer and some small game like squirrels are the only thing regulated in terms of equipment here in Ohio. Varmints can be taken with whatever you want. Squirrels are rimfire and shotgun only IIRC, deer have shotgun/handgun,archery, and muzzleloaders. Handguns have to have a minimum 5" barrel and bore at least .357.
For hunting something other than Deer in ohio and wanting to use a rifle, I'd suggest coyotes. There's quite a few of them, I see them on a fairly regular basis anymore. Find somebody with livestock and see if they need the coyotes thinned out any. I bet you'll have some takers Just remember the 4 rules, shots will carry a long way as flat as most of ohio is.
Double check your hunting regs, I bet your just not allowed centerfire rifle on squirrels. Does it specifically prohibit rifles? or Just centerfire rifles
Far as I know deer and some small game like squirrels are the only thing regulated in terms of equipment here in Ohio. Varmints can be taken with whatever you want. Squirrels are rimfire and shotgun only IIRC, deer have shotgun/handgun,archery, and muzzleloaders. Handguns have to have a minimum 5" barrel and bore at least .357.
For hunting something other than Deer in ohio and wanting to use a rifle, I'd suggest coyotes. There's quite a few of them, I see them on a fairly regular basis anymore. Find somebody with livestock and see if they need the coyotes thinned out any. I bet you'll have some takers
Just remember the 4 rules, shots will carry a long way as flat as most of ohio is.pinkfloydman
New member
nope no rifles of any kind in my zone, so i would have to drive 2 hours to go shoot squirrls of 4 hours for bear and coyote, so id rather go to vermont for that stuff, but the good news is we have a spotted a moose, cow to be exactin our woods, and were 20 mins from boston!
mill hunky
New member
depends on what cal. and location
south carolina has one of the longest deer seasons, 5 buck-5does allowed. i think a out of state lin. is around $300. a lot of state land to hunt. motels are cheap, most of the first part of the season usually warm. coyotes and hog can be harvested at any time. on the rifle cal., i`m sure there are more people here that can help with their experence w/ cal. i`ve used different 7 mags over 35 years. 35 cal. for the bush, 44 mag. pistol. if i would buy a rifle now, it would be a 300win. mag, or a 338 win. mag. because of ballistics and easy purchase of ammo. last year 4 of us went to canada. 2 had 300 win mag., 1 - 7 mag., and a 30-06. the hunting camp owner didn`t like the 7 mag. or 30-06. the first thing after unloading he watched us check our rifles. it was suggested that we should not go into the bush after a shot bear. to make a story short, we left w/ 3 bear. the 06 didn`t harvest any. i rolled my bear w/ the first shot, he got up and run straight at me for 20 yrds., and then into the bush. i thought i was fast w/ a bolt , but couldn`t get off a second shot. it was during a storm, rib bone , blood , at knock down. found bear, around midnight , storming worse, only 30 yrds into the bush with the help of my friends. in the future you might want to hunt in alaska, or for elk, or bear. so the cal. bought would be one you could use for a number of different hunting trips. rich
south carolina has one of the longest deer seasons, 5 buck-5does allowed. i think a out of state lin. is around $300. a lot of state land to hunt. motels are cheap, most of the first part of the season usually warm. coyotes and hog can be harvested at any time. on the rifle cal., i`m sure there are more people here that can help with their experence w/ cal. i`ve used different 7 mags over 35 years. 35 cal. for the bush, 44 mag. pistol. if i would buy a rifle now, it would be a 300win. mag, or a 338 win. mag. because of ballistics and easy purchase of ammo. last year 4 of us went to canada. 2 had 300 win mag., 1 - 7 mag., and a 30-06. the hunting camp owner didn`t like the 7 mag. or 30-06. the first thing after unloading he watched us check our rifles. it was suggested that we should not go into the bush after a shot bear. to make a story short, we left w/ 3 bear. the 06 didn`t harvest any. i rolled my bear w/ the first shot, he got up and run straight at me for 20 yrds., and then into the bush. i thought i was fast w/ a bolt , but couldn`t get off a second shot. it was during a storm, rib bone , blood , at knock down. found bear, around midnight , storming worse, only 30 yrds into the bush with the help of my friends. in the future you might want to hunt in alaska, or for elk, or bear. so the cal. bought would be one you could use for a number of different hunting trips. rich
pinkfloydman
New member
redneck,
ive decided to not even go that route, i just now, you my winchester 1904 pump short .22, and if some one comes by, (which they wont)ill just hid it and say im admiring nature (my hair is long so they think im some kinda hippy)
ive decided to not even go that route, i just now, you my winchester 1904 pump short .22, and if some one comes by, (which they wont)ill just hid it and say im admiring nature
(my hair is long so they think im some kinda hippy)