Rimfire Finishing?

The spirit of this thread is to limit the deer's suffering or for that matter, any animal.
Click to expand...


I was under the impression from the question asked in the OP, that the thread was about the legality of using a .22 RF to Finish a deer, i.e.......

Our big game regulations forbid any rimfire use for deer, antelope, etc. I couldn't find anything in the regs whether using a 22lr to finish off a deer, for instance would be kosher.

Is there anyone here whose state's game regulations spell this out?
Click to expand...

Any legitimate hunter/sportsman or any human with healthy moral values is not going to want a animal to suffer. In the case of the OP and many of us other deer hunters we already have a legal way to do that...our primary hunting weapon. The idea to use a .22 comes from saving a few cents on the ammo, or just for the kick of shooting something with it. While many claim the former, I think the majority do it for the latter. I am impressed with the responses to this thread, because most of the time, whenever this question comes up, there is always one or two that boast about using the .22RF regardless of it's legality. Kudos to the responses so far for not going there.

BTW...I too am one with the mindset if I can get up behind a deer's ear to shoot it in the head with a .22, I can also cut it's throat with a good knife just as quickly, humanely and safely. My grandpa taught me half a century ago. As for legal, it has been explained to me by the local warden as just a process of field dressing the deer, AKA, bleeding it out. Where-as finishing it off with a weapon not legal for the season is still poaching. Same goes for using a firearm to finish a wounded animal off outside of legal hunting hours or one injured by a car/deer collision. While it may seem to be the obvious ethical and humane thing to do, unless instructed to do so by a LEO or warden, it is still illegal and punishable by law.
 
BTW...I too am one with the mindset if I can get up behind a deer's ear to shoot it in the head with a .22, I can also cut it's throat with a good knife just as quickly, humanely and safely.
Click to expand...
You musat carry an awful LONG knife if you can do it from a "safe" distance.

The biggest reason I see to use a 22, aside from costs, is it causes far less damage, while still killing quickly.

I prefer not to blow half the head off a deer when a .22 hole will do the job
 
Our's say any type of handgun can be used to dispatch game wounded LEGALLY with another weapon other than bow and arrow.

If hunting "big game" with a handgun as the primary weapon, it has to be "at least as powerful" as a 357 in a straight wall cartridge, and at least a 24 cal in bottlenecks, and with a minimum 5.5 in barrel, or a 22 LR for small game or "non-game" animals
Click to expand...

They changed all that. There is no restriction on barrel length or caliber.
 
Just ask the game warden that works your area. For some mysterious reason, people seem to want to stay off the radar of the Game Warden. I talk to the game warden that works my area all the time. Most game wardens are very easy to get along with. They want to arrest poachers. They do not want to aggravate law abiding hunters. Most of them are very helpful.
 
Wow. I wish every deer I shot fell over DRT with one shot. Some of you are amazing.

As others have said....if it is legal to hunt deer with then you can use it. Most stated do not allow 22 cal for deer hunting. That would also make it illegal for finishing off a deer. Technically even using a knife to finish off a deer could be considered illegal depending on the game warden/Conservation protection officer that you run into. Knives/spears aren't legal for hunting deer in most states.
 
not true. I got a wild hair a while back and looked at several state regs, the majority actually allow hunting with a 22 of some fashion. several do limit the use of rimfire cartridges and a handful limit 22s altogether but those states are the minority.
 
VA allows 22LR for hunting but NOT for deer hunting. That is the key. They may allow you to us a 22 to hunt but if it is not legal for deer then it isn't legal to dispatch one with
 
I was speaking directly involving deer hunting. VA does not constitute "most states" which is all I was saying. IIRC, VA does not allow any 22 caliber cartridge for deer, but that does not mean that 22s are illegal in most states.
 
Definitely not legal in MN or WI where I hunt. Must use a legal big game pistol round. In MN .22 center fire or larger. In WI .22 center fire or larger with a 5.5 inch minimum barrel measured from firing pin. So in MN you could finisf with any center fire but in WI must meet barrel length which eliminates a lot of pistols except for large revolvers.


MWal
 
if you reload just load up a few reduced power loads in case you need them. it is pretty easy to come with those types of loads
 
In Ohio you may only carry one legal hunting implement for deer hunting. I hunt with pistol, and have used finishing shots on occasion. Usually not because they are needed, but because its more humane than watching it suffer longer than necessary before it dies.
 
Va. has rifle counties and shotgun only counties . You cannot use a pistol to finish a deer in a shotgun only county . It is legal in a rifle county , but it must be .23 or larger .
 
Texas has no minimum power level

Texas just requires firearms used for deer be center fire so using your 22 pistol to slide a finishing shot behind the deer's ear is not legal but a 25 auto would be, on a side note I visited a taxidermist a few seasons back and he showed me a big horn sheep head he was mounting someone had given it a finishing shot to the back if the head with what looked like a 22 and it had not penetrated the skull it had flattened out like a nickel against the bone
bb
 
I have finished off a couple deer in my time. Just walk up behind and shoot it through the neck right below the head (From 8" away, it does not matter). It will not "Blow their head off". You can not even see where you shot. I remember using a 7x57 and a .243. I know I used others but do not remember what they were. If you do a lot of deer drives and get running shots, they may go down but could live a while. I always drag them out by the head and never had one come off, but then again, I don't use a .300 MAG either. Carry a 2 pound handgun on you? That is another canteen of water you could be carrying.
 
Get caught in Missouri with a .22LR durring firearm deer season and you will get some paper

Same goes for shotgun with bigger than #4
 
In NC we are allowed to finish deer with a 22 pistol. In fact, during bow season, it's the only thing you can use to finish them (aside from an arrow I suppose).
 
Its not legal in SC either. However, all the DNR officers I've talked to, related to quite a few, said they wouldn't charge you for finishing an animal. They said their ethics understand why even though the law states other wise. Now, don't get caught with JUST a .22lr.
 
If I'm hunting in a county legal for center fire rifle, I always have a couple hand loaded rounds for my rifle (30-30 usually, but also .308 and 30-06) using 100gr Hornady half jackets with 10gr Aliant Unique powder (thinking of switching to Trailboss). Does a fine job of finishing, is cheap, quiet, and legal. In shotgun only counties I don't have much choice but to waste a slug. Been thinking about using one of my old black powder sidelock pistols for that, but I'd have to carry it out there with me. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top