Weird Indiana deer rifle laws

[Gunner46]

I was just looking around for a different place to maybe take a trip, not too far away, something new for a new deer hunt. I checked out Indiana. Holly Mother of Grandma's flabby posterior.....They have some of the most convoluted rifle restrictions that I have have seen. A 243 Win is legal, a 35 Rem is not. A 300H&H, cool, a 270 not. Forget a 7mm anything. So... from what I read on the F&G web page (I may be wrong) is that we can blaze away with a 300 RUM but a 32 Special is Ver Boten! What's not connecting here????

 

[LCH]

I don't think you have a firm grasp of our convoluted gun regs, but that really just further illustrates your point. It really is pretty ridiculous.

Also, they make sure and change the laws every few years, and sometimes make special exemptions for good measure! Lol

 

[nwihunter]

Also you are not allowed any of those on public land I believe. Private only.

 

[Gunner46]

I don't think you have a firm grasp of our convoluted gun regs, but that really just further illustrates your point. It really is pretty ridiculous.

Also, they make sure and change the laws every few years, and sometimes make special exemptions for good measure! Lol

Does anybody have an absolute grasp on the Regs?

 

[SFC B]

They are much more complicated than should be necessary. The reality of how these restrictions originated comes down to a couple of issues IMO 1) farmers having SERIOUS influence in the legislature and being paranoid about rifle rounds "traveling for miles". Although I could see some logic in splitting the state by topography much like a reverse of Michigan-rifles in the more wooded hilly south. and 2) The incredible pressure that the limited public land gets......oh and you can shoot coyotes from exactly the same spot with whatever you want

Here are the current regs http://www.eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/deer/ and they aren't as bad as they used to be .....the first set of enumerated cartridges can be used ANYWHERE firearms are legal, the second set (1.16 to 3" case length, 6mm/.243 or larger with no FMJs) are for PRIVATE LAND only.

If you have a specific question I will give it a shot, if I can't answer it I can direct you to a CO that will.

 

[SFC B]

Also you are not allowed any of those on public land I believe. Private only.

PCRs can be used on public

Rifles chambered for cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger, have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches, and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms, youth, reduction zones from Nov. 14-Jan. 31 (in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm), and special antlerless seasons. These rifle cartridges can be used on public and private land.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

They are much more complicated than should be necessary. The reality of how these restrictions originated comes down to a couple of issues IMO 1) farmers having SERIOUS influence in the legislature and being paranoid about rifle rounds "traveling for miles". Although I could see some logic in splitting the state by topography much like a reverse of Michigan-rifles in the more wooded hilly south. and 2) The incredible pressure that the limited public land gets......oh and you can should coyotes from exactly the same spot with whatever you want

Here are the current regs http://www.eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/deer/ and they aren't as bad as they used to be .....the first set of enumerated cartridges can be used ANYWHERE firearms are legal, the second set (1.16 to 3" case length, 6mm/.243 or larger with no FMJs) are for PRIVATE LAND only.

If you have a specific question I will give it a shot, if I can't answer it I can direct you to a CO that will.

"A hunter must not possess more than 10 of these cartridges while hunting deer."

Don't suck...

 

[LCH]

Does anybody have an absolute grasp on the Regs?

I don't think so. Look at the .350 Legend for example. The public land minimum bullet diameter is .357, and most references list the 350 Legend at .355. DNR basically said "close enough" and listed it as a legal cartridge.

To be public land legal, the case length also cannot exceed 1.8". So what happens is that some people trim their brass short, and suddenly some otherwise illegal cartridges are OK.

 

[LCH]

"A hunter must not possess more than 10 of these cartridges while hunting deer."

Don't suck...

That's dumb also. Kind of a new rule. Now instead of throwing a box of shells in your backpack and heading out to the stand, you need to count out no more than 10 rounds and put them in a baggy or other container.

Oh, and you can also legally kill hundreds of deer in Indiana. But carry no more than 10 rounds while you're doing it.

 

[Henry22]

Just to add on from what’s been said above. The current regulations in the hunting and trapping guide are your best bet. Indiana just started loosening the restrictions on rifles about 5 years ago, and not all calibers, like the .270, were legal at the start. They have since updated the regs. So, some sources from just a couple years ago may be outdated. Here’s a link with some (not all) of the common calibers from the DNR FAQ section.

Indiana Deer Hunting Answers

Answers to common deer hunting questions about licenses, equipment, season and bag limits.

www.in.gov

 

[1_pointer]

I don't think so. Look at the .350 Legend for example. The public land minimum bullet diameter is .357, and most references list the 350 Legend at .355. DNR basically said "close enough" and listed it as a legal cartridge.

To be public land legal, the case length also cannot exceed 1.8". So what happens is that some people trim their brass short, and suddenly some otherwise illegal cartridges are OK.

The .35 Rem can be legal with a trim of the brass. This is the one I'm most aware of folks doing that with.

Based on the questions in the most recent deer survey, I'd not be surprised to see rifle regulations relaxed in the not too distant future. Wish they'd approve .224" centerfires.

To the OP: It looks like you might be looking at some old regs. For private land, most anything .243" and greater is legal. When they first opened private land to normal cartridges it was 6mm and 30cal only as it was "test".

 

[JDH]

I was just looking around for a different place to maybe take a trip, not too far away, something new for a new deer hunt. I checked out Indiana. Holly Mother of Grandma's flabby posterior.....They have some of the most convoluted rifle restrictions that I have have seen. A 243 Win is legal, a 35 Rem is not. A 300H&H, cool, a 270 not. Forget a 7mm anything. So... from what I read on the F&G web page (I may be wrong) is that we can blaze away with a 300 RUM but a 32 Special is Ver Boten! What's not connecting here????

Just curious, is a 350 Legend legal in Ohio? I might be wrong, but if you take away the private land only calibers I don't think it's much different than Ohio.

 

[1_pointer]

Just curious, is a 350 Legend legal in Ohio? I might be wrong, but if you take away the private land only calibers I don't think it's much different than Ohio.

IIRC, Ohio is a straight wall cartridge state. It so, the 350 Legend would not be legal. 444 Marlin, 45-70, etc would be.

 

[Gunner46]

Just curious, is a 350 Legend legal in Ohio? I might be wrong, but if you take away the private land only calibers I don't think it's much different than Ohio.

In OH it's pretty straight wall cartridge's only. There's a list of 'approved' rounds by the DNR. Here again dumba$$ness reigns supreme. A 50/110 is just peachy, a 30/30 isn't . As long as it's .357 to .50 cal and straight walled you're good.

 

[MJE2083]

They've dug themselves a hole on this one

 

[Nick87]

Confusing rifke laws are better than no rifles at all. Every jackass and his brother taking 250 yard shots with there slug guns here. You can hunt coyotes 24 hours a day with any caliber rifle though, makes sense.

 

[Indianajoe]

Want a better laugh? Get 5 or more conservation officers together and discuss this. They all auve their own ipinion as well, not even they all agree on the rules.

 

[Redman]

The other catch is I have been hunting with a .308 Win here in the Hoosier state for 20+ years out of a T/C Encore handgun. I can carry all the ammo I want and hunt on state land. Grab my rifle and it is 10 rds and private land only legal. 35 Remington is legal out of a handgun but not a rifle...makes 0 sense

 

[Boarmaster]

IIRC, Ohio is a straight wall cartridge state. It so, the 350 Legend would not be legal. 444 Marlin, 45-70, etc would be.

I hunt in Ohio. The 350 Legend is legal there.

 

[Boarmaster]

Confusing rifke laws are better than no rifles at all. Every jackass and his brother taking 250 yard shots with there slug guns here. You can hunt coyotes 24 hours a day with any caliber rifle though, makes sense.

Back in the late 90s and early 2000’s I hunted in Ohio on federal forest Land. Pretty crowded in the woods. Not so much anymore. Them guys only had a week to hunt deer and they mostly all shot slugs. Prior to hunting there I had been hunting rifles in FL and LA. I never heard so much shooting and lead flying in the air. guys shooting them slugs two three times at a deer running to either hit it or knock it down. My first thought was they would be better off with rifles and one shot kills like everywhere else. Laws changed and I use a .444 up there these days. I have a ruger carbine .44 I would like to use some day. I might buy a 350 Legend if I can find a rifle that will suit me.