Indiana Game Farm Bill

[1_pointer]

Rep. Eberhart (District 57 - Shelbyville) is proposing a bill to ammend the current laws for 'shooting preserves'. In current form preserves are only allowed for game birds, which I really don't have a problem with. This new bill would allow 'cervidae' with the list included deer, elk, moose and caribou. IMO, this is just an end around, again, to allow high fenced hunting in Indiana. While I still think overall the deer herd in Indiana is healthy, I'm not sure I want to risk the wild herds with high fence hunting. EHD has been bad enough... Likewise, I think it'll be a huge black eye for hunters in this state, which is way more urban/suburban every day! I think the mechanisms required in the bill for enclosure of the critters

Please take the time to read the bill and voice your opinion to your state representative and senators.

The bill link:
https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/house/1453#

Find your legislator link:
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/

 

[LCH]

Done.

 

[Washington Hunter]

What a stupid idea! I can't imagine why any state would want to make that legal! Private ownership of native big game animals should be illegal by federal law, period!

 

[SFC B]

1 Pt, what do you think of the proposal for HPRs becoming legal? On another forum I frequent people are going bat-shit crazy. I personally don't think it is necessary to harvest deer in IN but would LOVE to be able to shoot my '06 and not have to borrow the boys 44. Given the ability to hunt varmints with whatever you want coupled with the fact that large numbers deer hunters in IN are shooting from elevated stands I think it isn't a bad idea.

 

[Washington Hunter]

What is HPR?

 

[SFC B]

High powered rifles....right now legal firearms include blackpowder, shotguns firing slugs, handguns (.357mag and above) and rifles chambered in handguns calibers, PCR-pistol cartridge rifles.

 

[1_pointer]

1 Pt, what do you think of the proposal for HPRs becoming legal? On another forum I frequent people are going bat-shit crazy. I personally don't think it is necessary to harvest deer in IN but would LOVE to be able to shoot my '06 and not have to borrow the boys 44. Given the ability to hunt varmints with whatever you want coupled with the fact that large numbers deer hunters in IN are shooting from elevated stands I think it isn't a bad idea.

I fully support the proposed rule of allowing rifles for deer hunting in Indiana. BTW, Hoosiers are the only folks I've know who call them "high powered rifles". Most other places they are just rifles...

I agree not necessary, but I don't have a problem with their use. Too many folks think that we are going to mow down the deer and there won't be anything left. That's absurd. Same with the safety argument. Many other states with the same population density and topography have been using rifles for a long time.

The biggest reason I support the rule change is that I'm a father with two young boys. Sure, my 7yo was able to learn to handle a 357 Mag rifle for deer hunting this year, but a 'regular' rifle is more effective. Likewise, something like the 243 Win recoils much, much less than the traditional shotgun firing slugs. Makes it easier and cheaper for the new hunter to practice and get proficient. Not too many folks out there, especially women and kids, are gonna take the time to shoot a couple of boxes of slugs up to practice. They KICK and cost $10+ for five shots!

So, yep I'm all for the rifle rule. I just wish they wouldn't have been so shortsided as to have the .243" minimum caliber restriction. IMO, that was pure ignorance. A 300 Win Mag shooting a 110gr V-max (varmint bullet) would be legal, but a 223 Rem shooting a 60gr Partition or 62gr Barnes would not be...

 

[SFC B]

I have to say that I wasn't a big fan of 5.56 for deer until I saw them in action on a hunt in Texas. With decent bullets they are very effective. My little one took a pig +-90# with a 5.56 when she was 8. She was putting 3 round groups in a 2' group at 100m with that AR

 

[dcopas78]

There is a entity called "World Class Whitetails of Ohio" that is high fence and sets up canned hunts. Recently, it was discovered that one of the deer had chronic wasting disease and that as a result of this (and the owners blantant disregard for several laws) 300 deer of his in captivity will be euthanized. Unfortunately, there have been deer escape from the property and jeopardize the whole of Ohio's herd. I hate high fence stuff... here is a link to a story on it.
http://www.cleveland.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2014/12/holmes_county_deer_hunting_pre.html

 

[dcopas78]

BTW, this was Ohio's first year of allowing straight-walled "pistol" cartridge rifles. I heard a lot of people were loving it. Unfortunately, the .444 I ordered never came in in time for the gun season

 

[1_pointer]

I have to say that I wasn't a big fan of 5.56 for deer until I saw them in action on a hunt in Texas. With decent bullets they are very effective. My little one took a pig +-90# with a 5.56 when she was 8. She was putting 3 round groups in a 2' group at 100m with that AR

Like the lame comparision/example I put up, it's all about the bullets. I shot a doe pronghorn in UT at 175yds. Through and through. She went maybe 20yds.

dcopas- Disease was the main part of the comments I sent to both my rep and senator. If they ask for a followup I plan on sending them the link to that article. Thanks!

 

[JDH]

I emailed my rep last year on the bill they tried to push through and I received a letter saying that there was a lot more to the bill than just legalizing high fence deer hunting. But then again my rep was the sponsor of the bill so I might have been better talking to a wall.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

I'm totally against the high fence stuff here in Indiana. I'm also not a huge fan of the rifle season proposal, here's why. . . . We already have enough jacklegs shooting "at" deer way out of range of their shotguns and muzzleloaders and if it doesn't drop they don't check to see if they hit it or not. . . and I can't imagine them with rifles. I would be fine with up to a 30-30 or similar and even the .223 with a min 62gr bullet or such. It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other because no place I hunt can I shoot more than 80 yds because of the under brush and trees. I also think that it will put a hurtin' on our big buck hunting. . .I can think of multiple times seeing giants in the middle of a cornfield wishing I had a rifle and it was legal. We are just now starting to reap the benefits of the one buck per year rule. . .I'm sure this will pass because the insurance companies have deep pockets ( car collisions, crop damage, etc). I guess we will see. Just my thoughts.

 

[SFC B]

I will never be able to get my head around why anyone would even consider hunting high fenced animals.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I will never be able to get my head around why anyone would even consider hunting high fenced animals.

+1 Especially when that Bill would allow it on only 100 acres! You might as well call that a pen hunt when you're talking elk, moose, etc. I watch elk out in Wyoming cover 100 acres when they're walking along just grazing in a few minutes. 100 acres to them would be like putting them in a person's back yard! The fence height is also only 8' and a deer with a running start can clear a fence that high and why most are required to be a minimum of 10' where there are high fence places in other states

 

[LCH]

I will never be able to get my head around why anyone would even consider hunting high fenced animals.

A lot of guys who say they like to hunt don't really like to hunt. They like having a head on their wall and bragging material.

I'd much rather have a hunt with no harvest, than a harvest with no hunt.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'd much rather have a hunt with no harvest, than a harvest with no hunt.

Exceptionally well said.

 

[oldillini]

I'm also not a huge fan of the rifle season proposal, here's why. . . . We already have enough jacklegs shooting "at" deer way out of range of their shotguns and muzzleloaders and if it doesn't drop they don't check to see if they hit it or not. . . and I can't imagine them with rifles. I would be fine with up to a 30-30 or similar and even the .223 with a min 62gr bullet or such. It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other because no place I hunt can I shoot more than 80 yds because of the under brush and trees. I also think that it will put a hurtin' on our big buck hunting. . .I can think of multiple times seeing giants in the middle of a cornfield wishing I had a rifle and it was legal. We are just now starting to reap the benefits of the one buck per year rule. . .I'm sure this will pass because the insurance companies have deep pockets ( car collisions, crop damage, etc). I guess we will see. Just my thoughts.

I am tend to see things much like you. Although I have not hunted deer for many years I have seen the stupidity of numerous "hunters" and the lack of safety concerns. I can't imagine someone stopping alongside the road, pulling out their .300WM and taking 300 yard shots without any concern whether there may be someone in that tree row that is their backdrop. Sad part I have seen it already and its illegal now.

 

[1_pointer]

The game farm bill (HB 1453) passed out of committee 8-4. Time to start letting your opinion be heard by your representative as they could be voting on this bill by early next week!

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

The game farm bill (HB 1453) passed out of committee 8-4. Time to start letting your opinion be heard by your representative as they could be voting on this bill by early next week!

I cannot believe this is getting any support!!! How insane. . .SMH.