Hoosiers, a heads up!! NO rifles on public land

Important corrections to Indiana Hunting & Trapping Guide

Indiana deer and waterfowl hunters need to be aware of two important changes in the print version of the 2017-2018 Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Due to recent legislation passed this year by the Indiana General Assembly, hunters can no longer use rifles when hunting deer on public land. “Public land” includes both state and federal property. Before the change, the use of rifles on public land had been legal.

It remains legal to use a muzzleloader, shotgun or handgun when hunting deer on public land in accordance with deer hunting regulations.

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indiana50 said:

I was confused by this release, I thought that was the case since the legalized rifles. Must have not been written clearly.

Regardless, I'm glad to see it!

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SFC B said:

The difference is that the way the regs were written for this year was imprecise and ended up prohibiting the use of PCRs on public land as well as HPRs. I believe this wasn't intended but someone did a crappy job of writing the regs.

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marshman said:

Glad to see weapon restrictions on Public land? I am a long ways West of Indiana, but i don't get it.

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1_pointer said:

Also shows why this stuff should be done by the DNR and not the General Assembly IMO...

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1_pointer said:

The complaint, for me, isn't that we can't use the "new" rifle chamberings on public land, but that folks can't use the rifle chamberings (mostly pistol rounds or the like) that have been legal everywhere for years. It was a sloppily written law and now neither of my sons can hunt on public land with the same rifle (357 Mag single shot) that has been legal anywhere in the state. SO, for this part of the fiasco I blame the legislature. However, the DNR is not without blame as they proposed this same change through their rules making process the year before last and caved to some very loud, minority in number, squeaky wheels (IMO). Folks did not like that, so got the legislature involved and we have the current mess.

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DNR emergency rule for 2017 deer hunting season

An emergency rule signed today by the DNR, filed with the Natural Resources Commission and the Legislative Services Agency, states the following:

“Rifle cartridges that were allowed in previous years on public land for deer hunting are allowed on public land again this year during the deer firearms season, the reduction zone season (in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm), special hunts on other public lands such as State Parks and National Wildlife Refuges, and special antlerless season.

This means that the rifle cartridge must 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 if used on public land. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.”

For more information on rifle requirements for deer hunting on private land, visit [wildlife.IN.gov/7389.htm]wildlife.IN.gov/7389.htm and click on “Equipment.”

To view all DNR news releases, please see [dnr.IN.gov]dnr.IN.gov.

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