For those that haven't heard yet.....

Deer Air Rifle Link


Now we just need "air assisted" crossbow bolts.....

......look out world of hunting.

I don't know about this, but I do know this would be a poachers dream gun for sure....

Lewis and Clark had one:
http://home.nra.org/history/video/lewis-and-clark-girandoni-air-rifle

It was a repeater also .46 cal. Could shoot 40 times on one charge.

or anyone who hunt suburbia (like me) and doesn't want to tip off the neighbors

or carmel or greenwood homeowners looking to take out coyotes incognito, with the right bullet this would be an ideal trapping dispatch weapon...I can see lots of uses for this

the .357 is a bit of an odd choice though, why not go with a .270 or .30 and get more velocity than the 800 fps this rifle offers?

How many states even allow air rifles for deer hunting?

Yes we need more "opportunity".. gezz

Air guns have been around for ever.. when can I get some c4 and trip wire and sit on the couch? My shoulder hurts.. I digress.. I have hunted tree rats this way I must admit.

I know a guy that uses a scoped Red Ryder to keep them out of his sweet corn patch. Much easier on them than a 30-06.

While at this time, I won't pretend to advocate using air rifles for deer hunting, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

During the recent QDMA North American Whitetail Summit some of these types of questions were raised. Here's a quote.....

"When land becomes more developed, methods and regulations change. When you’re hunting 40-acres, you’re not going to track deer. You’re limited to sitting in a stand or blind. With higher human populations, firearms hunting may become outlawed, leaving bows as the only hunting tool. Bow hunters don’t kill as many deer as gun hunters, so deer populations grow. Then what? Sharp shooters, trapping, chemical suppression all become possibilities. All bad stuff."

Things like this should make all of us question what we would do if this happens. What if the IDNR banned hunting with firearms on parcels less than say....40 acres? What percentage of whitetail hunters would that effect? How would we as hunters remain the most viable way to help control the whitetail population? Crossbow inclusion helps as it boosts the harvest during the archery season, but no data I've seen shows that's enough to control deer numbers?

Would an air rifle become a viable management tool @ that point? I don't know, but we may have to answer questions like that @ some point.

Why not just make it anything goes ?? I'm sure some on here would be happy with that...

We are getting there Jeff, They are doing it one step at a time. All in the name of "opportunity".

I know one "animal control person" here in Indy who is using one today. He has it to get past the firearm discharge rule.

A dead deer is a dead deer.

In many areas a high powered rifle would be plenty safe. They have the same ballistics as many PCRs.

When they are made legal, I will be toting a .270 in gun season...

I agree that some areas in this state one could use a rifle for deer hunting and do it in a safe manner... And I would use one too...

yep, take a look at Joe's tagline. "Where science meets tradition, there will be sparks"

DNR wants more deer killed, high powered rifles are the next logical step after PCR, more liberal PCR restrictions, Crossbows, etc...

I am betting it will happen in a few years. Some old guys won't like it, there will be whining and complaining, "not the same as it used to be"...but it's going to happen.

I thought Marion county had a no projectile ordinance?

Air powered or not, it is still a projectile.

Not sure about Marion but Fishers, Carmel and Westfield have some ordinances like that.

The weapons creep, and other things like baiting and such, I believe takes out much, extremely much, of the skills from those who hunt or almost all those who hunt. It's more about the end result instead of the process of achievement for most. But that is what todays world has become in general, and evidenced in almost every aspect of society.

I've always found it funny how people will embrace the technologies they like but howl about other technologies they don't.

Years ago, it was compounds vs traditional archery
equipment. Now it's compounds vs crossbows.

Year ago, it was smooth bore vs rifled slug guns. Now it's rifled slug guns vs pcrs and traditional and wildcat center fire cartridges.

Years ago, it was traditional muzzleloaders vs inlines. Now we have inlines that use smokeless powder and are capable of accuracy and ranges that rival traditional center fire cartridges.

Years ago, it was traditional scouting vs film game cameras. Now, we have cameras that contact our phones or computers in real time, allowing us to try and set up on deer right now. Before long, many feel we will have drones that help us scout.

Point being, technology marches on. And while I like some of the changes, there are some I don't care for. But the reality is we can all hunt with what we wish. Whether that's a long bow or a smooth bore slug gun or a crossbow and a wildcat center fire rifle or maybe an air rifle in areas that don't permit traditional firearms.

And ultimately, bag limits and trigger finger management will decide what and how much of we can take as hunters and that has always been the case.

So, a .50 cal Barrett would be OK in Indiana for deer ?? You said we can all hunt with what ever we wish ?? Indiana dosnt have the land to allow the bigger rifle calibers. Maybe a few locations, but not the whole state....

SMH......left to right!!!

If it's legal...then yes, you can hunt with whatever you wish.....slug gun, pcr, longbow, recurve, compound, crossbow.....

And the calibers most people are taking about aren't a Barrett .50 cal....they are talking about rifles that would use the same LEGAL calibers available to hunters now...in centerfire handguns.

Yawn...go look for sheds

Been there....done that.....Have a good day.

well said JJAS.

I tried to explain IN hunting caliber regulations to friends out west...they looked at me in bewilderment.

"So you can't hunt with a .30-30 or.30-06 but can with a .358 wildcat and .458 SOCOM??"

and "but a .270 or .308 is legal, in a handgun?"

Ive now found 8, largest a 66 5/8th, 2 sets... ..... what about you ?? still sitting on the sofa ?? I'd be out today/tomorrow, but work beckons.... got to go play wrangler with the hookers/panhandlers and drunk truckers ;0) .....

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 76chevy:
[QB] yep, take a look at Joe's tagline. "Where science meets tradition, there will be sparks"

DNR wants more deer killed, high powered rifles are the next logical step after PCR, more liberal PCR restrictions, Crossbows, etc...

I am betting it will happen in a few years. Some old guys won't like it, there will be whining and complaining, "not the same as it used to be"...but it's going to happen.

76 you may be the most ignorant dude on here. I think if the dnr told you to kill every deer you see you'd just be like, "well the dnr wants me to kill every deer I see so I guess I better do that because they know whats best and I cant make my own decisions or use basic logic". wow. the dnr says I can now use grenades and machine guns and that gives me better opportunity so i'm all for it and I know that the "old-timers" wont like it but that's what the dnr wants and they are the all mighty fn gods of whats right for our hunting.

Parke, I can assure you that 76 fully understands the situation. The point is though that until "the message" changes, an awful lot of deer hunters, if not the majority, are probably going into the field with the attitude that they should kill as many as they legally want to kill because that's the message. Additionally, there is some logic towards the thought that if a person could only take one deer a year, what difference does it make in regard to what type of weapon is used. Not saying its right or wrong, but there is probably a lot of hunters who process it that way.

Parke,

Thanks for letting us know how you feel.

Not sure how you jumped to those conclusions based on my post, but nevertheless, let me try to clarify.

I asserted that the weapon regulations are being liberalized to meet the DNR's stated deer reduction objectives. I then provided evidence of recent changes to support this claim and offered the prediction that high powered calibers will one day be legal (they already are in pistols) in rifles.

In addition to my buck tag, I have the tags to kill 28 antler less deer in the 5 counties I hunt in. How many do I kill each year? about 0-2.

I kill the amount of deer my family and I can eat in 12 months, then I stop deer hunting and go trapping, squirrel hunting, etc.

Pretty simple really, very enjoyable, and entirely sustainable.

Does it matter which weapon I use to kill the deer?

Is a firearms killed deer different to the biologist than an archery killed deer?

There is no "science" to which tool kills deer better dead is dead. No "sparks" there

People need to realize they are dealing with government, that said government feeds off the people. IDNR exists off of license sales, anything that will increase the sales of a license benefits IDNR.

Can anyone tell me where wildlife and more importantly habitat has improved in Indiana in the last decade? I'm not talking hunting tools and "opportunity", where is the grouse, quail, pheasant, and even rabbit? Money is being used to support staff.... Not saying they are over paid by any means.

Any gimmick that will produce revenue is a positive. Centerfire rifles would have been legal several years ago if not for a few people in law enforcement. I have no doubt we will see air rifles and centerfire rifles legal in a very short time......... all in the name of getting more people involved= more revenue.

Deer/big game is the cash cow of all DNR's.....

just because deer/big game is the "cash cow" does that make it ok to allow every sort of weapon obtainable? NO. a dead deer is a dead deer..ok fine. and yes, there is no science to which tool kill deer better. BUT, it IS EASIER to kill a deer with a gun vs bow.. rifle vs shotgun. the ease allowed by our dnr causes more deer to be killed (yes, I know that's what they want and I HATE them for it. I have absolutely no respect for the dnr). that is the problem, our herd is already on the decline and they still want to kill more and make it easier to do so. I like to see deer, I have respect for deer and hate to see them being wiped out. and our regs and people are the direct reason for this. money money money..dnr and a lot of people don't even care about the animal. and I'm not mad because it affects me..i have nearly 1000 acres now that I manage on my own terms so my hunting is great. its the principle that pisses me off and the lack of respect for such a beautiful and smart animal. were headed down a bad road and the signs have already begun..maybe just maybe people will get it one day..of course it will take hitting rock bottom for most to figure it out

and fortunately, excluding guys on here, everybody I talk to is on the same page...meaning f the dnr and their bs regs.

Parke -

All the guys on here that I know personally, or through this site, have great respect for the whitetail deer. Many have been hunting 30-40 years or more and remember when there were very few deer around. They helped in many ways getting the deer to good hunt-able numbers. I understand your passion for deer and many on here do as well. Do I think the regs are where they should be? Not at all. Like many have already on here have been doing, (myself included) guys have started to cut back on harvest or not gotten a deer at all. JB is right, and you are as well, it all starts with people NOT pulling the trigger. Many one here are doing that and to call people out as ignorant is out of line. We are more on the same page than you think.

IMO, the DNR does the best with what they have and they really don't make the decisions anymore. Legislation now calls the shots and the NRC. DNR does what it is told. I have great respect for what many of them do, as it is at times a very thankless job.

The only difference between a rifle and shotgun is distance... IMO a shotgun is more efficient because it leaves a bigger hole... I want the most effective tool possible when I go out to hunt...

It's the person behind the trigger that makes all the difference, not the weapon they choose to use....

Great video Matt!

great video.

With all the arguing and bickering on this site, it sounds like a bunch of old women with there panties all bunched up.

Shelby, you are simply describing the state of hunters today, be it deer hunters, duck hunters, big game hunters, etc.

Ya'll must like drama.... Show us another site that doesn't have the same BS...SCH.

That is an awesome video. One that makes me proud to say I am a hunter. Few do anymore.

Just beautifully done!