Our rifle deer season doesn't even start until the Monday after Thanksgiving. We then have two weeks. Only thing in now is squirrels.
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Our rifle deer season doesn't even start until the Monday after Thanksgiving. We then have two weeks. Only thing in now is squirrels.
One week of season in Ohio starting the week after Turkey Day. No Mil Surps allowed though this year pistol cal. rifles allowed so our choices now include shotgun (slugs only), smoke poles, pistols or archery gear and of course the new selection of rifles. I will use a ladder stand on occasion but do the rest on the ground. after having 2 sniper perches come down under me I figured out I don't bounce so good anymore:madsmile:
What's the reasoning behind the milsurp ban?
Our season lasts 4 1/2 months, starts Aug.15 ends Jan.1.
I mostly hunt cut overs and big lay out weed fields so tree stands are a help in seeing over and down into the foliage. Otherwise one could pass by at 10 feet unnoticed. Most do perch in tree stands here as a matter of safety and this year a new law was passed requiring a deer hunter to be at least 10 feet off the ground when hunting within 300 yds of a residence. I liked it better before when it wasn't allowed period unless you owned the land.
I was curious about the Ohio regulations myself so I looked them up. Doesn't say why but this is what you can use:
Hunt with the following straight-walled cartridge rifles during the deer gun season and the youth deer gun season: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110, and .500 Smith & Wesson.
I don't get it. A 444 Marlin is an extremely powerful round and one with flat trajectory. 45-90's and 45-110's are getting up there too. It just seems like someone came up with an arbitrary "straight wall" cartridge for no apparent reason other than force people to either stop hunting or buy another rifle.
I've never been a fan of using handgun rounds in rifles for deer. I've seen too many wounded deer and yes I understand shot placement, bla, bla, bla but people are still going to exceed the effective range on a regular basis with these.
PA has some "odd" rules compared to other states. The no semi-automatics being the most significant. We also have some areas near Philly and Pittsburgh where high power rifles are not allowed and are slug or buckshot only. I suppose the no semi-auto rule is to prevent rapid un-aimed shots and the slug/buckshot only to prevent long range stray bullets in urban areas. We also do not allow hunting on Sundays which I actually like. But then I grew up that way. They have been trying to get that overturned for years and not getting it. I hope they don't. If they did, I'd probably be hunting Sundays. It would give me more time but I like the forced day off and it also allows non-hunters a day they can wander the woods without fear of being shot.
Doing some more research, it might be because Ohio only allowed shotguns and handguns in previous seasons. Found mention that Illinois does something similar.
You are right, it is a powerful round and one would think it would flatten a deer right there on the spot but it wouldn't unless the backbone was hit. I had one 20 some years ago when the only ammo available was Remington factory loads the used the same 240gr bullet as the .44 Mag but at double the muzzle velocity. They had a bad habit of blowing up on contact leaving gaping entrance wound and not penetrating through and exiting the off side. Would'nt mind having another now that there's wide selection for more heavily constructed bullets available.
Now that is a beast. A buddy who's into ''carriageless cannons'' has one that's built up on a Remington model 30 action. It's a nice gun but not well suited to deer sized game.
There's two on the above list that shouldn't be allowed for deer, IMO, the 38 special and 41 LC. Neither has the power to reliably make a clean kill even with proper placement. Good example: This past summer I had a run in with pack of feral dogs and ended up having to shoot the meanest one in self defense. I put a 125gr +P .38 special right through both shoulders just below the spine and the bugger took it without making a sound. Just stood there growling at me. I was a bit stunned that it had no effect at all but before I could try for a head shot the dog just turned and walked away as if nothing was wrong. The bullet went clean through, I could see the blood stains on the white fur on both sides as it turned to leave. From then on the 38 stayed home. Now I carry my 10mm auto along on hikes. I bet he wouldn't have walked away from that one so easily. I figured he would've eventually died from such a wound but just before deer season I saw him and the rest of the pack again. One thing I should make mention of before someone gets offended about shooting dogs. These are wild dogs that have been known to attack people, livestock and pets and around here they get shot on sight.
Guys Ohio has some very arbitrary hunting laws. I haven't looked at the new regs on pistol cal cartridges yet but I had heard that the .38 was allowed. We have had pistol hunting for over twenty years and the minimum cal was .357 and the .45 wasn't allowed. No mil surps or any center fire rifle (before this year) because of the heavy population areas. Most private farms in Northern Ohio are less than 500 acres. I did say most. Several years ago the farming corporations came in and started buying up the same farms and cleared woods and fence rows so they could use their monster machinery without stopping. We used to have a real nice pheasant population but now unless they are stocked you don't hear them cackle in the morning. Of course the growing coyote and wild dog populations haven't helped. As a matter of fact about 10 years ago one place I hunted it wasn't unusual to see at least 10 to 15 deer on any given day and on opening morning it sounded like a serious fire fight going on. Near that area there was a new housing development that went in (average price 250 to 400 K) then the factories closed and people lost their fancy houses and a lot of family pets were left behind. Read that dogs.
I haven't even seen a deer out there in 5 years and haven't heard but a half dozen shots in the last 3 years on opening morn.
Another silly Ohio law is shotgun slugs only. Every state Ohio borders allows buckshot but not in the buckeye. I have asked several game wardens why and the only answer I get is because it's a multi projectile shell.
On a better note my son in a different state informed me his H&R M1 in now officially a deer slayer.
Funny thing about shotgun slugs is that there's been studies made that the basic Forster projectile has a rather further danger zone than other projectiles after impact. So it might not go downrange as far as a rifle bullet when both are discharged at a high elevation (i.e., 30-45 degrees above horizontal), but can go twice as far as a "ricochet". I forget which state DNR did the study.
But why not take a milsurp shotgun to the field? Not something I've done in ages, but ought to be do-able with the proper plug, if required. Or even a bit of birding with a trench/riot/aerial gunnery training gun? Used to be plenty of 26" IC barreled US marked shotties out there. Model 11s particularly, although they are "kick-o-matics".
(BTW, there's a US marked Model 11 riot gun for sale locally for about 800 US$. A wee bit of old rust on the receiver, but pretty nice overall. I'd have it if not for lots of other irons in the fire.)
P.S.: Haven't been online since early last friday, nor have i made it to the woods. Nasty cold came on friday. Did shoot an IHMSA match whilst sick Sat., but that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, given the "cold" combined with the cold and wind...
Pennsylvania only allows buckshot in certain locations. All centerfire rifles (except semi-autos) are allowed except in certain locations where buckshot is allowed. Depends on the population of the area.
I had bought a Marlin bolt gun model 512 P with the rifled barrel back in 96 to solve the shotgun slug problem and I can't say as it wasn't very accurate if you could stand to shoot it more than 5 or 6 times. This thing kicked harder than a 20 mule train. Sold it recently. I have an old 12 bolt gun made by Kessler that is older than I am by a year that shoots the old forester fairly well. My other choices are a S&W 916 pump it's a monster with buck shot but won't throw a slug to save your soul. A Mossberg 500 with the shot slug smoothbore that likes the Brennike's KO slugs and I picked up a Baikail over and under. All but the Mossberg is at my place in Tennessee with my kid. So if I get a chance to hunt I Ohio this year I will either use the .357 pistol or rifle ,the Hi-Point in .45 or the Mossberg. After I get settled down south I'm sure I'll use my mil-surps.
:thup:Took the USMC M39 clone out Saturday. Equipped with a ludicrously long Harris bipod, it was easy to sit and scan the clear cut. Had the toe of the butt jammed into a breast pocket, so no hands required. Even took a few naps with my head resting on the stock. Two does traversed the field, browsing as they went, and as it was one of our scarce "doe days", they got scoped pretty thoughly! But it was more fun looking than pulling the trigger, so that was it for the day.
Certainly felt much more in command of the field than with the M40a1. Wouldn't want to tote either for the usual "sneaking and creeping", but this open area type hunting is altogether different! Way easier if the deer cooperate. So I think I'll be much more selective whilst using the "uber-rifles". Likely have the T99 out before long and see what it feels like out of the woods.
Also found that as much as I don't like the bipod for range use, it was very user friendly on the hillside. Stupid easy to swivel, track and hold the crosshairs on the moving critters shoulders. Or anywhere else.
Sadly, camera was in another vehicle, as it would have been a great "photo safari" day.
Successful hunt, even if no fresh meat.
:wave: