Caliber restrictions make no sense.

[Recon]

Why can I hunt deer with 40cal pistol but not the sweet new .224 Valkyrie rifle I built. I understand that it’s .24 or larger. I’m just saying it doesn’t make sense. That Valkyrie would slay black tails. .223 would make a great blacktail rifle. Hell growing up in North Dakota my first two deer were taking with a .222 a whitetail and a mulie. It doesn’t make sense and I’m just bitching.

[Oh Mah]

The .40 cal pistol also has restrictions to what can or can't be used hunting in WA.

[Recon]

The .40 cal pistol also has restrictions to what can or can't be used hunting in WA.

Right 4” barrel .24 cal or larger.

[JimmyHoffa]

They (game depts around the country) used to just say that the cartridge had at least iirc 800 lb-ft of energy to hunt.  Used to be how it was written in regs.  They didn't want too many .32-20s or .22 LR out there.  I think there were enough cartridges made that game wardens couldn't remember all of them and which had enough energy.  Manufacturers were making ammo to meet those energy requirements, except in the varmint calibers; so I think depts just cut off by caliber and dropped the energy requirements.

[Hilltop123]

Because the hunt Washington forum, has nothing better to do than make rules about hunting. We make them specifically to screw guys with SWEET Valkyrie's. It's how we sleep well at night.

[badnewskruse]

Because the hunt Washington forum, has nothing better to do than make rules about hunting. We make them specifically to screw guys with SWEET Valkyrie's. It's how we sleep well at night.

 

[timberfaller]

You have to go back in time to when they(the department)changed the rules.   Way to many people didn't know how to shoot humanely and thus a lot of wounded game was being seen(pre PETA and others).  This ushered in "caliber restrictions".

Now with that said, a good shooter can harvest just about anything with a small bullet!  I've seen it done before these rules were in place.   The little ole 222 Remington downed a lot of deer with one shot in the right hands.   I've seen guy's shoot big bore's and wasted entire animals because they didn't know how to harvest correctly.  "he kept getting up, so I had to shoot him again"

So it not hard to understand WHY,  I just wish it wasn't so.  Its also the results of a "Free" society where its a privilege to hunt and fish, NOTHING in the rules about being "proficient" or having/practicing, common sense!

[elkboy]

Some days I don’t know how I’ve ever taken a deer without a Truck mounted 50 cal and an RPG.

  

I have gotten a good bit of flak for hunting whitetail with my .243.  The deer did not argue, however!

[hunter399]

I can tell ya this subject has been on HW before here's a link to a old topic with a poll of almost three hundred votes.Main reason it will never happen hunters just can't agree.
 Here's the link

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,205241.0.html

Your welcome to revive it or continue on with your own topic.
I built a 25-223 or 25/45 to get around the restriction.
Goodluck.

[ne kid]

Growing up where I did I've seen many the deer fall quickly to a 22mag. It is a deerslayer.

[BA Mongor]

22mag?
I didn't realize that was a legal round.

Either your in your 70's or 80's when it was legal "I don't even know if  it was legal then" or you grew up with and were around poachers.
Is that what you're trying to imply with that statement?

F((*&^&$ Poachers....I can't stand them and have seen the affects and aftermath of what they've done.

Just my 

 

[hunter399]

22mag?
I didn't realize that was a legal round.

Either your in your 70's or 80's when it was legal "I don't even know if  it was legal then" or you grew up with and were around poachers.
Is that what you're trying to imply with that statement?

F((*&^&$ Poachers....I can't stand them and have seen the affects and aftermath of what they've done.

Just my 

 

Just cause they used a 22mag doesn't mean they didn't put a tag on.

I known this very old man once ,old war vet ,he is dead now .
Anyway he bought his tag every year .Owned quite a bit of land .Had him a small Apple orchard in his back yard.And every year he would pop him a deer right in the head with his 22 rifle.He had Doe opportunity then when being over 65 and disabled.Anyway he did everything legal except his caliber.No way would I turn him in.He also gave me permission to HUNT his land except for the backyard.This was over ten years ago ,I lost permission to hunt when he died ,and his son took over his place.But I will always remember you known when he filled his tag You would see the blood going from his backyard to his garage .

[Bob33]

22mag?
I didn't realize that was a legal round.

Either your in your 70's or 80's when it was legal "I don't even know if  it was legal then" or you grew up with and were around poachers.
Is that what you're trying to imply with that statement?

F((*&^&$ Poachers....I can't stand them and have seen the affects and aftermath of what they've done.

Just my 

 

You might want to check facts before making accusations.  There is no minimum caliber requirement in certain states like Montana, even today.

[444Marlin]

I think the caliber guidelines make some sense and help cover some of the less effective or marginal rounds.  Even within the regs, there are a lot of choices available.  Stop complaining and pick up a rifle in a caliber meets the guidelines...that's as sweet as your 224!

[buckfvr]

"Caliber restrictions make no sense"

There are restrictions because too many hunters don't exercise "common" sense. 

Yes, it really is that simple.

[Hilltop123]

"Caliber restrictions make no sense"

There are restrictions because too many hunters don't exercise "common" sense. 

Yes, it really is that simple.

 
Legislate, to lowest common denominator.

[follow maggie]

22mag?
I didn't realize that was a legal round.

Either your in your 70's or 80's when it was legal "I don't even know if  it was legal then" or you grew up with and were around poachers.
Is that what you're trying to imply with that statement?

F((*&^&$ Poachers....I can't stand them and have seen the affects and aftermath of what they've done.

Just my 

 

you need to get over yourself. if you take a minute, maybe he didn't grow up here? Maybe he still hunts other places without our caliber restrictions?

[hunter399]

I really don't think it's that bad .Most people would use common sense.If you make bad shots with a small caliber ,I don't really believe your gonna be a better shot with a large caliber. I've asked around people from other states and they say they very rarely see hunters using smaller calibers.Then the age old gun debate that an ar15 is not a sporting rifle,Well most hunters in this state won't allow it to be.So we can't really complain when they wanna take our "assault rifle"

[444Marlin]

I think an AR would make a great platform for a large and medium game sporting rifle.  I like the 458 and 358 SOCOM.  The 6.8 is another that has some merit.

I don't think 22 calibers should be used for Medium and Large Game, regardless of the platform.  I'm sure there's a lot of folks that saw plenty killed with a .22...I just think it's marginal.

The bigger risk if folks start using less effective ammo is we might see WDFW spell out exactly what and what is not approved SAMMI cartridges, bullets and velocities.

[Igor]

Growing up where I did I've seen many the deer fall quickly to a 22mag. It is a deerslayer.

Maybe, but somehow you just never hear the stories of the ones that were wounded and died a painful death days, or weeks, later.

[JakeLand]

Growing up where I did I've seen many the deer fall quickly to a 22mag. It is a deerslayer.

Maybe, but somehow you just never hear the stories of the ones that were wounded and died a painful death days, or weeks, later.

same can be said about every caliber or muzzy or archery ! A well placed shot with anything is key

[Goshawk]

"Caliber restrictions make no sense"

There are restrictions because too many hunters don't exercise "common" sense. 

Yes, it really is that simple.

What you call common sense is now so rare, I call it a Super Power!

[ibuyre]

I love AR's. I built one is 300 BO and got my first deer with it. I didn't like how it performed. But I got my deer with one shot, just didn't do as much damage as I would like. So I built another AR in 7.62x39 and got my second deer with that, again one shot. I have went to Wyoming and while there I hunted with a 18" DMR clone AR 223 using 75g bullets. In those hunting trips to Wy I have taken 7 animals, only one required a second shot, and that was just to end it quicker (still moving when I walked up to it). Those 7 animals shot with a 223, all went right down and ran less than the ones I shot with 300 BO or 7.62x39 or even animals I have helped track that had been shot with a shotgun slug. 223 with the right bullets and good shot placement just puts things DOWN. I wish I could hunt deer in this state with 223. The regs are a joke, I can hunt with a 30 carbine, but not a 223. Really.... BUT I can't use that 30 carbine in a firearms restricted area, have to use a shotgun or muzzle loader there. A muzzle loader or shotgun slug, is much more dangerous than a 30 carb.

[scrapperdude]

caliber restrictions make perfect sense, I don't care if you can drop a moose with a BB gun or you made a special gun or shot an animal in another state with it,  there are rules and regulations for a reason, don't complain about your gun that you built when the rules and regulations were there before you built that gun

[scrapperdude]

yeah all I was getting at is they have to have some type of regulations to go by for all the weapons used for hunting

[grundy53]

yeah all I was getting at is they have to have some type of regulations to go by for all the weapons used for hunting

Why?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[jackson7]

For guidelines for the misinformed users.

[Stein]

Montana doesn't have caliber restrictions for big game for rifles or pistols.