Author Topic: Firearms season in Ohio (Read 1005 times)

handirifle · « **on:** August 15, 2005, 02:37:05 PM »

For all you current Ohio residents, I have been emailing Ohio F&G for a few days now because I noticed the big (been a lot of years for me) changes in firearms allowed for gun season there.

The issue came up when I noticed a line that says "rifles using rifle ammunition may not be used" So my question was what about rifles using pistol cartridges and below is his reply.

The text right below from Eric is the reply to the question at the bottom.
"Scott,
yes, straight walled cartridge, .357 or larger.

Eric-----Original Message-----
From: Scott [mailto:slewis53@adelphia.net]
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 7:01 PM
To: Wildinfo
Subject: RE: Comments from users

At 03:26 PM 8/12/2005 -0400, you wrote:

"Ohio does not allow rifles using rifle ammunition for deer gun season."

Can you use rifles using handgun ammo, such as 357 or 44 mag?
Thanks for the quick response.

Scott"

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2005, 03:22:15 PM »

Isn't a 444 straightwalled? I know the 45-70 has a slight taper.

Ian

cattleskinner · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2005, 03:30:38 PM »

This is news to me!!! The way that the regulations say, you can only use shotguns, handguns, bows, and muzzleloaders. I've been wanting the same thing for the past five years or so. It always puzzled me as to why they wouldn't allow rifles using pistol cartridges, since it fills a niche between the pistols, and shotguns/muzzleloaders...heck they can all use the same bullets, why not allow it? If the guy you talked to is right, that is great news, however, I asked the local game warden a year or two ago the same question, and he told me they wouldn't...something about being able to "extend" the range, or some hogwash like that. Are you sure that he wasn't talking about pistols, because that is the rules they have concerning them...5" barrel, .38 cal. or larger. Thanks for the info. handi!!

~~~Amos

P.S. Oh yeah, and your brother is one lucky s.o.b.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2005, 03:43:09 PM »

Well, a .357 mag 22" Handi does have a barrel longer than 5" and it is a handgun caliber.....but it isn't a handgun....

?

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Hunting/huntregs/allowable_p17.htm

cattleskinner · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2005, 03:49:15 PM »

Quick,

That's what doesn't make sense to me. I don't know if the guy handirifle is emailing, got it confused with the pistol regs, or they have been hiding the fact that you can use a pistol chambered rifle from us.

~~~Amos

mitchell · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2005, 04:30:13 PM »

i was talking to the game guy of ross county and he said that maybe this year if not then nexy year that it would be leagal to use a rifle with a pistol chambering (ie 357 44 )

JPH45 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2005, 05:32:34 PM »

Quote from: Haywire Haywood

Isn't a 444 straightwalled? I know the 45-70 has a slight taper.

Ian

:wink: :roll: :grin: I like the logic, I don't think it would float.

Even though the 45-70 does have taper, it is considered a straight wall, as opposed to a bottleneck. But then these days a 375 is considered a big bore. Not sure how that happened, I was taught that big bores started at 400, so I guess that it is possible that younger folks who don't know better (Not you Haywire) may be classifying cases as tapered, but this was not a differenciation in past, at least as I know it. God knows I don't know everything.

Would be nice if Ohio did this, could open doors for a lot of people in other states as well.

cattleskinner · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2005, 06:06:16 PM »

Well, I was a little hesitant about the whole thing since I hadn't heard any of that before. But if this whole thing turns out to be true, I just might have to send my 223 receiver in for a 44 mag. barrel. After looking at the pics that quick posted, I don't think that my nickle reciever and a blued barrel would be too bad at all.

~~~Amos

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2005, 06:11:14 PM »

Don't be in a hurry for the 44mag barrel, they're out for 2-3 months...

cattleskinner · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2005, 06:16:24 PM »

Oh, I don't plan on it right now, as I still have a few more months of groundhog hunting to do. I'll probably wait until I hear for sure whether or not we will be allowed to use them, and by that time, they will be in stock again I'm sure. I have my huntsman, or lone eagle pistol to use if I can't get the barrel in time for deer gun season.

~~~Amos

handirifle · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2005, 08:18:20 PM »

Hi all, been at work so I couldn't respond. I will follow up with a call to the Dept to verify, but I did notice mention of the 444 and 45-70. I think the KEY to remember is the way this one line is worded,

"Ohio does not allow rifles using rifle ammunition for deer gun season."

It's the "using rifle ammunition" that is key, a 45-70 or 444 is NOT most likely considered pistol ammo. BFR might disagree, but I doubt that was their intent.

In either case, if, this is correct, then 45-70 or 500 S&W would be ideal. An easy 125yd deer gun. I intend to ask if there is a type of gun restriction, such as a levergun in 44 Mag.

Beekeeper · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2005, 10:39:22 PM »

Handirifle, please call and talk to a county wildlife officer about this. The guys and gals answering the phones and emails in the district offices have been incorrect when giving out legal advise over the phone way too many times in my experience. I'd talk to the officer in the county you intend to hunt since he/she will probably be the officer checking you.

zach

mitchell · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2005, 01:18:26 AM »

hey handi just when and where do you plan on comming out??? anywhere near ross county???

handirifle · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2005, 04:22:37 AM »

beekeeper, I am going to do just that today. Good advice.

Mitchell,
Not sure if I can make it this year, but when I do it will be just south of Columbus (don't know county). I have another brother near PA as well.

handirifle · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2005, 06:55:52 AM »

Well, now I am more confused.

I called the Ohio F&W and at first talked to a "Tammy", she confirmed what "Eric" had replied to me via email. When I asked her if there was a restriction on the "type" of firearm, ie. levergun, single shot etc. she transferred me to Gary Ludwig.

He flat out said NO WAY can you use a RIFLE, other than muzzleloader, in Ohio for deer.

He claims that they must have misunderstood the question. If you look at my first post, it is in bold. Kinda hard to misunderstand that.

I'm gonna call some more on this cause something just doesn't smell right. I informed him that the sentence about rifle ammo, is misleading, since there are rifles that shoot pistol ammo. He disagreed. If he won't re-word or remove that line I'll go up a level in mangt. till someone either agrees with him or with me.

So I guess for now you cannot, at least according to the THIRD person I have talked to. Two of them in person.

Bummer! I was gettin kinda excited there for a bit. :cry:

BnSC · « **Reply #15 on:** August 16, 2005, 07:19:54 AM »

Please be careful w/ this like others have said... The guy you talk to in management, will not be the guy writing you the ticket, taking your stuff, etc..

In SC, we get conflicting answers from GW's in the same district on somethings... If it is questionable, I'd stay away from it.. The deer won't care whether it was killed w/ a .500 S&W or a 12 ga. slug.

You could be starting something that could mean good things for you in the future... Make the phone calls and urge other hunters to do the same until you get noticed..

Good luck to you either way!

cattleskinner · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2005, 07:25:00 AM »

Handi,

Your sister's place is in Pickaway county, the one just above Mitchell's county. Hey Mitchell, whereabouts in Ross county do you live? I've been going to school in Athens county the last couple years, and will be down there this fall to finish a degree.

~~~Amos

Beekeeper · « **Reply #17 on:** August 16, 2005, 07:29:02 AM »

The only person who is going to know is the county wildlife officer.

A few years back I bought my hunting license at the local gun shop, and asked for my HIP certification too to hunt migratory birds. The girl there told me the federal law requiring the HIP number had been done away with. I then called the District 5 station, and two people confirmed the girl's story. So I went dove hunting, and wasn't even in the field an hour when a state wildlife officer pulled up. He checked my gun, and asked why I did not have my HIP number to hunt doves. I explained what happened, and he did not cite me. He did make sure to call the gunshop to inform them they must provide an HIP number, and then said he'd make sure everyone at district 5 understood the law. Mistakes can happen. I'd just rather not have to worry about being cited, and that's why I always ask to speak with a conservation officer.

In my opinion after reading the law again you can only use pistols, and not cartridge rifles of any manufacture, even if chambered for pistol cartridges. I really don't see a problem in allowing hunters to use rifles chambered for pistol cartridges. Hopefully this is something we will be allowed to do in the future.

Zach

Handirifle, edited it to make it clearer.

handirifle · « **Reply #18 on:** August 16, 2005, 09:19:14 AM »

For what it's worth Gary Ludwig said he wished it was true, but no for now.

I'll keep checking.

I was just looking over the regs and I see where my confusion came from. Not from the regs but from a reply from the first contact. I had asked him if Ohio had or would have a law like what was discussed in another thread (45-70 in ML season), his reply was the statement about rifles and rifle ammo.

I am not at home to re-read all my emails, but as near as I can figure that is what happened. I'll keep looking at Ohio's regs but, I'm pretty sure.

This is like the old test of sitting people in a circle and starting off by telling the person on your left a story and seeing what it is like when it comes back to you.

If I got any hopes up or mislead anyone, I apologize. I just fed off the email reply I got from them instead of going back to the source.

FWIW
Zach,
A muzzle loader IS a rifle.

cattleskinner · « **Reply #19 on:** August 16, 2005, 09:41:17 AM »

Handi,

No harm, no foul in my opinion. It's good to know this now, rather than to pick up a rifle, and have no use for it during gun season....Now back to planning on how to get that 41mag. blackhawk for this year.......

~~~Amos

handirifle · « **Reply #20 on:** August 16, 2005, 11:05:54 AM »

There you go. With a 5" or longer barrel, THOSE ARE legal. Good luck.

shaner · « **Reply #21 on:** August 16, 2005, 11:16:09 AM »

heck with some of the new handguns out lately they are almost like a rifle , such as the taurus raging bulls and that S&W 500's , they have 10 in model's out , i seen taurus is bringing out a 44-40 410 something wow big ol puppy, and the contenders go up to what? 18 in barrels? in a stright walled cartirge?

? mant ways of killin ohio deer for sure hahahahh

cattleskinner · « **Reply #22 on:** August 16, 2005, 01:09:33 PM »

I used a Magnum Research Lone Eagle 14" 44 mag. pistol last year, and while I really like it, and it shoots great, it just isn't quite what I want for hunting. I decided that after using it for deer last year that I would much rather have the blackhawk because I would rather have a pistol to put in a holster when going through brush/dragging out a deer. Most of my shots are 60yds. or less, so I figure that the open sights won't be a hindrance, plus they are quicker to shoot off hand too. My brother just got a 44mag. raging bull, and dad has a m44 Taurus 44 mag. too...nice pistols in their own right. I just can't see myself spending $10+ per box of 5 slugs. That's why I switched to handguns/ muzzleloaders.

~~~Amos

mitchell · « **Reply #23 on:** August 16, 2005, 02:38:18 PM »

i live in ross county south west of chillicothe about 8 mi but i spend my time in circleville (pickaway county) where most of my friends and my church is and unless you are hunting the far west or northwest your shots are either going to be in sluggun range or out of rifle range. i do a ton of groundhog and coyote hunting in pickaway county and i've seen a lot of nice deer i know of a few places to hunt there but most of the time the shots will be in side of 100 yards.

handirifle · « **Reply #24 on:** August 16, 2005, 03:21:28 PM »

Cattleskinner
I feel your pain, that is a lot of money.

Michell thanks for the feedback

mitchell · « **Reply #25 on:** August 16, 2005, 03:56:05 PM »

no prob make sure to look me up when you get here.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 16, 2005, 04:37:43 PM »

If the ODNR knew just how many boys do yhe old drop a 44 mag in the 410 trick they would have a cow or let us use a rifle in a pistol round :eek: :eek:

I myself would much rather see a single shot rifle than the good ol boys throwing 4 or 5 12 ga. slugs like they are in combat

handirifle · « **Reply #27 on:** August 16, 2005, 04:57:37 PM »

stimpy
Like I told the guy on the phone, the carry range of a rifle 44 mag isn't a whole lot farther than from a pistol. I agree on the accuracy issue too.

handirifle · « **Reply #28 on:** August 17, 2005, 05:30:28 AM »

Well, I solved a problem that never existed. :grin: Just added a tracker II 20ga and a set of synthetic stocks to my order for a 280 barrel.

CS said one to two more weeks. All parts were in stock. Now to get good with those $10 for a box of 5 shells :eek:

cattleskinner · « **Reply #29 on:** August 17, 2005, 04:45:19 PM »

Hehehe...I did the math on the shells I reload for that lone eagle pistol, and it comes out to just a hair over $ .20/round if you don't count the cost of the brass. Should be about the same, or a touch less for the .41. That's why I switched to a pistol from a shotgun.

~~~Amos