Iowa to Allow Semi Auto Rifles

[troupe]

My 2020 WVa buck shot at 0730 on the first day of season. 110 yards with a AR 223 shooting a 65 gr Sierra SBT at 2800 fps. Went down like I hit him with a 7 mag, shot behind the right shoulder and exited just behind the left shoulder. My best deer to date. Little 223 worked great.

 

[Jareds]

Are you saying that people like Lester Holt (NBC) nightly news, everyone on CNN and even the elected president of USA / where I got this information, is wrong?

Just don’t use a 9mm to hunt deer anywhere no matter what state you live in it’ll blow the lungs out of the poor deer.

 

[3Sigma]

Farms and small towns are still close to gather in Iowa. We don't need bottle neck cartridges. Shotguns with slugs were the norm for years. There is a rifle only area in the part of the bottom two tiers of county.

I lived in NE IA for 7 years, another 2 in Northern IL. They aren’t any closer than they are in WI, MO, or eastern KS. There is just a lack of topography, especially west and north of IA city.

I only deer hunted in IA once. Much preferred pheasant. IL was a different story, but I had access to a nice place with no hunting pressure. I think the local topography and cover have a big impact, but that holds true everywhere. Rule #4 and all that.

 

[redrockranger]

There are timbers here were you cannot see a man 100 yds away.

Wyoming years ago if i remember correctly required .243 or larger I shot a antelope. A warden watched the whole thing from somewhere with his big window mt. spotting scope. He payed a visit.

Gave up deer hunting as a stated earlier. Dangerous to say the least.

 

[redrockranger]

Back when I lived there they hunted deer like we hunt rabbits in MO. Was pretty scary to a guy used to everyone using a .30-06 or 308.

Yes , group hunting . Drivers and blockers.Some groups of 20 hunters.Wild, wild , wild. I'll stick to eating beef.

 

[Adam in WI]

A little digging and you can find the study done at the request of Pennsylvania game commission. Shotguns are not safer than rifles considering common shots and elevation errors. Slugs actually ricochet farther than rifle bullets given that they maintain their original mass and shape better than rifle bullets. If you view potential ricochet distance as a radius to a circle around the shooter, the slug actually has a 15% greater danger zone than a 150 grain 30-06.

 

[timeout]

There are timbers here were you cannot see a man 100 yds away.

Wyoming years ago if i remember correctly required .243 or larger I shot a antelope. A warden watched the whole thing from somewhere with his big window mt. spotting scope. He payed a visit.

Gave up deer hunting as a stated earlier. Dangerous to say the least.

I don't deny that it can be dangerous. Walking across a street can be dangerous. I refuse to live my life in a bubble. God has already chosen the place and day he is calling me home. Not saying I will intentionally be doing something incredibly stupid and dangerous, but I am going to enjoy my time here on earth. Speaking of Wyoming, we had a local man shot and killed by a member of his own party there. So it can happen in the most uninhabited places on earth. Doesn't mean I'm in favor of outlawing rifles for deer hunting. Does mean I'm in favor of trusting the people I hunt with. On a positive note, given the choice of dying while hunting, or dying in a nursing home, I suspect that you know my preference.

 

[Dale264]

Semi autos have long been legal in Iowa whilst shooting the correct cartridge during the appropriate seasons. Started with a semi auto 12ga with a rifled slug barrel, then switched to a 350 legend in an AR 4ish years ago when that cartridge became legal.

The recent bill that was passed only allows cartridges as small as 223 during the special January anterless season. Last year that would have allowed 15 of 99 counties to participate. In years past the DNR had a special antlerless season allowing cartridges .243 and larger in certain southern and CWD counties. AR10s have been around quite a while as well so by default they could have been used during the special Jan doe seasons of yester-year.

Does this new bill change things? Yes, obviously. But I wouldn't go throwing a fit about it.

 

[ChrisA]

Semi autos have long been legal in Iowa whilst shooting the correct cartridge during the appropriate seasons. Started with a semi auto 12ga with a rifled slug barrel, then switched to a 350 legend in an AR 4ish years ago when that cartridge became legal.

The recent bill that was passed only allows cartridges as small as 223 during the special January anterless season. Last year that would have allowed 15 of 99 counties to participate. In years past the DNR had a special antlerless season allowing cartridges .243 and larger in certain southern and CWD counties. AR10s have been around quite a while as well so by default they could have been used during the special Jan doe seasons of yester-year.

Does this new bill change things? Yes, obviously. But I wouldn't go throwing a fit about it.

Finally some accurate information, thanks Dale!

 

[Bill Clifton]

Yes , group hunting . Drivers and blockers.Some groups of 20 hunters.Wild, wild , wild. I'll stick to eating beef.

Yeah I met some guys that kill deer that way in Indiana too. I say kill because that is not hunting. Screw that I prefer to sit and wait in the best spot or stalk a deer. My shots on deer have been anywhere from point blank out close to 500 yards. Accurate shooting here, don't recall ever needing more than one shot one kill not spraying bullets or slugs as the deer run past. I can see why they don't want high power rifles in those states where they are using those techniques. Seems very dangerous.

 

[redrockranger]

Semi autos have long been legal in Iowa whilst shooting the correct cartridge during the appropriate seasons. Started with a semi auto 12ga with a rifled slug barrel, then switched to a 350 legend in an AR 4ish years ago when that cartridge became legal.

The recent bill that was passed only allows cartridges as small as 223 during the special January anterless season. Last year that would have allowed 15 of 99 counties to participate. In years past the DNR had a special antlerless season allowing cartridges .243 and larger in certain southern and CWD counties. AR10s have been around quite a while as well so by default they could have been used during the special Jan doe seasons of yester-year.

Does this new bill change things? Yes, obviously. But I wouldn't go throwing a fit about it.

Not throwing a fit here. I quit deer hunting of my own decision concerning my safety and the welfare of my family responsibilities.

The decisions made are a response to chronic wasting disease and over population.

Perhaps this decision on firearms should be to have this season first and to allow baiting.

 

[CJ6]

Not throwing a fit here. I quit deer hunting of my own decision concerning my safety and the welfare of my family responsibilities.

The decisions made are a response to chronic wasting disease and over population.

Perhaps this decision on firearms should be to have this season first and to allow baiting.

But baiting is one of the worst things as far as cronic wasting goes.

 

[redrockranger]

Maybe a Covid shot would work ?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Back when i was a young lad we only had 2 rifles- a 30-06 and a 223. I killed more deer with a 223 varmint special than most get in their lifetimes. I didnt know back then it wasnt big enough to kill one- i never remember tracking one down wounded either. I still deer hunt a lot and never have been scared.

 

[remy3424]

It is a fine-line to figure out what changes to the regulations will do to the population. In Iowa we have enjoyed a good deer popuation, recent years has seen doe permits being limited in some counties while other counties are seeing increasing numbers and they are trying to figure-out a plan to change those numbers. It had been you needed to get close to deer to harvest them, as the regulation changes (more rifle cartridges) are introduced, the "hunting" part is getting easier...the distance needed to close has increased about 100 yards since the days of shotgun slugs only.

 

[tommeboy]

The deer hunting here has been terrible ever since they started these special seasons and all the extra tags. They are not doing this for the hunters. They are doing this for the farmers.

 

[remy3424]

...,and the insurance companies.

 

[Iafarmer]

...,and the insurance companies.

I have farmer friends that farm near a refuge in western Iowa. Deer much prefer soy beans and corn to brush and weeds so they endure quite a bit of depredation. Buddies from town want to hunt this area so sure come on and harvest plenty. Buddies hunt and take a big buck or two and head back to town. Farmers are left with plenty of grazers to feed and problem doesn’t go away. Issue some doe only to reduce herd and a few more mature bucks get to grow for another season. Agree deer keep body shops busy. By the way I’m not a biologist lol.

 

[remy3424]

Our insurance companies lobby hard for looser regulations, it is a know thing as it is a huge cost to them. I don't read or hear about farmers lobbing for this, but yes, it is an issue if your land harbors a large deer herd or is in close proximity to areas with lots of deer. Maybe that is why many farmers also hunt deer. Most hunters I know don't want looser regs, they want more deer, ie: more bigger bucks! Looser regs get more new hunters in the field, which is a good thing for the shooting sports.

 

[tommeboy]

The farmers run iowa. They dont have to lobby the reps.