Air guns, 22’s and WI deer.

Had a friends brother call last night wanting to join us over the gun deer hunt. Told him since he was a felon he could because WI does not allow the use of a bow during the gun season anymore. While we were on the phone he started checking the rule book as did I. Could not find a ruling on the whole bow thing. So will have to call the DNR on that one. BUT—-

On page 10 of the WI regs it clearly reads That you cannot use any rimfire, centerfire, or airgun LESS THAN 22 CAL. SO the rules are now saying a guy can go out and use that trusty old 22 marlin for deer hunting. Worse yet a pellet gun. So while we are talkig the keyboard is a burning on his end. Starts talking about ballsitics etc. I alredy knew that a high powered pellet rifle ould be gottne that was faster than the avg 22 rimfire. I did not know about the 9mm, 44, and 50 cal air rifles out there now. The 50 cal can shoot a 275gr hollowpoint up to 800fps. Thats a chunk of lead!! Now I see why the DNR has changed the rules. I’m sure that will take a deer down at close range. Although probaly not the most practical or humane. What i don’t get is why the DNR would allow these puny guns and not a bow. Does not make any sense.

Then again what the DNR does doesn’t make sense most of the time.

Steve

While I don’t know about the bow ruling I do know that you are misinterpreting the actual rules. What they are saying is that you cannot hunt deer with a rimfire rifle, center fire rifle smaller than 22 caliber, or any air rifles. Now I didn’t go and see the actual print in the handbook yet but unless it changed from last year (and it will be in the what’s new section if it did) then you need a centerfire rifle of .22 caliber or larger.

Knowing your pal messed up and cannot hunt shouldn’t ruin his season. He can still be a part of deer camp. As far as I know can still take part in drives. Camp is always looking for a cook. Heck send him to a tree stand with a camera and see what he can “shoot” that way.

Ok I took a quick look see online. On page 5 you will see the following:

Quote:

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Rifl es:

• Must have an overall 26” minimum length with 16” minimum barrel length.

• Are legal for hunting deer in areas not restricted to shotguns, muzzleloaders and

handguns only as indicated by the maps on page 13.

• It is illegal to possess any rimfire rifle larger than .22 caliber or any center-fire rifle

.22 caliber or larger during any gun deer season in shotgun only areas unless it is

unloaded and enclosed within a carrying case. Note: Rifled barreled shotguns and

muzzleloaders are not considered rifles for purpose of hunting deer.

• It is illegal to hunt deer with any air rifle, rimfire rifle, or any center-fire rifle less

than .22 caliber.

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Riverrat- Take a close look at the rules. Either page 5 online or actually 10 in the handbook, or even the last line of your quote in the post. It says

It is illegal to hunt deer with any air rifle, rimfire rifle, or any center-fire rifle less
than .22 caliber.

It does not say you have to use a centerfire round. All it says is whatever you use, rinfire, centerfire, airgun must be at least 22 caliber or larger. That is of course as long as the barrel is long enough.

I have looked at this rule over and over. Don’t know how a person can read it any other way. It says LESS THAN 22 cal. NOT GREATER THAN!

So it is an intresting rule that has been written. Can’t find a bow rule. I do know that it was up in the conservation congress meeting to allow it. So assume it is illegal.

Yep the guy I have been speaking to did mess up. He got drunk at 17 and was having a bottle rocket fight. Managed to get a endangering safety ticket out of it. i would take my chances with him drunk with bottle rockets before I would his cooking!!!!!!!!

I understand what you think you are reading but I’m afraid you are misunderstanding this.

The rule states that “It is illegal to hunt deer with any air rifle, rimfire rifle, or any center-fire rifle less
than .22 caliber.” Because of the placement of the parenthesis you can remove the “rimfire rifle” without changing the meaning of the sentence. If you do that it would then read “It is illegal to hunt deer with any air rifle or any center-fire rifle less than .22 caliber.” That is a very clear statement: No air rifles may be used to hunt deer in Wisconsin. With the “rimfire rifle” portion added in the word “any” prior to centerfire is also now key. I’m sorry I don’t know how to explain this better as I failed all of my high school English classes but I do know the sentence is correct as written.

Bottom line is simple. Only centerfire rifles of .22 caliber or larger are legal in Wisconsin. I’m not sure I understand your point about “LESS THAN 22 cal. NOT GREATER THAN! ” though? A centerfire rifle of .22 caliber or more is legal. Think outside the box here. They don’t mean a centerfire .22 because there isn’t one (that I know of?). Think more along the lines of a 22-250, .223, and .220 Swift. All are .22 caliber centerfire rifles and are legal to use for white tail deer in Wisconsin as far as I know.

Maybe there needs to be a way that a felon can reprove their trust, if you will, to be allowed to hunt with firearms again. I fully understand that some felons made a stupid mistake. Murderers are a different story.

I wasn’t a very good english student either. I just speak it.

In reading it more and more. I can complete each sentence after the commas. It is a confusing read that’s for sure. Guess one has to have a better understanding of the english language.

At least it is not as bad as the back up gun issue with black bear hunting. Even a guide who is there to assist in a hunt cannot have a backup gun with them or pull the trigger even for safety reasons. I’ve gone over that one with the wardens numerous times.

I just got off the phone with the guy and told him to end the sentence after each comma. He agreed it made more sense that way. So he offered to help do some drives and drag deer. Then went on to say if he bought a tag then someone could fill it for him. Had to refer him to another section of the rule book on that one as well. Can’t do it. He don’t like the idea of coming up to jsut walk around the woods with a camera. I told him he could film me shooting the big one, but that didn’t excite him much.

He will just have to wait until the late season, or next year.

Just to clarify another point, .223, .220 Swift, .22-250, .222, and the .22 Hornet are all .22 caliber centerfire cartridges. “.22 caliber” simply refers to the diameter of the bullet, nothing more. Therefore, these cartridges are all centerfire and are all .22 caliber (they fire a .224 inch diameter bullet.)

A couple of excerpts form the WI regs………. See the comments regarding group hunting in the last sentence……..

Unless otherwise prohibited, a felon can

generally hunt legally with an air rifl e for small game, or bow and arrow for small

game mammals (see 2008 Small Game Regulations) and deer.

Group hunting is not legal for archery deer hunting.

All participants must be licensed and each must possess a fi rearm.

How do muzzleloaders fit in the picture??

Good question! ML’s are considered ‘firearms’ by the DNR with respect to deer hunting, but they fall outside laws regarding other firearms……..I would imagine that it all boils down to the restrictions the court placed on a given felon regarding weapons………

Tim

Page 10 of the regs spells that one out clearly in the first rule. Which follows the WI law as to a firearm. In WI anything that uses blackpowder is considered a firearm.

In WI you don’t even have to be a felon to lose your firearm rights. Get cited for domestic disturbance and you lose them. Note the word disturbance. Doesn’t mean you beat the crap out of your girlfriend/wife. Just have to make a disturbance in the house. So don’t yell at the kids to loudly! The neighbors call the cops and you can lose your guns.

Doesn’t take much these days to lose your firearm rights!

Steve

Quote:

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Group hunting is not legal for archery deer hunting.
All participants must be licensed and each must possess a fi rearm.

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That’s curious. Am I to understand that in order to make a deer drive one must be licensed? Is that new? I’ve been driving deer since I was able to walk and know many others doing the same. I have to admit that is a new one on me.

There was a whole bunch of rules a few years back on the deerdrivestha got changed. A lot of the rules were put in place because of the probation/parole offices pressure. They were dropped. Now anyone can particpate in a deer drive without a licnese.

The law use to read all that were involved had to possess a firearm, and a license. Now you can drive all you want.

Still if you want someone else to fill your tag that falls under group hunting. in which case you must possess a firearm. This is to prevent felons/ domestic chargees from buying a tag then having it filled.

Steve