shotgun only states


mikebohio

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I've never really understood (or believed) the reason for shotgun only in some states. JMHO with centerfire rifles & shotguns neither is less dangerous than the other. Maybe a rifle bullet will skip off the ground & go further than a shotgun on a miss. Maybe it's the type of hunting that's popular in those states like say...Iowa that has party hunting type drives. The shotgun only states I'm aware of allow either shotguns or primitive weapons. Heck, modern muzzleloaders aren't much different than centerfire rifels now! Iowa allows rifles during their late anterless season but only shotguns during other gun seasons...that really makes no sense at all!

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NJ is a shotgun state, but allows the use of modern muzzleloaders. The distance a bullet cant travel from a high power rifle is more than likely the reason they are not allowed. A lot of hunting here is in close quarters. You need to be very careful and realize what is beyond the target when using slugs or the ML.

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i understand the fact a rifle can shoot farther but like hoosier hunter said most accidents happen under fifty yards. i was wondering if anyone knew of any hard facts that changing to shotgun only significantly reduced hunting accidents? has any states done research after changing?

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Don't think shotgun only states have reductions in accidents due to not allowing of rifles.

Iowa allows rifles during their late anterless season but only shotguns during other gun seasons...that really makes no sense at all!

Unless it is their intention to somehow disadvantage the hunter. Tennessee is right opposite, they extended our rifle season from two three week long seasons with archery only and ml'er only seasons between to being one two and a half month long rifle season that starts in November and runs through to January.

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I've never really understood (or believed) the reason for shotgun only in some states. JMHO with centerfire rifles & shotguns neither is less dangerous than the other. Maybe a rifle bullet will skip off the ground & go further than a shotgun on a miss. Maybe it's the type of hunting that's popular in those states like say...Iowa that has party hunting type drives. The shotgun only states I'm aware of allow either shotguns or primitive weapons. Heck, modern muzzleloaders aren't much different than centerfire rifels now! Iowa allows rifles during their late anterless season but only shotguns during other gun seasons...that really makes no sense at all!

Being an Iowa hunter I will not go out shotgun season! There are more and more people getting shot every year. The main reason is the hunting drives.I have seen a so called hunter unload on a running spike with no regard on whats behind the deer. I have also seen shotguners chase deer on 4 wheelers or in trucks. Shotguners in this state are a different breed. Now can you imagine the same hunters with rifles? The late rifle season is only in the southern counties with little population and a higher class of hunter. I would say here in my part of the state 80% of the shotgun hunters just shoot to kill not for the sport. While the bow and muzzle-loader hunters really care about what they are doing. That is why Iowa will not go to rifles for gun season.

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