Rifle bill and ammo question..

[Woody Williams]

This was brought up on another site and it is a pretty good question if an individual hunter was carrying a rifle and a handgun that used the same ammo.

The question.......

This question is somewhat convoluted, but I'll try to explain.

Last years new rifle bill opened up new calibers to be used for deer hunting, focusing on high power, center-fire rounds.
One of the restrictions is the amount of ammo allowed in the field "for this rifle".

The new proposal opens this up even further, to include all calibers .243" or over, with a minimum cartridge case length of 1.16", and retains the ammo count restriction.

Included in this would be the .327 Federal magnum, soon available in a lever-action carbine. While this is not a "high-power" round, it is still a new addition under the new rules.

So, If I decided to carry a Henry carbine in .327, does that mean I would NOT be able to also carry my SP101 at the same time?

The Henry will hold 10 rounds, but the pistol uses the same rounds.

Would this be a grey area opportunity for a less than friendly DNR official to charge me for a violation of the ammunition restriction?

I guess I could have asked the same question using the PSA PA10 .308, and a Savage Striker pistol. They would both be using the same caliber.

I have a feeling that it would be all too easy for one DNR official to dismiss it, while another might view it as an egregious affront to the law.

Does the ammo restriction only apply to high-power?

[morrison]

The hunter would be limited to possessing no more than ten (10) cartridges that can be used in the rifle. This would not be considered a "gray area". Our officers have discretion in when they issue citations, arrest, or warnings. I am informing you based on what the statute says. If a hunter is within the statute, the officer will not be put in a position to determine which avenue will result in the hunter's future behavior being in compliance with the statute. An enforcement action is not only to hold the individual accountable for violating the statute but also to ensure the individual is deterred from committing violations in the future.


IC 14-22-2-8 Deer hunting; permitted firearms; required report
Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to a hunting season beginning after
June 30, 2016, and ending before January 1, 2020.
(b) A hunter may use a rifle during the firearms season to hunt
deer subject to the following:
(4) A hunter may not possess more than ten (10) cartridges for the rifle while hunting deer under this section.