Deer hunting question

Submitted by Wishful_Thinking826 t3_yifrcr in massachusetts

Just reading over the states hunting laws and some of them really don't make much sense; can someone explain the reasoning here?

So first. Why is it illegal to hunt deer with a rifle larger than .22lr, but I could hunt a Coyote with a 50BMG if I wanted? Its just counter to what most people use for hunting.

Second. I've found conflicting sources on this but from what it seems to me, you cant carry a side arm while hunting? Coming from boar hunts in Texas and elk in Alaska a side arm was pretty standard for if you get attacked by said boar or a bear. MA it pretty tame in comparison so its not a big concern for me, I'm just curious as to why?

This is MA so I'm not at all surprised by these laws but what's the thought process behind them.

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TywinShitsGold t1_iuihat8 wrote

> Why is it illegal to hunt deer with a rifle larger than .22lr

Isn’t that only after dark? You shouldn’t be hunting deer with a 22 anyway…

There’s no way you can carry a sidearm while hunting in MA. Almost zero chance that’s allowed. You’re not likely to run into a situation like boar hunting.

Edit: apparently you can’t hunt with a rifle at all in MA. Well, shit. Rifled shotguns are okay tho.

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Starlightandspirits t1_iuiw25v wrote

I used to go hunting with my son's father. He only went during bow season and primitive arms. So I guess I'm not much help. I live in the Berkshires. What I can say is that even here our state is very populated. People and dogs are everywhere. If I walk in the woods during hunting season i always wear blaze orange as does my dog. You could think you are far away from anything and boom there are people there, other hunters etc. Just becareful and scout throughly. This is way different than Texas. Good luck and happy hunting.

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somegridplayer t1_iuio358 wrote

>Why is it illegal to hunt deer with a rifle larger than .22lr, but I could hunt a Coyote with a 50BMG if I wanted? Its just counter to what most people use for hunting.

The original intent had to do with how densely populated MA is compared to other states and typical deer rifle calibers. I know, it makes no sense, but it is what it is. If I get bored enough I'll ask my local squirrel cop again. Although with our deer population I've never seen any need to bother after archery season to pull out the slug gun. You can fill a supermarket freezer with all the extra tags you can get these days.

We do every so often have some spectacularly stupid hunting accidents that rival any other state though so don't ever expect it to change.

>Second. I've found conflicting sources on this but from what it seems to me, you cant carry a side arm while hunting?

So the only explicit law is around archery season you cannot carry any firearm. Shotgun/primitive is super weird in it's wording but I would suspect nobody is going to give you any shit unless you intend on fucking around and finding out.

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PakkyT t1_iuirfoz wrote

>So the only explicit law is around archery season you cannot carry any firearm.

Is that true even if you have a general license to carry? Seems odd that you could have a license from your local cop that allows you to walk around town with a concealed weapon but once you step out into the woods you have to lock that weapon up in the car?

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somegridplayer t1_iuizoqf wrote

>Is that true even if you have a general license to carry?

Yes because you're considered in the act of hunting.

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PakkyT t1_iuj1h88 wrote

Yes I understand that but I find it illogical (because I am Spock) that I can walk around cities streets with a concealed weapon (legally with a license to carry), but if I am out in the woods mostly alone and carrying a rifle or shotgun, a concealed handgun is now considered too much?

By the way, I am by no means one of those pro-gun people, I am actually all for reasonable gun control, but I do find many laws for many things to be contradictory or to have been implemented in ways that simply do not make sense. This certainly sounds like one of them.

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somegridplayer t1_iuj5hpl wrote

>but if I am out in the woods mostly alone and carrying a rifle or shotgun, a concealed handgun is now considered too much?

archery season its forbidden, shotgun or primitive season its very fuzzy and I don't know a single person who's been hassled about it on private or public lands. A friend is a prominent yote hunter in the area and ALWAYS carries.

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Starlightandspirits t1_iuiwmgj wrote

I actually commented something similar. Every year you hear of some dumbass shooting a person in thier yard or a family pet. This is way different and people are everywhere.

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somegridplayer t1_iuizy3w wrote

We're not PA (hunters shooting other hunters. in fucking tree stands isn't unheard of) but fuck, some of it is over the top. Like the Norton shooting where the cop was never charged. MEP wanted to charge him, Attleboro magistrate let it go.

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Statest16 t1_iuja6dx wrote

Why do you need a sidearm ,a shotgun at close range would kill a charging animal your not hunting ie... boar,bear,moose etc..

You may hun coyote with any rifle'

Bear with with a 243 or better

Deer is shotgun or muzzleloader only

They really should open up deer in the western counties to rifles .243 or better ,I live in the Berkshires and it's as safe as Vermont in most places to fire a rifle but the lawmakers all live east so MA will never get rifle zones.

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Who the hell hunts deer with .22lr anyway ?????

We also need a moose lotto in for the North Quabbin and East Berkshire regions with .25 cal muzzle dia minimum but that will never happen.

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Wishful_Thinking826 OP t1_iujemkm wrote

The idea for the side arm as it was explained to me is 2 fold.

1.) when you're in the middle of being attacked (meaning your already on the ground or within touching distance) the side arm is far more maneuverable and the long gun has probably been dropped. I'm not a big fan of this idea but its not entirely without merit. I'm sure you can find some vid of a guys gun jamming while a boar is charging and him getting it with a pistol but I think this is the exception not the rule.

2.) And this one I do support. Is on long multi day hunts you have a high likelihood of running into stuff around your camp. It's a lot easier and faster to have a pistol on your hip while carrying fire wood or going to the bathroom, or cooking than a long gun on your back. Its also more of something to make a lot of noise and scare it off.

I never carried one in Texas but for elk I carried a 45. Not sure if id do it again though. maybe a Glock but that 45 got HEAVY by day 5 lol

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HaElfParagon t1_iuil8sy wrote

In short, it's because the state believes that if you hunt game with a rifle, it's going to make you want to hunt people with a rifle. They are absolutely terrified of anyone who owns a gun, regardless of the reason.

Could you link your sources about the second one? I haven't heard that one before.

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Wishful_Thinking826 OP t1_iuimqxh wrote

https://www.mass.gov/hunting-regulations

Its in here, its weird because if you go through the different pages is says different things in regards to handguns which is why I said I have conflicting info. Kind of typical for here it seems all the firearm laws are getting so complicated that its hard to follow them all lol

Got any recommendations on a good slug gun? All this came up bc i have the perfect spot on my property for a hide. right up on ridge over looking a clearing in the forest with a creek near by, but the shots probably 200-250 meters. I've never tried a shot like that with a shotgun and im crap with a bow lol

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TywinShitsGold t1_iuin6rp wrote

That’s gonna be very long for a shotgun. You’re looking at <100 yards with a 12 gauge slug. Sadly.

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