Airbows in Gun Season - Slippery Slope
Indiana
Proposed Rule Change Allow air rifles and air bows to be used for deer hunting during the deer firearms season. (312 IAC 9-3-3) Hunters have expressed interest in using air rifles and air bows to harvest deer. Air rifles and air bows are capable of humanely and efficiently harvesting a deer. Equipment would have to meet the same requirements specified by the administrative code, but would allow hunters to have additional options when choosing to hunt for deer during firearms season. For air guns, the gun would have to propel a single projectile by means of non-ignited compressed air or other gas charged by an external high compression power source and have a .40 caliber or larger bullet or ball at a single discharge that generates at least 400 foot pounds of muzzle energy. An air bow would need to have a sharpened metal or metal-edged broadhead with metal points and a minimum speed of 300 feet per second at release. Attend hearing on proposed rule changes The Natural Resources Commission’s Division of Hearings has scheduled two hearings to accept public comments on proposed rule changes. The hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, July 29 at Mounds State Park and Thursday, July 30 at McCormick’s Creek State Park.
For a complete list of proposed amendments with additional information about each proposal, see wildlife.IN.gov/2362.htm.
Administrative Rule (Regulation) Changes The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) gave preliminary adoption to the Fisheries, Wildlife, and permit-related rule proposals listed below on January 21, 2020. The NRC will review the public comments before voting on final adoption of the changes later in 2020. Public hearings have been scheduled as follows: Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm ET, Mounds State Park, located at 4306 Mounds Road in Anderson, IN 46017 • Fisheries Rules Hearing in the Nature Center, multi-purpose room • Wildlife Rules Hearing in the Pavilion Thursday, July 30, 6pm ET, McCormick’s Creek State Park, located at 451 McCormick Creek Park Road in Spencer, Indiana 47460 • Fisheries Rules Hearing in the Sycamore Room • Wildlife Rules Hearing in the Oak Room Comments can also be submitted online at: https://www.in.gov/nrc/2377.htm Scroll down to the rule making docket and click on “comment on this rule” next to the FW Biennial Fisheries Amendments or the FW Biennial Wildlife Amendments, whichever rule package the comment is applicable to. Comments can also be mailed to: Natural Resources Commission Indiana Government Center North 100 North Senate Ave., Room N103 Indianapolis, IN 46204 The deadline for public comments is July 30, 2020. The NRC will review the public comments before voting on final adoption of the changes later in 2020. Rule changes that are given final adoption must still be approved by the Attorney General’s office and Governor’s office and filed with the Indiana Register before taking effect.
Hard to see any logic to this, unless maybe you're a manufacturer-lobbyist with a one-step-at-a-time approach to getting "air bows" placed into archery season later? How many air bows will be sold to firearms hunters for firearms season, when a center-fire rifle is already legal? Fully equipped with a suppressor if you want. Answer is probably very few. But finagle your way to eventually getting them placed into bow season, and you might sell a bunch.
Well, after the HPR fiasco, I have little faith left in the system. The NRC may well nip this proposal in the bud...but how long will it be before these folks get some legislator to carry the proposal to Indianapolis? Times sure have changed. Nothing surprises me any more.
More pathetic legislators managing wildlife with their law degrees and open pockets. This is why I'm done deer hunting on Indiana public ever again. Got my plans made for 2020 and beyond. None include Indiana. All barriers to entry have been torn down here. Illinois public is bad now too, but at least there's more public properties and some remaining barriers such as antler restrictions, short gun season, property lotteries, archery only properties, stands must be removed daily, bikes or boat use needed, etc. These are not great, but add up. Better than nothing like this state has now. And every 5 years get a real hunt in Iowa.
