Why do straight wall seasons exist?

[KenLee]

I’m in Georgia, really no “dog” in this fight because we can hunt with firearms from Mid October until January.

That being said, I used to hear all of the time the reason for our extremely long firearm season and liberal bag limits (10 does & 2 bucks) was because the Insurance Companies were lobbying to reduce Deer vs Automobile collisions.
I never believed it much, but the more I think about it… the more sense that makes.

Going back to Straight wall calibers vs ML/Shotgun… I think very similar applies here. Folks with “say” want to use whatever weapons they want, increase firearms/ammunition sales, increase hunter participation AND.. increase deer harvests which will in turn… lower Deer vs Automobile accidents

*Taking the tinfoil hat off* that’s my .02

Insurance companies rule the US. If you don't believe me, just try to get the neurosurgeon recommended back fusion approved.

 

[Dave0317]

On the insurance company note, I’ve heard that is also the largest opposition to reintroducing Elk to all of their former range.

 

[Kurts86]

On the insurance company note, I’ve heard that is also the largest opposition to reintroducing Elk to all of their former range.

The farm bureau’s usually are the largest opposition to elk reintroduction by far and away.

 

[35WhelenWacker]

Yes, it’s a attempt to limit how far a bullet travels, effectively range as well. By limiting to a large bullet usually 35 cal or larger BC is usually low, lots of drag. By being straight wall case capacity is limited keeping velocity down. Some states also limit oal which further limits powder capacity. In the end the regulations create a limit of 250-300 yards for effective bullet performance. Also many of these states allow drives/party hunting.

I have heard some of the changes from shotgun to rifle was to increase participation. Less recoil, higher accuracy vs a shotgun slug. Trajectory is similar.

In iowa which was shotgun only, then straight wall, and now 35 cal or larger, the reasoning has been its flat and we don’t want people shooting 400+ yards. There is a road every mile at a minimum and lots of houses. Some hunters claim that shorter ranges help keep bigger bucks alive longer. Although you can now use almost anything in late seasons in a few hilly counties.

Iowa's original reason for being a slug state was actually not for safety at all surprisingly ( despite most lawmakers listing that as the reason now). The original reason was to limit harvest when deer numbers were at an all time low. Reducing the effective range of hunters to in turn lower success rate and raise deer population. I do think safety is a valid concern now as population density has increased, and there's a lot of idiots that will pull the trigger till their gun is empty with aiming being optional.

 

[rem.ostrem]

Iowa's original reason for being a slug state was actually not for safety at all surprisingly ( despite most lawmakers listing that as the reason now). The original reason was to limit harvest when deer numbers were at an all time low. Reducing the effective range of hunters to in turn lower success rate and raise deer population. I do think safety is a valid concern now as population density has increased, and there's a lot of idiots that will pull the trigger till their gun is empty with aiming being optional.

That last part is definitely a problem. I knew a guy who would empty a 5 round shotgun and then pull a 45cal 1911 and empty half of that magazine at a doe that was 150 yards off. Always swore he hit her but we never did find blood...

 

[SurfAMHuntPM]

shotgun only. (Sale#1)
State adds muzzleloader a week prior. ($#2)
State adjusts to allow pistols and pistol caliber in shotgun areas ($#3)
State is discussing straight wall for legendhammer -y cartridges in ($#4).
Need centerfire rifle for the mountains / out of state , for “range”; but most are within 50yds ($#5)
apparently I need a .223 ?

= Puzzled look from my wife when I fill tag with stickbow.

 

[satchamo]

Yes, it’s a attempt to limit how far a bullet travels, effectively range as well. By limiting to a large bullet usually 35 cal or larger BC is usually low, lots of drag. By being straight wall case capacity is limited keeping velocity down. Some states also limit oal which further limits powder capacity. In the end the regulations create a limit of 250-300 yards for effective bullet performance. Also many of these states allow drives/party hunting.

I have heard some of the changes from shotgun to rifle was to increase participation. Less recoil, higher accuracy vs a shotgun slug. Trajectory is similar.

In iowa which was shotgun only, then straight wall, and now 35 cal or larger, the reasoning has been its flat and we don’t want people shooting 400+ yards. There is a road every mile at a minimum and lots of houses. Some hunters claim that shorter ranges help keep bigger bucks alive longer. Although you can now use almost anything in late seasons in a few hilly counties.

Yeah for me I like them for the limited range effectiveness, therefore less bucks getting picked off. It keeps (most) people honest. IL just went straight wall last year and it was a very good step from shotgun and ML. I can now use a 350 legend that has ammo readily available, is very accurate, and has wayyyyy less recoil while my effective range largely stays the same.

The only head scratcher is we’re only allowed single shots which is probably IL politics…

Box blind culture is taking over here so the idea of allowing bottlenecks and having dude out perched in a $3k blind picking off bucks at 400 yards makes me cringe.

 

[Rich M]

You guys are debating something that occurs during a 4 month overall deer season.

I dont care what we hunt with as long as can hunt. Just accept that there are diff seasons.

The other silly debate is longbow vs compound vs xbow. Who cares? Use what you like, enjoy a hunt and by happy!

 

[35WhelenWacker]

That last part is definitely a problem. I knew a guy who would empty a 5 round shotgun and then pull a 45cal 1911 and empty half of that magazine at a doe that was 150 yards off. Always swore he hit her but we never did find blood...

Just wait till the Amish get a hold of straightwall ARs

 

[Ringbill27]

I grew up in the shotgun zone of MN and moved to rifle zone. I was always told by the old timers that tue reason for the shotgun zone was that shotgun slugs won’t travel as far as a rifle bullet. Most urban and agricultural down there. I get the idea and I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with my shotgun so maybe they were right. actually couldn’t hit a paper plate at 100yds with a rifled barrel and sabots.

I was 20 years younger then but I still remember the sound of slugs zinging through and hitting the tree limbs above my head. The slug will keep going if you shoot high enough.

I believe rifles are superior to shotguns and would hope hunters hit percentage would increase if straight walls were allowed because rifles are more accurate, easier to handle, less recoil and rifled.

I won’t be going back to the shotgun zone unless they either allow straight walls or change it to muzzleloader/single shot only. Which is unfortunate because there are more deer down there. Too many poor shots that shot till empty down there.

I do recognize that a poor shot with a shotgun could still be a poor shot with a rifle. But at least the rifle is taking some of the error out of the shot.

Straight walls are a benefit to those who hunt shotgun zones and want to use them and aren’t hurting those who aren’t required.

 

[weaver]

Here in OH it’s crazy how many once popular guns started gathering dust when straight walls were legalized. For a long time muzzleloaders, rifled slug barrels on pump action shotguns and H&R slugger rifles are what everyone had. Later the Savage bolt action 20 gauge was very popular. Now everyone has a straight wall rifle.

 

[35WhelenWacker]

I grew up in the shotgun zone of MN and moved to rifle zone. I was always told by the old timers that tue reason for the shotgun zone was that shotgun slugs won’t travel as far as a rifle bullet. Most urban and agricultural down there. I get the idea and I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with my shotgun so maybe they were right. actually couldn’t hit a paper plate at 100yds with a rifled barrel and sabots.

I was 20 years younger then but I still remember the sound of slugs zinging through and hitting the tree limbs above my head. The slug will keep going if you shoot high enough.

I believe rifles are superior to shotguns and would hope hunters hit percentage would increase if straight walls were allowed because rifles are more accurate, easier to handle, less recoil and rifled.

I won’t be going back to the shotgun zone unless they either allow straight walls or change it to muzzleloader/single shot only. Which is unfortunate because there are more deer down there. Too many poor shots that shot till empty down there.

I do recognize that a poor shot with a shotgun could still be a poor shot with a rifle. But at least the rifle is taking some of the error out of the shot.

Straight walls are a benefit to those who hunt shotgun zones and want to use them and aren’t hurting those who aren’t required.

I live in Iowa, but hunt with my in laws in the Willmar area of Minnesota in the shotgun zone as well. It boggles my mind that they're still not switching to straightwall. Aside from a handful of suburban zones around the country I believe the southern third of Minnesota is the last large scale slug zone. I've heard more slugs zing past my head there than anywhere else I've hunted.

 

[35WhelenWacker]

Here in OH it’s crazy how many once popular guns started gathering dust when straight walls were legalized. For a long time muzzleloaders, rifled slug barrels on pump action shotguns and H&R slugger rifles are what everyone had. Later the Savage bolt action 20 gauge was very popular. Now everyone has a straight wall rifle.

Ship em to southern Minnesota, they are still slugs only. Although I spose once you would do that Ohio would outlaw staightwall.

 

[satchamo]

Here in OH it’s crazy how many once popular guns started gathering dust when straight walls were legalized. For a long time muzzleloaders, rifled slug barrels on pump action shotguns and H&R slugger rifles are what everyone had. Later the Savage bolt action 20 gauge was very popular. Now everyone has a straight wall rifle.

Same in IL - it’s been 2 years and I don’t know many left shooting slugs. One thing to consider is how hard slugs got to find after covid as well. Shit they stopped making lightfields and my dad didn’t know what to do

 

[Ringbill27]

One thing to consider is how hard slugs got to find after covid as well. Shit they stopped making lightfields and my dad didn’t know what to do

During covid I was thinking of buying up the slug I could find here in the rifle zone in northern MN and selling on armslist or something to the shotgun zoners. Never did but could have made money easy. In the rifle zone you are considered crazy to be using a shotgun.

Your dad using those 564gr light fields? I work with guy how used them and I brought him to the range to sight in up here. I gave him what I had left of slugs from my shotgun days. The 300gr hornadys I gave i him were hitting 15” higher than those light fields. I laughed and Told him they seem like over kill.

 

[Ringbill27]

I live in Iowa, but hunt with my in laws in the Willmar area of Minnesota in the shotgun zone as well. It boggles my mind that they're still not switching to straightwall. Aside from a handful of suburban zones around the country I believe the southern third of Minnesota is the last large scale slug zone. I've heard more slugs zing past my head there than anywhere else I've hunted.

I know there is straight walls legislature a couple year ago I think it’s just sitting there still.

 

[Ringbill27]

Here in OH it’s crazy how many once popular guns started gathering dust when straight walls were legalized. For a long time muzzleloaders, rifled slug barrels on pump action shotguns and H&R slugger rifles are what everyone had. Later the Savage bolt action 20 gauge was very popular. Now everyone has a straight wall rifle.

That savage 220 is the only shotgun I’d use if I had to hunt the shotgun zone again. But I already have a muzzleloader so probably just use that.

 

[satchamo]

During covid I was thinking of buying up the slug I could find here in the rifle zone in northern MN and selling on armslist or something to the shotgun zoners. Never did but could have made money easy. In the rifle zone you are considered crazy to be using a shotgun.

Your dad using those 564gr light fields? I work with guy how used them and I brought him to the range to sight in up here. I gave him what I had left of slugs from my shotgun days. The 300gr hornadys I gave i him were hitting 15” higher than those light fields. I laughed and Told him they seem like over kill.

I can’t remember they just were blue casing but they were solid lead sabots. The Hornady SSTs were far deadlier in my experience. They blew up in deer for me and I never had a deer go out of sight using them. I’m still not sure a better killing combo exists for whitetails within 120 yards… but I don’t miss that recoil

 

[35WhelenWacker]

I know there is straight walls legislature a couple year ago I think it’s just sitting there still.

Yeah, it comes up every couple years just to get shot down.