I carpool with a guy who works for our Natural Resources dept. He's currently surveying hunters on how to increase deer harvest in our area.

We've got a long bow and 3 separate one week bp seasons. I gave him a couple of suggestions, but I also told him that one way to increase the hunt is to allow handgun hunting.

Tonight, he said that he floated the idea by his District Supervisor, and was told that the only place that allows handgun hunting is Texas. I told him that his DS is full of crap and that a lot of states and countries permit handgun hunting!

He asked me what the effective range of handguns are, and I gave him some basic information. I also told him that they need to get past the idea that handguns are only useful for limiting the supply of drug-dealers and pimps, and that they are a perfectly legitimate hunting firearm.

So, fill me in, please:

Does your state allow handgun hunting? As well, if you're not in the US, please name your country, and whether handgun hunting is allowed.

What are the caliber restrictions?

I have no idea if this will make a difference, but I want to swamp his uninformed DS with information, so he doesn't spout his crap any more.

I believe most of the US states at least allow hunting with a handgun during the general rifle {deer} seasons. I've lived in Pennsyvannia and Texas both allow it. Texas does'nt have a handgun only season. Rodney.

Missouri allows handguns during the firearm season.

UTAH,
You may use a handgun to take big game animals, but the handgun must be a minimum of .24 caliber and must fire a centerfire cartridge with an expanding bullet.
If you’re hunting deer or pronghorn, the handgun must develop at least 500 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. If you’re hunting elk, moose, bison, bighorn sheep or Rocky Mountaingoat, the handgun must develop at least 500 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards.

I have handgun hunted in Delaware,Pennsyvannia, North Dakota, Maine, Nebraska, South Dakota and West Virginia.

NC allows straight wall cartridges at least as powerful as a 357. and bottlenecks at least 24 caliber.
Revolvers must also have at least a 5 1/2 inch barrel

Ohio also allows handguns.

NY allows it though no special season.Purchase, possession, use of a handgun in NY requires NY state permit not given to non residents. IIRC minimum 9mm for big game.

I've handgun hunted in MS, LA, TX, MO, WV, and CO. As stated before, his DS is full of crap.

I have hunted with handguns in Montana, Wyoming Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, And Florida...but not Texas...Yet..Yup DS is all wet.

shortgun

Yes Montana lets you use black powder or hand guns during firearm season. Archery is a seperate season starting in Sept. Firearms start in Oct and end in Nov.
MM

I think you will find very few if any states that have firearms deer and/or bear seasons, that don't allow some form of handgun hunting.
It would make a much shorter list to ask in what states can you absolutly NOT hunt with a handgun ?

It amazes me how often people in positions of authority in both the private and public secture, have no idea what they are talking about.

My state of N.C.allows it during regular gun season. I have also handgun hunted in Alaska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Arizona, Wyoming, Ohio, Idaho, Utah and West Virginia, but probably at least 40 or more states now allow it.
Numerous foreign countries also allow handgun hunting. Those that I have personal handgun hunting experience in include Zimbabwe, South Africa, Argentina, Australia (discontinued about 2001) Spain and Hungary, Mark Hampton has probably hunted with hanguns in about 25-30 foreign countries.

Alaska allows the hunting of all game with handguns.

It doesn't surprise me at all. "Politicians and diapers should be changed often, and for the same reason."

Iowa allows handguns in the Shotgun and late season Blackpowder seasons. It is actually the most versitile firearm to use.

MI allows the use of any handgun in the "rifle" zone. In the "shotgun" zone one may use a handgun of .357 or larger caliber and firing only a straight walled cartridge.

Wis one can use handguns any place rifles are legal plus one can use them in shotgun only zones. Any caliber 224 and above is legal as long as it would be legal in a rifle. That is any center fire 224 and bigger. Hand guns have to have at least a 5 inch barrel measured from the fireing pin forward.

So if one wanted to make a 25acp rifle it would be legal in a handgun as long as it had at least 5 inch barrel.

In New York we can hunt with a handgun during the regular firearm season. This is cut and pasted from the NYS website.

Handgun-is any pistol or revolver intended to be aimed and fired with one hand, and having a barrel length not exceeding 16 inches.

TN allows handguns.
Muzzleloading handgun must be minimum of 40 caliber.
Centerfire handgun and 4" barrel are minimums.

as said ny allows it i would be interested in finding out what states in the us that don't allow use of handguns

Wi.,Mi.,Montana,Wyoming,ND,SD

In New Hampshire:

Deer hunting is allowed only by shotgun, muzzleloader, handguns in calibers .357, 10 mm, .41, .44, .45, or .480, or bow and arrow in the following towns:

I use my Encore .480 Ruger Pistol with success during the regular season instead of my shotgun. More accurate, lighter and much more fun.

Good Luck,

Lee

Add in Minnesota. We made it legal in the early eighties.

Thanks for all your responses. I doubt it will do any good, but hopefully he won't shoot from the lip any more.

Kansas does:
Kansas regs

Missouri regs:
Missouri regs

Nebraska Regs:
Neb Regs

Just so you have some "ammo" you can show them.

Or at least he may not shoot himself in the foot.

Georgia does.

Virgina, Florida, and West by-God Virginia do.....

Washington allows handgun hunting during any of the modern firearm seasons. Only requirements are 6mm or larger and at least a 4" barrel

http://www.dfg.ca.gov for regs. Los Angeles County has some different regs. Centerfire Handguns are allowed statewide exception for Elk & Big Horn Sheep the barrel minimum length is 4 inches.

I think your post might be easier for you to ask "What state does not allow handgun hunting?" Are there any?

Connecticut does not allow center fire handguns for Deer.Only 22 Rimfire for what they term small game.However only with a current Hunting license and weapons permit.

I've handgun hunted in:

Pennsylvania
Ohio
Wyoming
Alaska
South Africa

I would be a LOT more likely to consider Canada as a hunting destination if I could bring in and use a handgun.

Some of the restrictions on handgun hunting are:

Pennsylvania - caliber .357 or larger and no semiautos.

Ohio - barrel at least 5 inches in length shooting a straight walled cartridge of .357 or larger. No deer hunting with muzzleloading handguns allowed.

Wyoming - caliber restrictions same as for rifles.

Alaska - caliber restrictions safe as for rifles.

South Africa - no handgun that could be construed as a self defense weapon. No semiautos. Caliber whatever the PH allows.

Add Alabama to the legal to use list. No special season and just centerfire mushrooming ammunition.

quote:

Originally posted by Nimrod308:
Add Alabama to the legal to use list. No special season and just centerfire mushrooming ammunition.

Really? They specify that you have to use expanding bullets? Bummer........

All bullets expand, you just may need a microscope to measure it.

Iowa allows straight wall calibers only and bp revolvers in .44 and .45.

quote:

Originally posted by Juggernaut76:
MI allows the use of any handgun in the "rifle" zone. In the "shotgun" zone one may use a handgun of .357 or larger caliber and firing only a straight walled cartridge.

Just a note. A non-resident who wants to hunt with a pistol in Michigan must have a CC permit from the state in which he/she is a resident. If your state does allow concealed carry (WI and IL) you cannot legally bring a pistol into Michigan.

Oklahoma is OK with handguns in the rifle season.