Hunting 2011

Has anyone heard if concealed handguns will be allowed for hunting. How will this work? Would I be allowed to carry a concealed handgun, say my xd40 4" and a long gun? Would I be able to simply conceal my xd40 5.71"?

I plan on contacting the DNR in the next few days once I have a few minutes when they are there.

Thanks in advance!

My guess is that it will take agencies a few weeks to get all this sorted out and have a clear answer.

Might suggest they make a handout that could be distributed.

I've deer hunted with a handgun since its inception, I believe the rule is it has to be 5 &1/2" from the muzzle to the chamber rear.

I strongly suspect that the DNR regulations will need some detailed re-writing and I also suspect that the WI DNR will have a variety of issues over the CCW legislation.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/regs/deer.pdf

See pages 16-19 and read them with the new/pending CCW legislation in mind.

Page 17: it is illegal to:
(Dot) possess any firearm fron 12:00 midnight ...

Does this include handguns for self defense? This is just one example.

Page 18 under handgun:
(Dot) you may not possess a concealed handgun.

I am also curious if during bow hunting seasons if a hunter in possession of a CCW permit will be allowed to have a handgun on them while bow hunting?

I suspect the DNR will be tougher to deal with than the Liberals and any issues may very well end up in the State Supreme Court.

I also suspect many non-hunters will run afoul of DNR reg's.

rimmer said:

I've deer hunted with a handgun since its inception, I believe the rule is it has to be 6" from the muzzle to the chamber rear.

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From the pamphlet http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land...te.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/hunt/regs/deer.pdf
page 18

• To be legal for deer, handguns must use center-fire cartridges of .22 caliber or
larger and have a 5½ inch minimum barrel, measured from the firing pin to the
muzzle with the action closed.

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Example
A 4" 357 Mag would be ok but a 5" 1911 would not be ok for hunting.
ETA: "for hunting" to clear up confusion

Ahh...but will you be hunting with your CW, or just using it for defense?

Example: OCing a long barreled revolver & CCing a short barreled PDW at the same time. One for hunting, and one for defense.

Theres a caliber restrictions in there as well.
Dig deeper and you will see them.

Small game cannot be hunted with anything larger than a .22 rimfire.

Large game not only has a barrel length rule but the caliber used has to make or generate so many ft-lbs of energy.or a velocity of so many ft/sec.

If one just went by the barrel length rule a full size 1911 with a 5in barrel would be excluded,but the rarer Long Slide with its 6in barrel would be usable.Both the .45acp
and the .38 Super (more common 1911 chamberings) dont generate enough energy to be usable hunting ammo.

I cant offer much for the 9mm or the .40 Super Wimpy.... I dont use those and all my ballistics programs and calculators are locked away in storage 250 miles away.

LR Yote

Small game can be hunted with centerfire and I think the barrel length needs to be at least 4". (firing pin to muzzle crown)

The DNR removed the Muzzle Energy restrictions a while back. But, prudence, we all know prudence, right? says that should be some reasonable minimum limits.


Citation: Small Game Regs

it is illegal to:
• hunt with a handgun with a barrel length shorter than 4 inches measured from the
muzzle to the firing pin with the action closed, or to the breech face.

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LR Yote 312 said:

Theres a caliber restrictions in there as well.
Dig deeper and you will see them.

Small game cannot be hunted with anything larger than a .22 rimfire.

Large game not only has a barrel length rule but the caliber used has to make or generate so many ft-lbs of energy.or a velocity of so many ft/sec.

If one just went by the barrel length rule a full size 1911 with a 5in barrel would be excluded,but the rarer Long Slide with its 6in barrel would be usable.Both the .45acp
and the .38 Super (more common 1911 chamberings) dont generate enough energy to be usable hunting ammo.

I cant offer much for the 9mm or the .40 Super Wimpy.... I dont use those and all my ballistics programs and calculators are locked away in storage 250 miles away.

LR Yote

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Did you ever see what a 40 S&W 165 gr hp @1150 fps from a XD40 w/ a Storm Lake 5.7" ported barrel does to a deer when shot below the ear @ 25 yds ? It by no means is super wimpy !

littlewolf said:

Did you ever see what a 40 S&W 165 gr hp @1150 fps from a XD40 w/ a Storm Lake 5.7" ported barrel does to a deer when shot below the ear @ 25 yds ? It by no means is super wimpy !

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I will have to quote Schultz from Hogans Heroes.... " I know NUT THING"....

LR Yote

What I was wondering was if I were to conceal my handgun, no matter the length while hunting, with or with out a rifle, would I be charged or cited with something provided I have a permit.
Yes I do plan to hunt anyway with my xd 40 with a storm lake barrel, arriving tomorrow:banana:. The length is legal using last years requirements. I too think that the DNR could make things dicey out there this year in the woods trying to make their own rules but as mentioned, we can take it to the state supreme court.

ETA: The plan also includes a TactiCool drop leg holster from Blackhawk! with a Serpa CQC. Easier to get through the brush.

xd40 neenah said:

What I was wondering was if I were to conceal my handgun, no matter the length while hunting, with or with out a rifle, would I be charged or cited with something provided I have a permit.

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If you have a permit, what could you be charged with? Concealed carry would be ok.

When I testified at the Wausau hearing, I said something about hunters should be able to keep their handgun under their jacket especially during bad weather. The committee didn't have a problem with understanding that!

I've been hunting with a handgun for three decades and always had it outside of my blaze orange. This year, it's going to stay all snuggley warm and dry.

ETA:

Oh I get it. If your barrel length is too short, do not have a deer in your possession.

If you read NR10 and the Statutes in Chapter 29, you will see regulations/restrictions on firearms for hunting and you will see specific prohibitions of possession. You are not prohibited from possessing a handgun of any caliber or barrel length for defense while deer, bear, etc hunting with a rifle or a bow or while small game hunting with a rifle. You are not prohibited from hunting with a concealed firearm. You are not prohibited from hunting with a suppressed short barrel rifle.
You are prohibited by NR10.09 from possessing a handgun in the woods during the 48 hour period prior to the 9 day gun hunt. SB93 fails to address this. I wish the DNR the best of luck getting a DA to prosecute such a citation though as they will need it. This is Administrative Code and not a Statute. This has not been challenged in court in light of our WI Constitutional right to bear arms and now with a permit to carry.

NR 10.09 Guns, ammunition and other devices.
(2) SPECIAL ONE−DAY RESTRICTION. During the 24−hour period
prior to the opening date for the regular gun deer season established
in s. NR 10.01 (3) (e) 1. a., b. and 5., no person may possess
a gun wherein there is an open season for deer with guns specified
in s. NR 10.01 (3) (e), unless the gun is unloaded and enclosed
within a carrying case. Exceptions:
(a) Target shooting at established ranges.
(b) Hunting on licensed game farms and shooting preserves.
(c) Hunting waterfowl during the open season

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xd40 neenah said:

Has anyone heard if concealed handguns will be allowed for hunting. How will this work? Would I be allowed to carry a concealed handgun, say my xd40 4" and a long gun? Would I be able to simply conceal my xd40 5.71"?

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Yes. It is legal simply because it is not prohibited.

i for one do not step foot in the woods without my pistol any day of the year and i will continue doing so i have been practicing this since my first pistol

oliverclotheshoff said:

i for one do not step foot in the woods without my pistol any day of the year and i will continue doing so i have been practicing this since my first pistol

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You and me both