What would you change about TN regs?

[Guest rhendrix]

Open up the WMA's to more deer hunting with rifles and eliminate the deadline on WMA permits.

Add handgun hunting to the current black powder season for deer hunting.

I would allow taking a hog year around even in WMA's.

Allow carrying and shooting firearms in some WMA's year around.

Eliminate the National Forest land as a WMA or significantly change the rules. Allow hikers to tote firearms and shoot them safely in the big WMA's.

Return to 357 mag or larger for deer hunting with handguns.

It is legal now to carry a handgun in WMAs now if you have a carry permit.

[DaveS]

.223 has taken many of deer humanely. I had an uncle who deer hunted deer and hogs for years, using a WWII .30 cal carbine. I don't never remember him saying he'd ever lost an animal with. Even a .22 mag placed in the animal's "pumping station" and/or HVAC system will bring him down. We can beat the caliber issue to death, but I highly doubt you will ever see it change. In closing, if you like Ohio's regs, Mississippi regs, Kain'tuck regs; go back there and hunt. Don't stay here and fuss over rifle calibers for deer. If .204 or .223 is too small for you....upgrade! Since TN doesn't say how "big" a caliber can be, go buy yourself a 105mm field gun. That 18 inch brass casing is centerfire. Be happy! Write TWRA and give them your sujestions. We have until the 24th of February.

[Guest rhendrix]

For every "one shot, didn't go more than 20 years" deer killed with a 6mm/.243 or smaller, there are probably 10-15 that ran off to never be found. As Uncle Elmer said well before WW2, bigger heavier bullets kill better than smaller lighter ones. Can you kill a deer with a .270? Sure, plenty of people have. Can you kill a deer with a .22? With shot placement, sure: most poachers use .22LR so it certainly is possible. BUT

The more under .30 caliber you get, the less reliable a killer a caliber is.

Unless a man is the late lamented Harold West (the best rifle shot I ever knew) or Alvin York, he is well advised to stay with a reliable killer like a .30-30, .30-40, .30/06, .300 Savage or something of that sort.

Bottom line: Minimum calibers for medium game: .25 for fixed cartridges, .40 for muzzleloaders.

I use only a 45-70 for deer and bear. I just like guns that make big holes and drop game where they are shot. I don't like wounding them and tracking them 100s of yards in hopes I find them. A 45-70 is a merciful killer.