Michigan Deer Hunting Caliber limitations

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dpeterman

dpeterman

Member
Jan 6, 2017
116
1
Michigan
I was told the other day that there was just a change to the Michgain regulation on what caliber can be used with an air rifle to legally take a deer. It was .357 or larger and (MAY) have changed to .308 but I'm not sure. I personally don't hunt but do guide others in buying and have been asked numerous times what's legal here in Michigan by fellow WWCCA club members.

Nothing on the MDNR website that I had seen previously mentions this but at the same time changes don't always show up quickly even though they have a great site.

Curious if anyone has heard anything on the change or lack thereof?
 
"Texan"I began hunting last year with a .45 Texan , but I first spoke to a DNR Officer about caliber and he told me it is .357 as you said in the shotgun zone and .308 in the rifle zone . You being from Michigan should be familiar with these boundaries
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Im not from here. I will check again but was under the impression that .308 airgun as of 2016 was not allowed for taking Deer. Not sure why you mention shotgun in your post.. Im not talking about any powder burners here. There are specific caliber regs for air and they arent the same as powder burners. There was talk of a change in rules and it could be it changed recently. Would be nice if you were right but am unsure.
Thanks for the input
 
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Have you looked at the Michigan Hunting and trapping digest? at the bottom of page 20 I see a mention of being able to use a air gun of .35 or larger in the limited firearm deer zone which is anything roughly from Saginaw south but do not see anything mentioned about .308 cal. for the rest of the state. I have done many searches and haven't been able to find anything about rule changed for 2017. Joel
 
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"xarus"Have you looked at the Michigan Hunting and trapping digest? at the bottom of page 20 I see a mention of being able to use a air gun of .35 or larger in the limited firearm deer zone which is anything roughly from Saginaw south but do not see anything mentioned about .308 cal. for the rest of the state. I have done many searches and haven't been able to find anything about rule changed for 2017. Joel
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Yes thanks. Was aware of the above mentioned but had hoped there was more word or someone in the know regarding a potential change. It has been suggested that a foot pounds somehow be applied the to rule. I heard this from an air rifle fabricator recently but he mentioned only being asked of his opinion on how to regulate such a hunting technique. He also mentioned that was proposed before it was ever allowed to be used for MI hunting for deer yet didnt happen then either. The person from my Gun club know people that would be involved with these types of changes so I had hoped there to be some truth to it. Honestly though I would think there to be some info somewhere that you or I could find on such a proposal. I would like to find a comprehensive site on airgun hunting regulations by state. I suspect there is one out there but rather its current or not is another story. Maybe some day I would shoot a Deer with an air rifle but not anytime soon. Loving my EBB .308 on the range without a doubt. Just testing rounds and shooting off the bag Im geting 1-1/2" groups at 100yds. When i get the rounds figured out that I like I will ramp up the precision attempt. The barrel is IMHO just starting to break in with about 20 rounds having been shot through it. Not sure how the break in period works with this rifle class.

Thanks again for the input
 
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 I mentioned the shotgun zone because that is where they separate the calibers 357 south of the Shockton zone as was mentioned which is roughly Saginaw Bay City area and I was told by the DNR officer that the 308 were legal north of there in the rifle zone that's the way Michigan is divided rifle zone shot gun zone rifle being the north of Saginaw shotgun South of there these art just approximate borders you would have to look at a robot to get the definite zone but I was told by the office or 308 are legal in the rifle zone and I had to be a 357 or larger in the shot gun zone
 
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There is no caliber limit outside of the southern limited firearm zone for deer other than whatever the center fire rifle caliber requirement for deer is, unless it has changed recently . An airgun is treated as a firearm under hunting regulation . Unless there is a specific airgun regulation noted there is not one . As long as it meets the firearm caliber/gauge requirement it should be legal since under hunting regulation it is a firearm . I verified this with the dnr when the airgun reclassification package passed a couple years ago .

The only airgun specific hunting regulations that I know of are .35 or larger pcp in the southern limited firearm zone for deer, .35 or larger pcp for black bear, no airguns for elk and no "air bows" for any game during any season .
 
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