Anyone taken a deer in Maryland using an airgun?

[C.Alls]

Before anyone starts with the "it's illegal" stuff I would like to say that yes I've read the regulations. I'm well aware of the 1200 ft/lbs muzzle energy minimum BUT the wording of the regulations are not absolutely clear. The regulations state that airguns are not allowed BECAUSE they're none in existence that meet the 1200 ft/lb minimum. We'll that's not true and I will have one that is capable of going well over the 1200 ft/lb minimum in the next few weeks.

Now while I probably could get away with using this rifle as the regulations state I do plan to talk with my local DNR representative and let them know what I would like to do and see what they have to say/will allow. While I do have many center fires that I could use I much prefer to be different and challenge myself as a hunter much like archery hunters do.

The rifle is a .72 caliber that will propel a 427 grain hollowpoint at 1300 fps for around 1600ft/lbs. I can get 3 accurate shots from a single fill with a 4th followup if needed. The gun will do a little better than 2" groups at 100 yards so needless to say it's plenty capable.

So if the local DNR agent allows will I be the first to harvest a deer in the state of Maryland with an airgun "legally"? I'm hoping this will be the first step in getting Maryland on board with the many other states that now recognize airguns as big game worthy. Anyone have any suggestions? Concerns? Comments (preferably positive)?

 

[Lou45]

This .72 caliber airgun shootin a 427 grain bullet with 1600 foot pounds of muzzle energy sounds neat. I highly doubt that they'll allow you to use it for deer huntin' anytime soon due to the laws and regulations as they are written. If this is the case, it'll have to go through reconsideration by the MD DNR and possibly through the MGA next session.

 

[justsand]

i say go for it anything to get people in the woods

 

[Melnic]

Lewis and Clark used one, why can't you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI

 

[Uncle Duke]

Now that would be neat as all hell! I also doubt that you receive immediate blessings, but I've read a little bit about these and would be interested in knowing more.

Staying tuned so please keep us posted! And good luck!

 

[nerfherder]

The rifle is a .72 caliber that will propel a 427 grain hollowpoint at 1300 fps for around 1600ft/lbs. I can get 3 accurate shots from a single fill with a 4th followup if needed. The gun will do a little better than 2" groups at 100 yards so needless to say it's plenty capable.

That's pretty darn cool. Looks like I have a lot to learn about airguns.

 

[Bertfish]

Must be one hell of an air gun. Care to share the make and model?

 

[C.Alls]

Must be one hell of an air gun. Care to share the make and model?

Sure thing! The rifles are made by a master machinist in Michigan by the name of Brent Hoag. You can see his selection of rifles on his website www.extremebigboreairrifles.com . The guns can be filled with air, nitrogen or if you want MAX POWER you fill them with helium.

I won the rifle after my friend Mike and I traveled to Arizona for the Extreme Bench Rest airgun shoot. I managed to pull off the win and Mike finished second (in the 200 yard event) using one of Brent's .308 rifles that we modified with a 1:8" twist TJ barrel and shooting a 200 grain cast boat tail bullet at just under 1000fps. My gun build was named the Whiteout due to it mirroring the 300 Blackout subsonic ballistics.

If you want to see the .72 caliber in action on helium just Google hogs on helium and you'll find a video by Mr. Hollowpoint on YouTube.

 

[C.Alls]

This .72 caliber airgun shootin a 427 grain bullet with 1600 foot pounds of muzzle energy sounds neat. I highly doubt that they'll allow you to use it for deer huntin' anytime soon due to the laws and regulations as they are written. If this is the case, it'll have to go through reconsideration by the MD DNR and possibly through the MGA next session.

Maybe BUT if you read the regulations the laws are not so cut and dry.

From DNR site:
"Rifle Regulations

Air rifles are legal to use for hunting in Maryland and must comply with the rifle regulations. Air rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys in the Spring and Winter Seasons or migratory game birds. They are not legal for deer or bear hunting because they do not meet the minimum muzzle energy standard for rifles noted below.

Rifles used for deer and bear hunting must use ammunition developing a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot pounds."

I think my chances might be decent. I know that the local DNR peeps are working for us and not against us as hunters and usually when you approach them with an idea that doesn't clearly break the law or put anyone in danger then they do what they can to help. That being said the last thing I want to do is risk wounding an animal due to inadequate power or marksmanship so I've done my homework and know without a doubt the rifle and myself are capable of a clean kill 10 out of 10 times inside 150 yards.

 

[Doctor_M]

I wish you luck... sounds awesome.

Not to be a fly in the ointment, but there is a down side of powerful airguns becoming mainstream... as they do, more and more localities are starting to prohibit them or regulate them as they would a firearm... which is just asinine, but that's what we are dealing with.

Damn the torpedoes... full speed ahead. Hope you are able to be the first!

 

[C.Alls]

I wish you luck... sounds awesome.

Not to be a fly in the ointment, but there is a down side of powerful airguns becoming mainstream... as they do, more and more localities are starting to prohibit them or regulate them as they would a firearm... which is just asinine, but that's what we are dealing with.

Damn the torpedoes... full speed ahead. Hope you are able to be the first!

True, but I don't think they'll ever be popular enough to get the unwanted attention we need to worry about. These guns are expensive and require an even more expensive support system to supply the 4500psi air pressures needed to fill most of the more powerful rifles. That alone will HOPEFULLY keep them out of the wrong hands.

 

[jtb81100]

You'd have to look up the actual wording of the law to see if it bans air rifles by name or just all rifles under 1200fps. If the second I would guess you would be good to go as long as you are in a county that allows rifles.

 

[Derwood]

I suggest asking the DNR by email and then posting the response here because we are all curious. That is a really cool gun!

 

[BigSteve57]

Very interesting! How loud or should I ask how quiet is it? Can you compare it to, say, a 22lr?

The .410 shotgun "load" looks really interesting if it works well.

 

[C.Alls]

You'd have to look up the actual wording of the law to see if it bans air rifles by name or just all rifles under 1200fps. If the second I would guess you would be good to go as long as you are in a county that allows rifles.

From DNR site:
"Rifle Regulations.

Air rifles are legal to use for hunting in Maryland and must comply with the rifle regulations. Air rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys in the Spring and Winter Seasons or migratory game birds. They are not legal for deer or bear hunting because they do not meet the minimum muzzle energy standard for rifles noted below.

Rifles used for deer and bear hunting must use ammunition developing a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot pounds."

 

[C.Alls]

I suggest asking the DNR by email and then posting the response here because we are all curious. That is a really cool gun!

I'll do that tonight. I really wanted to do it face to face but I guess an email would be a good start.

 

[C.Alls]

Very interesting! How loud or should I ask how quiet is it? Can you compare it to, say, a 22lr?

The .410 shotgun "load" looks really interesting if it works well.

On Helium they're MUCH louder than a 22lr. I would compare them to my 300 Blackout running a hot supersonic round.

 

[T-Man]

From DNR site:
"Rifle Regulations.

Air rifles are legal to use for hunting in Maryland and must comply with the rifle regulations. Air rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys in the Spring and Winter Seasons or migratory game birds. They are not legal for deer or bear hunting because they do not meet the minimum muzzle energy standard for rifles noted below.

Rifles used for deer and bear hunting must use ammunition developing a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot pounds."

Sorry, but construction of the regulation indicates that you are likely out of luck. Air Rifles are not legal is clear with no allowance for legal air rifle hunting.

They then give reason for them being illegal, not powerful enough. It is an explanation rather than an exception that allows hunting under some circumstances and yours being powerful enough would not change the first statement based upon the regulation alone. You would need to get the regulation changed. DNR might say differently, just reading how it is written.

 

[C.Alls]

Sorry, but construction of the regulation indicates that you are likely out of luck. Air Rifles are not legal is clear with no allowance for legal air rifle hunting.

They then give reason for them being illegal, not powerful enough. It is an explanation rather than an exception that allows hunting under some circumstances and yours being powerful enough would not change the first statement based upon the regulation alone. You would need to get the regulation changed. DNR might say differently, just reading how it is written.

I appreciate you explaining your interpretation. That's why I started this thread so I could get some opinions and from that decide how to proceed. Thanks!

 

[T-Man]

I appreciate you explaining your interpretation. That's why I started this thread so I could get some opinions and from that decide how to proceed. Thanks!

You're welcome -- Hopefully DNR sees it differently though. Always worth a shot.