Michigan House Bill 5249 that wouldallow the use of certain specific rifles during the regular firearm deer season in the area that is currently restricted to only shotguns, muzzleloaders, and certain types of pistols has passed a House vote and has been referred to committee of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. From there the bill heads to the Senate, and if passed, to Governor Snyder for signature.
To date there has been little resistance to the notion of using relatively low-powered, straight-wall centerfire rifles in Zone III. When compared to modern shotguns and modern in-line muzzleloaders, this “new” brand of caliber pales. Once again, Republican leadership is on the verge of restoring some of our lost rights, which were originally taken from us on strictly arbitrary reasons based on misconceptions.
THE CONTENT OF THE BILL:
The bill would amend Part 435 (Hunting and Fishing Licensing) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow individuals to use the following firearms in the limited firearms area during the regular firearm deer season:
o A shotgun with a smooth or rifled barrel.
o A .35-caliber or larger pistol that can hold up to nine shells at a time in the barrel and magazine combined and loaded with straight walled cartridges.
o A muzzle-loading rifle or black-powder rifle loaded with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute.
o A .35-caliber or larger rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges that have a minimum case length of 1.16 and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches.
Under the bill, limited firearms area would be identical to the area currently designated as the “southern shotgun zone”
The Michigan United Conservation Clubs supports the bill, whereby, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources opposes the bill. Oh, yeah. So do two Democrats: Lansing’s Joan Bauer (District 68) and Muskegon’s Marcia Hovey-Wright (District 92).
Here is why the MDNR doesn’t like the idea. The state is currently divided into a northern and southern zone for the firearm deer season. According to committee testimony, the division is intended to prevent the use of long-range firearms in southern portions of the state because of higher population densities. However, allowing the use of rifles with straight-walled cartridges, even if they shoot a distance similar to what is currently allowed, could create the perception of a safety risk. This could lead to local communities requesting the closure of some hunting land, potentially eliminating hunting opportunities.
Additionally, the DNR has concerns over how it would enforce this new exception. Currently, conservation officers are able to monitor and check firearm compliance from long distances because all rifles are currently prohibited in the southern shotgun zone. Allowing certain rifles that shoot straight-walled cartridges could result in conservation officers having to enter privately-owned land to check cartridges, rather than simply being able to check the gun from the road using binoculars.
I must say that these are some lame excuses to support its position. First off, if the straight-wall cartridges are actually perceived by the ignorant to be something they are not, then that’s not a good reason to squelch the idea; it’s a good reason to educate the uninformed.
And, secondly, not being able to distinguish firearm calibers from a distance is no different than so many other regulations already in effect. As merely an example of the ridiculousness of the opposition, handguns in Zone III are limited to straight-wall cartridges already. This amounts to the same difference as in the proposed change with HB 5249.
Less recoil of this class of cartridges may be appealing to youth, women, and senior citizens and could provide additional opportunities for those populations to hunt during the firearm deer season. And, additional license sales mean more money for conservation.
