Mass. Deer totals reach new record

Are rifles really necessary. IDK - I'm asking because I don't spend time out there? Our woods in this part are so thick I can't see a rifle as being necessary. You just don't have line of sight over the distances that necessitate a rifle.
 
Are rifles really necessary. IDK - I'm asking because I don't spend time out there? Our woods in this part are so thick I can't see a rifle as being necessary. You just don't have line of sight over the distances that necessitate a rifle.
If I could hunt deer with a rifle in mass I'd still use a shotgun. Under 50 yards on a deer (about max sight line in mass woods) slugs are lights out.
 
Out here in W-Mass I constantly pass up on shots out of shotgun range. Lots of open wooded areas with little under brush, power/pipe ROW's with 2-300/yds shots. Similar to the terrain of VT or NH. Guys that are successful with shotties are usually sitting . If you solo hunt & do a lot of stalking the rife is the best tool. It's gotten to the point to where I rifle hunt CT & muzzle load hunt MA.
 
Out here in W-Mass I constantly pass up on shots out of shotgun range. Lots of open wooded areas with little under brush, power/pipe ROW's with 2-300/yds shots. Similar to the terrain of VT or NH. Guys that are successful with shotties are usually sitting . If you solo hunt & do a lot of stalking the rife is the best tool. It's gotten to the point to where I rifle hunt CT & muzzle load hunt MA.
A few states have gone to "straight wall carteride" only rifles. So 44 mag, 357 mag etc......I'd go for a 45-70 if that were the case.
 
If we could use straight wall cartridge, it would be no different than using a shotgun, as the effective range is similar for the most part. Obviously the long wall cartridges would be different like 444 marlin, 45-70 and 450 marlin. But they could rule those out if they wanted or opt for pistol caliber straight wall only. I'd love to use the lever gun in .44 or my dad's old ruger semi auto carbine. They just carry so nice compared to a shotgun.

We have plenty of room for rifles out here. There are some big ass fields that I've shot 250+ yards across for coyotes with the .243. Don't see why we can't do it for deer. Id be all for shortening the season down to a week or less, if they allowed rifles and were worried about taking too many deer.
 
If we could use straight wall cartridge, it would be no different than using a shotgun, as the effective range is similar for the most part. Obviously the long wall cartridges would be different like 444 marlin, 45-70 and 450 marlin. But they could rule those out if they wanted or opt for pistol caliber straight wall only. I'd love to use the lever gun in .44 or my dad's old ruger semi auto carbine. They just carry so nice compared to a shotgun.

We have plenty of room for rifles out here. There are some big ass fields that I've shot 250+ yards across for coyotes with the .243. Don't see why we can't do it for deer. Id be all for shortening the season down to a week or less, if they allowed rifles and were worried about taking too many deer.

Agreed.

Rifles and revolvers are allowed for bear season. I would love to see revolvers allowed for deer season.

Bob
 
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