Just thought I would share that wi passed a bill to allow all big game to to hunted with airguns.
Caliber and energy limits have yet to be determined.
Caliber and energy limits have yet to be determined.
Airgun deer hunting in WI is legal as of 03-15-24
- Thread starter Jheikkila
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For Deer, likely will wash out at 45cal and up, with an air unit you do not have the hydro shock factor of a pb unit. Ya I know you can collect a deer with a 22LR , generally that has to be a head shot. ( not legally though in WI has to be center fire and even there I believe the .22 cals and below are not allowed). I think the 30 cals will be to light and 35 a bit marginal in airl. Likely will pretty closely follow the muzzle loader specs. 40 cal in a rifled barrel, minimum, bp pistol rules require 138 grain minimum projectile weight minimum 7" barrel. I didn't see anything at the note I looked at specking ft lbs of energy or velocity. In coventional powder pistol units 357 mag is minimum forget barrel length if it was stated. Way back there was a energy minimum as well for pistol. Over all it has been a long road to this point similar to crossbows, and before that compound bows. It will be nice for small game in particular. Currently air guns are not classified under firearm rules, that might change with this- even if unintentional. Just have to wait and see how it plays out. Wi. resident
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Yes we will have to wait and see what the gun requirements are.
Small game mammals and pests hunting with airgun and air bows has been legal in WI for many many years. Will hopefully harvest my first airgun deer in a few months. November.
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Pretty sure you are wrong there as to the past in air guns ( even though it has been going on for eons), Air bows never were legal and are not covered under air guns either that I saw any mention of, & you can bet your sweet bippy that the bow hunting organizations will crying foul again on those. Even converting or adding a draw and hold device to a long bow or compound bow is illegal ( which basically makes them a vertical held cross bow) unless in possession of a specific permit dictating so due to handicaps. ( that hasn't changed even though cross bows are now legal with a specific Lic.). Remember how thick the telephone yellow pages used to be ? Well that is what the full hunting regulations look like, what is in the little handouts is only the tip of the iceberg. Oh, and at present, it is also illegal to hunt crows with a airgun- Specifically stated as such in the short list of rules, that may change with advent of the signing of this bill. There are going to be other gray areas concerning air guns ( add on air stripper on your air rifle may just get you some trouble).
Back in the late 70's I had a plain work van the only added item from the factory was a front passenger seat( that was an upcharge). One day about 10 am I was heading to the range had to drop some stuff off at brother in-laws place on the way . I got about 10 blocks from home and was surrounded by 5 police cruisers from Milw and West Allis. I had 3 rifles and a pistol in cases in the back of the van( van wide open no bulkhead between front and back) plus apx 100 or so rounds of ammo for same ( i did gunsmithing on side back then and had federal lic for same.) There had been a robbery in Brookfield several days before. Big chase, and they had not caught the culprit yet plus not 2 blocks from my home he killed a police officer. They had report of a vehicle and occupant which I unfortunately sort of matched, didn't help that the van was registered in Racine to biz. Needless to say things got quite nasty the minute they saw the weapons. Now I was covered by 10 officers with weapons drawn. Things settled down after bit. Remember the rules about transporting weapons and ammo in a vehicle back then. Technically I was in violation because they were accessible even though I would have to stop and exit the drivers seat to aquire any of the components. Gray area can get expensive.
Back in the late 70's I had a plain work van the only added item from the factory was a front passenger seat( that was an upcharge). One day about 10 am I was heading to the range had to drop some stuff off at brother in-laws place on the way . I got about 10 blocks from home and was surrounded by 5 police cruisers from Milw and West Allis. I had 3 rifles and a pistol in cases in the back of the van( van wide open no bulkhead between front and back) plus apx 100 or so rounds of ammo for same ( i did gunsmithing on side back then and had federal lic for same.) There had been a robbery in Brookfield several days before. Big chase, and they had not caught the culprit yet plus not 2 blocks from my home he killed a police officer. They had report of a vehicle and occupant which I unfortunately sort of matched, didn't help that the van was registered in Racine to biz. Needless to say things got quite nasty the minute they saw the weapons. Now I was covered by 10 officers with weapons drawn. Things settled down after bit. Remember the rules about transporting weapons and ammo in a vehicle back then. Technically I was in violation because they were accessible even though I would have to stop and exit the drivers seat to aquire any of the components. Gray area can get expensive.
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I expect it will be 357 or 45 minimum as well, but I wonder if there will be a speed requirement. It seems like people generally think speed is king in airguns, and it is important, but mass is a big player too, arguably more so for penetration in big bores. An AEA Zues in .72 is gonna do just fine on deer but could get edged out if there is a speed requirement. An energy requirement makes the most sense, but lets see if the WI DNR goes that route.
I am a WI resident, and may be looking real close at an Air Force Texan SS Carbon Fiber in .45...
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72 cal is about a 12ga. I can't remember the specs for handgun hunting in Wi when first introduced , other than a 357 mag was about the minimum due to ft pounds of energy and the 5.5" barrel length. That was back in the 70's i think. Right now i can't find a spec on that ( quick Google search). Back then i was using a DW 357 , 8" with 180gr pills, (which did a pretty good job of knocking the rams down at 200 meters in silhouette). Worked well for crop damage permits. Currently 180 's on the store shelf fall into the 500-600 muzzle energy area and back then they likely were closer to 425 on the low end. 12 ga 1 oz slugs at that time were only about 1000- 1100 fps at the muzzel.
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So I got curious about the new law and regulations about using an air rifle to hunt in Wisconsin as I am a wisconsinite and surprise surprise they don't have any definitive answers to minimum caliber or the legality of a felon hunting with one. One would assume that it is legal for a felon to hunt with as it is not yet considered a firearm. From what I understood them telling me the air rifle has to be "sufficient to put down the deer as quickly as possible" with a single shot. Does anyone else know anything different than this?
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Looking forward to the requirements for deer hunting-I need a reason for a big bore! (more like the wifey)
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Took a 160# doe with my fx .25 37gr. at 47 yards. Head shot; dropped like a rock.
Wi resident.
Wi resident.
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sort of in defense of the law makers , they have to up the power /cal. to prevent someone from taking his .25 Gamo springer out for a deer IF the law just said .25 cal . but then the knuckelhead would just read till .25 was mentioned and go out anyway .
BTW your title is misleading i think ? i think it is still in the works as far as Cal. and FPE so not legal yet . ?
BTW your title is misleading i think ? i think it is still in the works as far as Cal. and FPE so not legal yet . ?
Airgun deer hunting in WI is legal as of 03-15-24
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I'm not from Wisconsin, but I'd love to be able to hunt deer with an airgun in my home state and thought this post was interesting. The regulations do allow deer hunting as the OP and Rygar state above. From the 2024 WI regulations:
WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION Weapons It is illegal to: Hunt with any means other than a rifle, shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader, airgun, bow and arrow, crossbow or falconry.
Reasonable Equipment It is illegal to hunt with any weapon or ammunition that is of inherent design or used in such a manner as to not be reasonably capable of reducing a target wild animal to possession.
This is not directed at Rygar as he is obviously skilled enough that he made a very clean kill. That's pretty awesome! I do think that as beerthief inferred, the State of WI will probably revise these regulations for next year with some combination of caliber restriction, FPE restriction, speed limitation, or projectile type or weight. As written, they do leave it pretty wide open. I would guess that a citizen group helped usher in the changes to allow hunting this year and hopefully, the same group will be able to work with the WI DNR if they do chose to revise or add to the new regulations.
WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION Weapons It is illegal to: Hunt with any means other than a rifle, shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader, airgun, bow and arrow, crossbow or falconry.
Reasonable Equipment It is illegal to hunt with any weapon or ammunition that is of inherent design or used in such a manner as to not be reasonably capable of reducing a target wild animal to possession.
This is not directed at Rygar as he is obviously skilled enough that he made a very clean kill. That's pretty awesome! I do think that as beerthief inferred, the State of WI will probably revise these regulations for next year with some combination of caliber restriction, FPE restriction, speed limitation, or projectile type or weight. As written, they do leave it pretty wide open. I would guess that a citizen group helped usher in the changes to allow hunting this year and hopefully, the same group will be able to work with the WI DNR if they do chose to revise or add to the new regulations.
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