NJ Small Game - Crazy caliber

[Bostrom]

Does anyone know why can small game regs in NJ limit Muzzleloaders to coyote / fox with no less that .44 caliber, but modern rifles are much lower. I see it every year in the regs, but is it a typo? Wouldn't it be appropriate for lower caliber muzzleloader. I have a .40 caliber flintlock, which is not valid, but a .22 is??? Are low caliber muzzleloaders less accurate?

From 2013-14 NJ regs:
Muzzleloading rifle: single-shot, single barrel no less
than .44 caliber. Flintlock, percussion and in-line ignitions
permitted, loaded only with a single projectile, either round
ball or conical bullet. Electronic ignitions prohibited.
Centerfire rifles: From .17 to maximum of .25 caliber with soft
point or hollow point bullets and maximum of 80 grains.
Rimfire rifles: From .17 to maximum of .22 caliber with soft
point or hollow point bullets and maximum of 50 grains.

 

[roundball]

IMO, you'd really have to get the official answer from your Wildlife Dept, not here.

And if it's not a typo...which I doubt it is if it's survived all this time...it's probably based on the Wildlife Dept's pure ignorance of the capabilities of smaller ML calibers.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Agree with Roundball on this. Many states tend to copy another's rules for the simple reason that it's easier than figuring out the real answers. If the first state's rules aren't taken to court, everybody piles on.

 

[trent/OH]

RB allowed. Conical allowed. Modern ML ammo apparently disallowed. Buckshot obviously disallowed.

 

[FishDFly]

Why not contact your local Game Warden, invite him to breakfast and ask him?

Folks in Texas do not have a clue to your regulations nor understand your law makers thinking or what the thinking is based on.

 

[Bill from NJ]

I too live in this anti-gun manure hole. :cursing:

I know you can use .32 /.36 cal on tree rats. Read info below.

But you asked about "coyote/fox. And you have your answer”¦. "Not less than .44 cal."

This is the State law enacted by the politicians, which were elected by extremely ignorant, give me, give me, you owe me something, anti 2nd, bafoons. :idunno:



Squirrel, Muzzleloading Rifle Season

Persons holding a current and valid firearm license and rifle permit may hunt for squirrels from sunrise to 1⁄2 hour after sunset with a muzzleloading rifle (.36 caliber or smaller loaded with a single projectile) during the periods Sept. 28 to Nov. 8, 2013 and Jan. 4 to Feb. 17, 2014.

Hunting for squirrel in the manner described above is restricted to the areas described below:

Those portions of Passaic, Mercer, Hunterdon, Warren, Morris and Sussex counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 513 and the New York State line; then south along Rt. 513 to its intersection with Rt. 511; then south along Rt. 511 to its intersection with Rt. 46; then west along Rt. 46 to its intersection with Rt. 80; then west along Rt. 80 to its intersection with Rt. 15; then north along Rt. 15 to its intersection with the Morris-Sussex County line; then south along the Morris-Sussex County line to the Warren County line; then southwest along the Morris-Warren County line to the Hunterdon County line; then southeast along the Morris-Hunterdon County line to the Somerset County line; then south along the Somerset-Hunterdon County line to its intersection with the Mercer County line; then west and south along the Hunterdon Mercer County line to its intersection with Rt. 31; then south along Rt. 31 to its intersection with Rt. 546; then west along Rt. 546 to the Delaware River; then north along the east bank of the Delaware River to the New York State line; then east along the New York State line to the point of beginning at Lakeside.
In that portion of Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 295 and the Delaware River; then east along Rt. 295 to its intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then east along the New Jersey Turnpike to its intersection with Rt. 40; then east along Rt. 40 to its intersection with Rt. 47; then north along Rt. 47 to its intersection with Rt. 536; then east along Rt. 536 to its intersection with Rt. 206; then north along Rt. 206 to its intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then northeast along the New Jersey Turnpike to its intersection with Rt. 571; then southeast along Rt. 571 to its intersection with the Garden State Parkway; then south along the Garden State Parkway to its intersection with Rt. 9 at Somers Point; then south along Rt. 9 to its intersection with Rt. 83; then west along Rt. 83 to its intersection with Rt. 47; then north along Rt. 47 to its intersection with Dennis Creek; then south along the west bank of Dennis Creek to its intersection with Delaware Bay; then northwest along the east shore of Delaware Bay and the Delaware River to the point of beginning.

 

[smoothshooter]

I personnaly don't see how people who have the political views that most of us that use this site have can stand to live in states like NJ, MA,CA, etc.I understand about family, jobs, and so on. But by remaining in those kinds of places, by continuing to pay taxes there, are you not perpetuating the very system that is the cause of your frustration? Paying for the rope that they are stretching your neck with, so to speak.Sincerely, Smoothshooter

 

[Billnpatti]

It is unfortunate that so many of our laws, especially our game laws, are set by poiticians who don't know their A$$ from their elbow about the things their laws are affecting. The only way in which these ignorance based laws can ever be changed is through education of the politicians. My suggestion is to obtain good chronograph data and the kinetic energy calculations that show a .36 or a .40 caliber round ball will have more kinetic energy than the .22 rimfire that they have decided is acceptable for hunting the coyotes and foxes. There is no guarantee that your data will change the laws but if you do nothing, those laws will never change.

 

[satx78247]

EXACTLY SO.

yours, satx

 

[Alden]

They want a minimum amount of energy and hitting power on animals bigger than rabbit and squirrel. That's how they decided to arrange for it. Why does this seem so odd to some people?

Yeah, we know there are those who are sure they can humanely take (more likely jack) a deer with a .22, and it's the perfect "survival" round, but your opinion doesn't count...