# 22?



## theeyes (Mar 20, 2004)

Is it legal to use a 22 Hornet centerfire for hunting Deer?


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## Violator22 (Nov 10, 2004)

Yep, sure is, but is it ethical?

[SIZE=-1]*All Firearm Deer Seasons - Rifle Zone* In the rifle zone, deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, bows and arrows, shotguns and muzzleloading firearms including black powder handguns. It is legal to hunt deer in the rifle zone with any caliber of firearm except a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire (rifle or handgun). Crossbows are legal to use by a person 12 years of age or older during the Nov. 15-30 firearm deer season. During the firearm deer seasons, a firearm deer hunter may carry afield a bow and arrow and firearm.*
Exception:* See Muzzleloading Deer Seasons above for restrictions during this season.[/SIZE]


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## JWICKLUND (Feb 13, 2005)

I will break this down into a "user friendly" chart so nobody is mislead or confused. To see the zones, check here.

*All Firearm Deer Season - Rifle Zone *
*Legal Weapons to Use*
*- *Rifles and Handguns (except .22 caliber or smaller rimfire)
- Bow and Arrow
- Crossbows (Anyone 12 or older Nov. 15-30)
- Shotgun
- Muzzleloader (including black powder handguns .35 caliber or larger)

*All Firearm Deer Seasons - Shotgun Zone*
*Legal Weapons to Use*
- Bow and Arrow
- Crossbows (Anyone 12 or older Nov. 15-30)
*-* Shotgun (Any guage, smooth or rifled barrel)
- Muzzleloader (including black powder handguns .35 caliber or larger)
-Handgun-A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35 caliber or larger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined." 

*Illegal Weapons to Use*
*- *Any Rifle (&#8220;Rifle&#8221; means a firearm designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger.)

*Archery Season*
*Legal Weapon to Use*
*- *Bow and Arrow*
- Crossbows*(broken down as follows)
1) Anyone 50 year old or older from Oct 1st - Nov 14th
2) Anyone that is 12 or older and Nov 15th - 30th
3) Anyone 12 or older during bow season in Zone 3 (shotgun zone)
_*Crossbow/Archery Hunters are Required to Wear Orange Nov 15th -30th, and during the youth firearm and early anterless deer seasons._
*[/COLOR]* 
*Illegal Weapons to Use/Possess*
*- *Any pistol, revolver or other firearm* 
*Pistols and Revolvers can be possessed with a valid Concealed Pistol License (CPL). You cannot use the pistol to kill/shoot game.


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## Hackman (Aug 13, 2008)

I have to laugh. I totally agree, I would not try to use a 22 Hornet for deer unless it's only firearm available and I'm starving in the wilderness somewhere. But ask the Michigan Lawmakers is it ethical, don't lay the burden on the hunter. I'm sure a 22 Hornet will put you away for life in thr Big House if Misused.


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

JWICK, you left out Handguns in your post ie, .44Mag, TC ect...



theeyes said:


> Is it legal to use a 22 Hornet centerfire for hunting Deer?



The law states (except .22 caliber or smaller rimfire). It doesn't specify a specific round like the "22LR, 22MAG, 22Short, 222, 22 Hornet, 223....it says the .22 caliber or smaller rimfire. SO, there end lies the question. There are many loads that use the .22 cal bullet AKA or 5.56 mm but Is the .22 bullet illegal to use for deer in Michigan?

For the record, personally I would see it unethical to use such a small bullet, but law/ethic aren't always inline.


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

Quick answer: Rimfire .22 or smaller-Illegal,, Any Centerfire-legal


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

TrekJeff said:


> JWICK, you left out Handguns in your post ie, .44Mag, TC ect...
> 
> The law states (except .22 caliber or smaller rimfire). It doesn't specify a specific round like the "22LR, 22MAG, 22Short, 222, 22 Hornet, 223....it says the .22 caliber or smaller rimfire. SO, there end lies the question. There are many loads that use the .22 cal bullet AKA or 5.56 mm but Is the .22 bullet illegal to use for deer in Michigan?
> 
> For the record, personally I would see it unethical to use such a small bullet, but law/ethic aren't always inline.


The answer to the seemingly elusive question is in the parenthesis in your post.....rimfire. A *centerfire* rifle with a .22 caliber bullet (.22 PPC, .22 Spitfire, .220 Swift, .221 remington fireball, .222 Remington (And Magnum), .22-250, .223, etc) is legal to hunt deer in the rifle zone, during the firearm season. There are so many they can't all be listed. There aren't very many that would really work well outside the .223 (Rem and WSSM) and the .22-250. Many deer have been legally dropped by these rounds - many illegal deer too. 

Regarding the T/C - it's only legal in the shotgun zone when using straight-walled cartridges. From the Guide - "A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35 caliber or larger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined."


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## JWICKLUND (Feb 13, 2005)

I guess my chart wasn't so "user friendly". Hopefully it answers more questions than it creates.


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