Iowa/Illinois whitetail firearm advice.

[DangDang]

Alright, so I’ve kinda been on the fence about buying a new guy to use for whitetail hunting up in Iowa & Illinois. Both states have that weird rule where you have to use a straight wall cartridge rifle, rifled slug, or muzzleloader. I’m not going to get into all the other rules (capacity etc.) I just want to hear some pros and cons from experiences anyone on here has encountered in the field, heck or at the range with straight wall cartridges. I roughly compared both lists of acceptable cartridges from each state and listed them below.

Regarding the rifle shotgun slugs… I have two 12ga. barrels some where. One iron sight, and one railed for a scope, but they are currently MIA until I go to where I think they are.

Regarding muzzleloaders… I hate them. I hate cleaning them. I hate loading them. I hate shooting them (usually hunt with wind in my face) I only use them for muzzleloader season.

• 350 Legend
• .357 S&W Mag
• .357 Remington Maximum
• 375 Winchester
• 40 S&W
• 41 Magnum
• 44 Remington Magnum
• 444 Marlin
• 45 ACP
• 45 Colt
• 45 Wincherter Magnum
• 450 Bushmaster
• 45-70 Government
• 454 Casull
• 460 S&W Magnum
• 475 Linebaugh
• 480 Ruger
• 50 Action Express
• 50 Beowulf
• 500 S&W Magnum

Thanks guys.

 

[woodsy85]

No .350 legend on the list??


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[Rebel_Rider1969]

No .350 legend on the list??


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Yep, my .02. Ruger american ranch.

 

[DangDang]

(DISREGARD) Unfortunately Iowa is .357 or larger.

(UPDATED) Changed to 350. I read an older dnr cartridge list.

No .350 legend on the list??


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[woodsy85]

Yep, my .02. Ruger american ranch.

Or predator. Or heck even plain old American. Any of these Ruger products in .350 legend. I’m personally partial to the predator, but have never owned a ranch.


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[Rebel_Rider1969]

Unfortunately Iowa is .357 or larger

I think the bullet is actually .358?

 

[woodsy85]

I think the bullet is actually .358?

Correct, it’s a .357 bullet.


Just googled, .350 legend is legal for deer in both Illinois and Iowa.


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[hunter01]

No .350 legend on the list??


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It should be that's what it was specifically designed for. My 12 year old son has taken two large Alabama bucks with his both ran less than 100 yards. Alot of internal damage, Hornady American Whitetail ammo.

 

[Bowhntr6pt]

If I were going to travel that far to kill a potentially nice buck I'd take a 20" rifle-barreled scoped 12ga shotgun with whatever slugs prove to be accurate out to 100-150 yards max.

I'd think a scope in the 2-7 or 1-8 range would be perfect.

Forget all those pistol chamberings unless you plan on close up shots. A scoped handgun isn't that easy to shoot where as a handgun with a RDS seems a little easier to me to acquire AND track a moving (walking) target.

ETA- a 444 Marlin or 45-70 would be close seconds.

 

[woodsy85]

If I were going to travel that far to kill a potentially nice buck I'd take a 20" rifle-barreled scoped 12ga shotgun with whatever slugs prove to be accurate out to 100-150 yards max.

I'd think a scope in the 2-7 or 1-8 range would be perfect.

Forget all those pistol chamberings unless you plan on close up shots. A scoped handgun isn't that easy to shoot where as a handgun with a RDS seems a little easier to me to acquire AND track a moving (walking) target.

ETA- a 444 Marlin or 45-70 would be close seconds.

Not to mention many of those chambering are expensive and hard to find.

.350 legend cheap and readily available.


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[Bowhntr6pt]

This was at only 25 yards BUT it was off the hood of my truck with iron sights giving about 85% accuracy effort.

That's FIVE rounds.

Rem 11-87 Police with 20" NON-rifled barrel.



I'm sure with proper motivated concentration, a shotgun as described in my first post would be extremely effective out to 150 yards. A 12ga slug packs one hell of a punch. A decently placed shot means DRT or close to it... those other pistol calibers, not even close IMO.

I have a .50 Beowulf but would leave it home for the 12Ga. if it were my hunt.

 

[woodsy85]

This was at only 25 yards BUT it was off the hood of my truck with iron sights giving about 85% accuracy effort.

That's FIVE rounds.

Rem 11-87 Police with 20" NON-rifled barrel.



I'm sure with proper motivated concentration, a shotgun as described in my first post would be extremely effective out to 150 yards. A 12ga slug packs one hell of a punch. A decently placed shot means DRT or close to it... those other pistol calibers, not even close IMO.

I have a .50 Beowulf but would leave it home for the 12Ga. if it were my hunt.

12 ga slug is absolutely devastating at close range. Guess it depends on the OP’s setup. For me personally, most of my stands have shooting distances far beyond 100 yards.


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[hunter01]

My second choice would be 450 bushmaster. But given ammo prices and availability the 350 legend still has the edge.

 

[DangDang]

Correct, it’s a .357 bullet.


Just googled, .350 legend is legal for deer in both Illinois and Iowa.


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CRAP. I read an older article/list. Thanks for double checking.


(The old article)

New law allows approved pistol cartridges for use in rifles to hunt deer

Iowa hunters will have a new option this fall while hunting deer during the youth season, disabled hunter season and both shotgun seasons – rifles that are capable of shooting straight walled cartridges.

www.iowadnr.gov

2023/2024 Iowa rules/regs

https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/huntingregs.pdf

 

[Bowhntr6pt]

12 ga slug is absolutely devastating at close range. Guess it depends on the OP’s setup. For me personally, most of my stands have shooting distances far beyond 100 yards.


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Good point... OP what's the likely range you will be shooting if you know?

 

[woodsy85]

Good point... OP what's the likely range you will be shooting if you know?

I would rephrase that as “what’s the longest distance you will shoot?”

My favorite stand, I’ve shot several deer inside of 100 yards. But back of the food plot is around 250. Even though the most likely area I will see deer at that stand is inside 100, I go armed for the 250 yard shot.


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[Bowhntr6pt]

I would rephrase that as “what’s the longest distance you will shoot?”

My favorite stand, I’ve shot several deer inside of 100 yards. But back of the food plot is around 250. Even though the most likely area I will see deer at that stand is inside 100, I go armed for the 250 yard shot.


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Same here I've shot a lot of deer under 100, most under 75, based on trails and travel patterns but the pasture offers 1K yard shot, not that I'd even consider such a shot.

ETA- I have two specific spots that are muzzle loader and handgun only because it's close up and the deer move through the area a lot, I can't see too far thus I'm not tempted non aggravated lol. Sucks to see a target out there a ways as such you don't want to shoot. On a couple occasions I've got out of my stand and closed the distance for a better shot.

 

[DangDang]

Good point... OP what's the likely range you will be shooting if you know?

Man I honestly don’t know. I’ve archery hunted up there before, but that’s a different game… There is one spot where we were thinking about gun hunting that has 300-350 yard shots, but with cartridge limitations I’m thinking under 200.
(Mostly public land)

Practiced shooting higher powered rifles out to 500 yards several times, over several years, for different hunts in Colorado, just to shoot two at about 30 & 50 yards. lol

 

[DangDang]

Pretty much what both of y’all just said. I still want to reach out as far as I accurately can. Too often he’s just out of reach. “Why didn’t I just sit over there?”

 

[Midnight son]

I say a Marlin Cowboy .38-55 with an lpvo. Dont see how any straight wall combination could be better.