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In Wallace, Idaho (middle of nowhere), today, a 22-year-old man was sentenced to 3 years and over $2,000 in fines for fatally shooting a moose out of season with a .17-caliber rifle. He is also banned from hunting for 10 years.

http://www.shoshonenewspress.com/articl ... 259638.txt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not familar with the legal terms in this article, and it doesn't say whether this is a felony conviction. It also does not say whether there was a plea bargain or bench or jury trial.

For those who may not be familiar with this load, a .17-caliber rifle is suitable for taking game that weighs less than a couple of pounds.

- Jim

By no means am I a firearm expert, but I'm amazed that a moose could be taken down with a .17 rifle.

Yo, tambien. The shot must have severed an artery. I can't imagine it getting to a critical part of the heart or brain.

- Jim

It doesn't say he did it with 1 shot...

Even a dozen rounds aren't going to drill a hole through the animal's skull or sternum.

- Jim

the preferred round for the night time hunter (poacher) is rimfire .22. Lots of deer have been taken this way.
Illegally. The .17 is generally considered a varmit round, prairie dogs etc. However, a well placed single shot
could take down a moose. A bullet placed in the eye, through to gray matter, for example. As always, shot
placement is more important than caliber. This type of event really makes me mad. It casts an unearned bad
light on hunters ....as this kid was no hunter. He was a poacher and anything but a sportsman.

Doesn't say what size moose. I'm not aware of a "minimum caliber" law, either.
A .17 has quite a bit of velocity.
Here's some hog hunting with a pellet gun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVX0y2Pcj_s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks like this is one of the regulations that the guy violated:

Weapon Restrictions
Rifle and Shotgun
In any hunt, including any-weapon seasons, it is unlawful to
pursue or kill big game animals:
• By any means other than approved firearms,
muzzleloaders and archery methods....
• With any rimfire rifle, rimfire handgun, or muzzleloading
handgun, except for mountain lion.

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/hunt/rules/bg/rules.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; page 4

.17 HMR is a rimfire round

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:Even a dozen rounds aren't going to drill a hole through the animal's skull or sternum.

- Jim

I thought the .17 HMR had good penetration because of velocity. For me, hunting out of season is a bigger deal than the caliber used. A clean kill from a brain shot with a varmint caliber is more humane than a messy kill from multiple extremity hits with a heavy rifle.

I dunno. I don't have any moose handy that need shooting.

- Jim

gemini wrote:the preferred round for the night time hunter (poacher) is rimfire .22. Lots of deer have been taken this way.
Illegally. The .17 is generally considered a varmit round, prairie dogs etc. However, a well placed single shot
could take down a moose. A bullet placed in the eye, through to gray matter, for example. As always, shot
placement is more important than caliber. This type of event really makes me mad. It casts an unearned bad
light on hunters ....as this kid was no hunter. He was a poacher and anything but a sportsman.

Well said Gemini

Jimmy

C-dub wrote:By no means am I a firearm expert, but I'm amazed that a moose could be taken down with a .17 rifle.

Depends on the .17; remember that before the toy calibers came along, there was .17 Remington. At 4,000+ fps, even a 25-30gr bullet does a number on soft tissue.