Handgun hunting

[genesis]

I have a Desert Eagle, and am considering starting to hunt with it. It can be used as either a .50 AE or .44 magnum. I am wondering if it would be legal for me to use it, and what any restrictions would be. I have never been a hunter, but am very interested in going Hog hunting.
Also, would I be better off with the .50 or .44?

[gigabyte3]

You could only use it during the regulated "gun" seasons, obviously. I have a buddy that uses his .44 mag, can't conceal it while hunting though, unless you have your cpl.

[huntmeister]

Yeah you can use it for deer (in Season) and ferell hogs as long as you have any current hunting license.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10366_37141_37706-31578--,00.html

Firearm deer season.
QUOTE "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."


.44 would be more then enough for all three. .50 would be waste of money in ammo.

[remingtondude58]

how many rounds does the mag hold? It would all depend on what state you plan to hunt in.

[genesis]

It holds 8+1 of .44 and 7+1 of .50, so I guess that's one thing that's working for me. I think I need to start learning the basics of hunting and hunting ethics now. maybe go out for a walkaround with some hunting friends and see if it's for me.
I've always wanted to go hunting, but only now am starting to seriously consider it.
Where's a good place to get the license info and anything else I might need?

[DetroitBiker]

Im down in Florida right now and plan on taking a hog with my Desert Eagle .44 in a couple of days.

[genesis]

Im down in Florida right now and plan on taking a hog with my Desert Eagle .44 in a couple of days.
that's exactly what I hope to do soon. let me know how much fun i is

[remingtondude58]

I've always wanted to go hunting, but only now am starting to seriously consider it.
Where's a good place to get the license info and anything else I might need?

If you were born after '65 you will need to pass a class

http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/recnsearch/

[garyjt]

QUOTE "A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35 caliber or larger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges .


What is a straight-walled cartridge?



I shoot 357, and none of my boxes of ammo say: "straight-walled".

[MikePGS]

I believe it just means it can't be bottle-necked. Which (if i'm right of course) is sort of strange because it would disallow some Thompson Encore rounds if you were to use them in a pistol.

[huntmeister]

What is a straight-walled cartridge?



I shoot 357, and none of my boxes of ammo say: "straight-walled".

Example
.50 ae is a "straight walled" .440 corbon is "necked" from .50 to .44

You could use a .50ae semi auto pistol but not a .440 corbon semi auto pistol.
You could use a "straight walled".357 magnum revolver but not a necked .357 sig semi auto.
you could use a .45/70 .444 marlin .50 alaskan .405 win "straight walled" rifle cartridge's in a pistol but not a .30-06, .223 and .35 whelen, .35 remington "necked" rifle cartridges in a pistol.

Yeah it seems to be dumb rule, but it keeps hunters from slinging high velocity .35+ caliber necked cartridge bullets through the woods below the rifle line. its easier to specify/restrict a type of cartridge rather then all the bullet calibers NOT to use.

http://www.ammo-one.com/440CorbonMagnum.jpg

http://throwinglead.com/images/ammo1.gif