This was cut from the DNR site legal equipment for deer
Equipment Regulations
[FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std][FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std]Firearms[/FONT][/FONT]: Shotguns, handguns, rifles with legal cartridges, muzzleloading long guns and muzzleloading handguns are legal during the firearm season. Only muzzleloading firearms are legal during the muzzleloader season. It is illegal to have a silencer while hunting. Laser sights are legal for hunting deer.
Hunters may carry more than one type of legal firearm when hunting during the firearm season only.
Shotguns must be 10-, 12-, 16- or 20- gauge or .410 bore loaded with slugs or saboted bullets. Rifled slug barrels are permitted. Combination rifle-shotguns are not allowed.
Muzzleloading firearms must be .44 caliber or larger, loaded with a single bullet of at least .357 caliber. Saboted bullets are allowed, provided the bullet is .357 caliber or larger. A muzzleloading firearm must be loaded from the muzzle. Multiple-barrel muzzleloading long guns are allowed.
Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.625 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearm season. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, and .500 S&W.
[FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std][FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std]Handguns for deer hunting: [/FONT][/FONT]Handguns, other than muzzle loading, must have a barrel at least 4 inches long and must fire a bullet of .243-inch diameter or larger. The handgun cartridge case, without the bullet, must be at least 1.16 inches long. Full metal-jacketed bullets are not permitted.
Handguns are not permitted on any military areas.
Some types of handgun cartridges legal for deer hunting include .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .35 Remington and .357 Herrett. Some illegal handgun cartridges for deer hunting are .38 Special, .38 Smith and Wesson, .38 Colt New Police, .38/200, .38 Long Colt, .38 Super, .38 ACP, .38 Colt Auto, .45 ACP, .45 Automatic and .45 Auto Rim. All .25/.20, .32/.20 and .30 carbine ammunition is prohibited.
Muzzleloading handguns are allowed. The muzzleloading handgun must be single shot, .50 caliber or larger, loaded with bullets at least .44 caliber and have a barrel at least 12 inches long, measured from the base of the breech plug excluding tangs and other projections to the end of the barrel, including the muzzle crown.
[FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std][FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std]Carrying firearms: [/FONT][/FONT]An individual must not possess a handgun while hunting deer or while accompanying the youth hunter during the youth season unless the individual possesses a valid unlimited license to carry a handgun issued under IC 35-47-2; or is not required to possess a license to carry a handgun under IC 35-47-2-2. It is not legal to take a deer with a handgun except during the firearm and muzzleloader seasons and in compliance with DNR regulations.
[FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std][FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std]Archery equipment: [/FONT][/FONT]Legal equipment includes long bows, compound bows or recurve bows and arrows. The bow must have a pull of at least 35 pounds. Arrows must be tipped with broadheads that are metal, metal-edged, or napped flint, chert or obsidian. Poisoned or exploding arrows are illegal.
Bows drawn, held or released by means other than by hand or hand-held releases may not be used. No portion of the bow’s riser or any track, trough, channel, arrow rest or other device that attaches to the bow’s riser can guide the arrow from a point back beyond the bow’s brace height. The common overdraw is still allowed as long as it does not extend beyond the string when the bow is relaxed.
[FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std][FONT=Helvetica LT Std,Helvetica LT Std]Crossbows: [/FONT][/FONT]Crossbows are legal hunting equipment during the late archery deer season and can be used to harvest deer of either sex only in the late archery season. Crossbows must have a minimum 125-pound pull and a mechanical safety.
Next season the limit will be 1.8 inches..
check these guys out they can help with roundshttp://www.bfgcartridges.com/
Remember, gun guys talking about guns, or ammo, or laws or gun laws is like 8th graders talking about sex. No one really knows anything about it, but they saw a movie in 5th grade and an older cousin told them about it once.
Feel free to use a .460 Weatherby Magnum on Chipmunks if you like. You can even use a .577 Nitro Express on Squirrels if that's part of your armament. But don't you dare try and use a 30-30 Winchester on Deer. I really don't care though as long as I can still use my M230 Chain Gun on Rabbits.
So what are some of the rifle calibers that are legal? I was told that as long as it was a pistol caliber it was legal.
Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.625 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearm season. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, and .500 S&W
I've heard alligator tastes like chicken.
They don't call them "rumors" for nothin'.