Where do you live? It is a possibility in your state that it is not legal to shoot them with a 17HMR, never heard of it though. Then again I have not read every state and counties regs either. If it is legal to shoot them with a rimfire where you live the HMR should be legal unless specifically stated otherwise. There may be some law that says they must be shot with a .22 or larger caliber or something to that effect. This would be to keep people from shooting them with .177 pellet guns would be my guess. Most likely a law before the HMR's came about.

Paul