Legal Hunting Equipment
Archery
Long, recurve and compound bows: Must have at least a 40-pound pull. Scopes may not be used. String locks and mechanical string releases may be used. Deer, turkey and bear hunters are required to use arrowheads at least 7/8-inches wide. Poison may not be used on arrows. Mechanical broadheads allowed.
Crossbow: Crossbows must have at least a 125-pound pull and a mechanical safety. Deer, turkey and bear hunters are required to use arrowheads at least 7/8-inches wide. Poison may not be used on arrows. Scopes may be used. Mechanical broadheads allowed. Crossbows are not allowed for taking elk.
Muzzleloader
To be used for deer hunting, muzzleloading long guns must have a barrel at least 18 inches long and be at least .40 caliber. Magnifying sights may be used. The use of shot is not legal. Legal muzzleloaders use flintlock, percussion cap or shotgun primers, are loaded through the muzzle and are not capable of firing a cartridge. Electronic pulse ignition muzzleloaders are allowed. Hunters may use muzzleloading handguns as long as the barrels are at least 9 inches long and at least .45 caliber if they shoot conical bullets (200 grains or heavier). If round balls are used, the minimum caliber is .530. A hunter may carry a muzzleloading handgun of any caliber as backup to a muzzleloading long gun.
Modern Gun
All modern guns may be used for deer hunting during modern gun season with the following exceptions. You may not use:
In zones 4, 4B, 5 and 5B, modern guns are restricted to shotguns .410 or larger with slugs. Muzzleloading rifles and revolvers or pistols having barrels that are no less than 4 inches nor longer than 10 inches in length chambered specifically for straight wall centerfire cartridge cases and hunting with lead, lead alloy, soft nose and/or hollow point bullets no less than .30 caliber in diameter also may be used.
Deer or Bear Hunting Equipment
Rifles, shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders or archery equipment may be used during modern gun hunts.
When muzzleloader deer or bear seasons are open and modern gun deer or bear seasons are closed, deer or bear hunters may only carry or use legal muzzleloading firearms or archery equipment, but not modern guns. Modern guns may not be carried when modern gun seasons are closed.*
When archery deer or bear seasons are open and muzzleloader or modern gun deer or bear seasons are closed, deer and bear hunters may only carry and use legal archery equipment, but not firearms. Firearms may not be carried during archery seasons.*
Concealed Weapon Permit Holders
*Concealed weapon permit holders may carry a modern handgun, but are not allowed to use it for any hunting purpose. All concealed handgun permit holders must identify themselves to a wildlife officer when complying with an inspection pertaining to birds, fish, game or other wildlife resources.