Legal Firearms for Hunting Big Game or Trophy Game Animals

The legal methods you may use while hunting depend on the game species and are designed to ensure that your hunting equipment can deliver a clean kill.

When hunting bighorn sheep, black bear, elk, moose, or mountain goat, the legal firearms are:

• Centerfire rifle that is at least .24 caliber and fires a cartridge that uses an expanding point bullet where the cartridge is:
  • At least 2" in overall length or…
  • At least .35 caliber and at least 1½" in overall length
• Muzzleloading rifle or handgun that is at least .40 caliber and fires a cartridge that uses lead or an expanding point bullet where the charge is at least 50 grains of black powder or its equivalent
• Shotgun that fires 00 or larger buckshot or a slug

When hunting antelope, deer, mountain lion, or gray wolf where it has been designated as a trophy game animal, the legal firearms are:

• Centerfire rifle that is at least .22 caliber (excluding .22 Hornet), has a bullet weight of at least 60 grains, and fires a cartridge that uses an expanding point bullet where the cartridge is:
  • At least 2" in overall length or…
  • At least .35 caliber and at least 1½" in overall length
• Muzzleloading rifle or handgun that is at least .40 caliber and fires a cartridge that uses lead or an expanding point bullet where the charge is at least 50 grains of black powder or its equivalent
• Shotgun that fires 00 or larger buckshot or a slug

When hunting grizzly bear, the legal firearms are:

• Centerfire rifle that is at least .27 caliber and fires a cartridge that is at least 2" in overall length that uses an expanding point bullet of at least 150 grains
• Muzzleloading rifle or handgun that is at least .50 caliber and fires a cartridge that uses lead or an expanding point bullet where the charge is at least 100 grains of black powder or its equivalent
• Shotgun that fires 00 or larger buckshot or a slug