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Course Outline

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
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