So what is the minimum caliber for deer in your state?

[FrankenMauser]

Co. requires a .24 caliber. And you cannot hunt varmints during a regular big game season with anything larger than a .22 center fire if you do not have a current unfilled tag for that big game season. Guess they figured out the party hunters. Once the regular big game season is over the larger calibers are legal for varmints & fur bearers.

In Utah, they completely ban rimfires on "temporary game preserves" (any area open to hunting) during big game hunting seasons.
Even if you don't have a hunting license and you're just chasing jackrabbits and coyotes (non-game) or plinking, you're technically illegal. And, the way the law is written, it is "prima facie evidence of poaching".

If you do have a license... To remain legal, target shooters and upland/small game hunters have to stick with centerfire firearms and/or shotguns allowed for big game, upland game, and small game.
However, enforcement is non-existent. Unless the wardens think you're a poacher, they don't care.

(The same goes for hunter orange - if you're in a hunting unit during the season, you MUST wear hunter orange ... even if you're just out cutting firewood. Of course, it doesn't get enforced.)

[militant]

Centerfire in Oregon.

[Deja vu]

25acp

ok really its just any centerfire.

[Backwoodsboy]

To expand on what Brian stated here is a cut and paste from NYS Dec page for legal implements.
Descriptions of Legal Implements for Big Game Hunting
Implement Description
Bow Long (stick), recurve or compound bow with a draw weight in excess of 35 pounds. A legal arrowhead is non-barbed, has 2 or more cutting edges and is at least 7/8 inches wide.
Muzzleloader Firearm loaded through the muzzle, a minimum bore of .44 inches and shooting a single projectile. Scopes may now be used during the Special Muzzleloading Season in addition to the Regular Big Game Season and the Early Bear Season. See Muzzleloading section of regulations for special requirements during the muzzleloading season.
Handgun* any centerfire pistol or revolver. Barrel length maximum is 16 inches
(NOTE: Possession of handguns in New York State requires a NYS Pistol Permit. New York does not recognize permits issued by other states.)
Shotgun* Must be 20 gauge of larger and fire a single projectile, rifling in the barrel or choke is allowed
Rifle* any centerfire rifle.
* It is illegal to hunt with:

a fully automatic firearm;
an autoloading firearm that holds more than 6 shells (except an autoloading pistol with a barrel length under 8 inches);
any firearm equipped with a silencer.

[sfwusc]

Sc

Wildlife land. Center fire
Private land. Rimfire is ok.

Everyone wants that big buck and people aren't taking does. Population is becoming a problem so I think the government just wants them dead.

[thallub]

Oklahoma:

Rifles: Centerfire rifles firing at least a 55-grain weight soft-nosed or hollow-point bullet and having an overall cartridge case length of 1.25 inches or longer (9 mm rifles are not legal). Clips or magazines of all .22 caliber centerfire firearms may not be capable of holding more than seven rounds of ammunition.

Elk=Ditto

[redneck]

December 25, 2013, 05:56 PM #8
shortwave

Ohio's minimums...

Shotgun season: .410 shotgun with slug or .357 revolver with 5" bbl.

Muzzleloader: Muzzleloading rifle only using one ball per bbl - .38 cal.

No rifle hunting allowed for deer.

Have to correct you on this because it opens up those interesting loopholes noticed in other states.

Pg. 9 of Ohio regulations

"Handgun: with 5" minimum length barrel, using straight walled cartridges .357 or larger."

That means that .38 special, .45acp etc. are all legal as well. You can hunt with a pistol or revolver.

You may also use a muzzle loading shotgun 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel, but no muzzle loading handguns.

Seems kind of dumb to me that we can use a muzzle loading .410 gauge, but aren't allowed to use a 12" barrel .54 handgun.

[globemaster3]

Well, since our Northern Tier brethren are frozen in right now, what about something from Montana, North Dakota, Maine, Vermont, etc?

I need to start tracking this on a map!

[BuckRub]

Centerfire - Texas

[NHSHOOTER]

Here in NH..No rimfire firearms for hunting deer. Shotguns single projectile or buckshot 00 or larger and some towns dont allow buckshot. Muzzleloader minimum 40 caliber and bow minimum draw weight 40 lbs..No specifics on handguns.
Now I have a question, how many states REQUIRE hunter orange. NH has no requirements, just suggestions.

[taylorce1]

Co. requires a .24 caliber. And you cannot hunt varmints during a regular big game season with anything larger than a .22 center fire if you do not have a current unfilled tag for that big game season. Guess they figured out the party hunters. Once the regular big game season is over the larger calibers are legal for varmints & fur bearers.

Couple of guys I know got a nice fine for not using a smaller caliber to shoot prairie dogs during pronghorn season a few years back.

[jmr40]

Not sure I understand the reasoning for that. Is it to prevent guys from claiming they are varmit hunting when they are in fact trying to illegally big game hunt.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by jmr40

Not sure I understand the reasoning for that. Is it to prevent guys from claiming they are varmit hunting when they are in fact trying to illegally big game hunt.

Yes. Similar law in NY. You may not use a center fire of any kind for hunting other animals during deer season unless you have a deer tag and the area you're in is legal for rifles, not even at night.

[Rifleman1776]

Haven't check lately but in Arkansas, any centerfire. Meaning even a teensy .25-20 is legal.

[Picher]

In Maine, a .22 magnum is the minimum allowed for deer. I didn't see any minimum for bear or other animals, but would hope hunters would use something with more energy for bear.

If I had my .22 magnum and saw a legal deer within 100 yards, I might shoot it, provided it presented a good angle to the vitals. However, I wouldn't deliberately go hunting for deer with .22 Magnum. A .243 Win is my minimum these days.

[WardenWolf]

In Virginia it's .24 caliber, as I recall. I just know .223 is NOT legal. Doesn't hugely matter for me, as I have nothing in between .223 and 7.62x39. I would most likely use 8mm Mauser or 7.62x39 with PRVI Partizan soft points.

[Jim243]

IL is shotgun slug only with 20 ga minimum.

Not totally complete. Shotgun 20 or 12 gauge slug, muzzle loader (45 Cal or larger) or handgun (357 Mag or larger mag caliber). No hollow points or full metal jackets.

Jim

[MKayser]

No hollow points or full metal jackets.

IL DNR Hunting Info Sheet states:

"Non-expanding, military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest white-tailed deer; only soft point or expanding bullets (including copper/copper-alloy rounds designed for hunting) are legal ammunition"

"Expanding bullets" means hollow points.

[dmanisgnarly]

NC is picky on handgun calibers but for rifle big game hunting there is no caliber restriction or magazine limit.

[tahunua001]

no minimum caliber, only restriction is no rimfire allowed.

[Don357]

In AL, its any centerfire rifle or handgun, some areas require a 4" or longer barrel on handguns, or muzzle loader .40 caliber or larger.

[alex0535]

.22 Hornet is the smallest deer legal caliber in georgia. 22 caliber center-fire or higher.