MS Bag Limits & Legal Weapons

Bag Limits

Antlered Buck Deer:  The bag limit on antlered buck deer is one buck per day, not to exceed three per license year.  Legal bucks must meet the antler criteria within the appropriate deer management zone.  For youth hunters 15 years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all of the three buck bag limit may be an antlered deer.

Antlerless Deer:  The bag limit on antlerless deer is one per day, not to exceed five per license year on private land or three on U.S. Forest Service National Forest land.  Antlerless deer are defined as any female deer and any male deer without hardened antler above the hairline.  Spotted fawns are not to be killed of molested at any time.

Legal Weapons

Youth Gun:  Youth may carry and use any firearm with which they can safely hunt, and in compliance with other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Archery:  Longbows, re-curves, compound bows, and crossbows.  There is no minimum or maximum draw weight.  there is not minimum arrow length.  Fixed or mechanical broad heads may be used.

Primitive Weapons:  For the purpose of hunting deer, "Primitive Firearms" are defined as all archery equipment; single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; or single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroduction of those type rifles with an exposed hammer; or single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns, with single ball or slug.  All muzzle-loading primitive firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, No. 209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition.  "Blackpowder substitute" is defined as a substance designed, manufactured and specifically intended to be used as a propellant in muzzle-loading or other black powder firearms, excluding modern smokeless powder. Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridge purchased at sporting good stores).  Handguns or sidearms are not allowed for hunting deer during Primitive Weapons seasons.  Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons.  A "telescopic sight" is defined as an optical sighting device with any magnification.

During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above.  If the person is required to have a hunting license, the person much have a primitive weapon license, Sportsman's License, or a Lifetime Sportsman's License.

Gun:  There are no caliber of magazine capacity restrictions on firearms.  Primitive weapons (as defined above) and archery equipment may be used during gun seasons.