HOME > HUNTING > REGULATIONS > TAKING GAME

Methods of Taking Game

Definition of “taking” wildlife:
Taking is defined to include taking, attempting to take, pursuing, hunting, harassing, capturing or killing any wildlife.
 

LEGAL Methods of Taking Game

For taking resident game birds and mammals:
Rifles, shotguns, pistols, longbows, compound bows, recurve bows, crossbows and birds of prey (falcons, hawks and great horned owls) may be used. Longbows, compound bows, recurve bows and crossbows must have minimum draw weights of 35 pounds. Hand-held releases may be used. Arrows used to take deer, turkeys or hogs must be equipped with broadheads having at least two sharpened edges with minimum widths of 7/8 inch. Nonmigratory game can be taken from stationary vehicles.

For hunting deer with a muzzleloader:
Muzzleloading guns firing single bullets must be at least .40-caliber. Muzzleloading guns firing two or more balls must be 20-gauge or larger.

For taking migratory game birds:
Shotguns (not larger than 10-gauge, plugged to a threeshell capacity including a one-piece filler that cannot be removed without disassembling the gun and are incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined), birds of prey and bows (except crossbows) may be used.
 

PROHIBITED methods and equipment for taking game:

• Centerfire, semi-automatic rifles having magazine capacities of more than five rounds.
• Nonexpanding, full metal case (military ball) ammunition for taking deer.
• Firearms using rimfire cartridges for taking deer.
• Rifles, pistols or crossbows for taking migratory game birds.
• Fully automatic or silencer-equipped firearms.
• Explosive or drug-injecting arrows.
• Taking or attempting to take game with live decoys, recorded game calls or sounds, set guns, artificial lights, nets, traps, snares, drugs or poisons.
• Shooting from vehicles, powerboats or sailboats moving under power. Motors must be shut off or sails furled, and the vessel’s progress must cease from such motor or sail before hunters may shoot wildlife.
• Herding or driving wildlife with vehicles, boats or aircraft.
• Hunting turkeys with dogs.
• Shooting turkeys while they are on the roost.
• Taking migratory game birds over baited areas.
• Taking turkeys over baited areas.
• Taking turkeys when the hunter is within 100 yards of a game-feeding station.
• Taking spotted fawn deer or swimming deer.
• Hunting with bows equipped with sights or aiming devices with electronic computational capabilities or light projection (laser) features during archery season.
• Hunting resident game using bows and crossbows with draw weights less than 35 pounds.
• Using dogs without collars that identify the owners.
• Using dogs on private lands without written landowner permission (see Statewide Deer-Dog Registration on page 14).
• Possessing modern firearms during archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and archery/muzzleloading gun seasons.
• Placing, exposing or distributing soporific, anesthetic, tranquilizer, hypnotic or similar drugs or chemicals; preparation
  by baits; or by other means where game birds or game animals can be affected, unless authorized by permit from the
  FWC executive director.