Wyoming firearm requirements

[Laramie]

Better than a bow.

I disagree - mainly due to the season restrictions. To use a pistol, you are hunting at the same time all the rifle hunters are so that takes decoys, and blinds out of the safe hunting methods to me. Now if you have your own private land, use a sharp spoon on a stick if it trips your trigger.

 

[KenLee]

You are aware what a 10mm auto is? It's one of the most popular handgun hunting cartridges in the country. It's the best cartridge you can hunt with in a semi-auto.

It's a regulation that needs to be changed.

Or you could shoot a rifle.

 

[Novashooter]

I get that the regulation as written is backwards.

However, im trying really hard to understand why anyone would be thinking about hunting pronghorn with a pistol. What for? I know plenty have done it for a long time........that doesnt mean it makes any sense.

For the same reason anyone would hunt with a bow, muzzleloader, rifle, or any other thing ever. Generally the goal is to kill them.

 

[Novashooter]

I disagree - mainly due to the season restrictions. To use a pistol, you are hunting at the same time all the rifle hunters are so that takes decoys, and blinds out of the safe hunting methods to me. Now if you have your own private land, use a sharp spoon on a stick if it trips your trigger.

That's not true. I don't know how many there are, every WY unit is unique, but one of the units I'm considering is handgun and muzzleloader only. It happens very early, with no overlap with rifle tags.

 

[KenLee]

That's not true. I don't know how many there are, every WY unit is unique, but one of the units I'm considering is handgun and muzzleloader only. It happens very early, with no overlap with rifle tags.

Buy an old Encore 7-30 Waters pistol barrel and killemall out to 200 yards. Quit worrying about a 30 yard killer

 

[Novashooter]

Buy an old Encore 7-30 Waters pistol barrel and killemall out to 200 yards. Quit worrying about a 30 yard killer

They aren't legal in that unit. Unit 107.

 

[bnewt3]

For the same reason anyone would hunt with a bow, muzzleloader, rifle, or any other thing ever. Generally the goal is to kill them.

And there are more effective tools available.

 

[KenLee]

They aren't legal in that unit. Unit 107.

You should move

 

[Novashooter]

You should move

What is at stake for you here? I want to hunt with a handgun, so I found a handgun unit.

 

[KenLee]

What is at stake for you here? I want to hunt with a handgun, so I found a handgun unit.

I kill stuff with handguns within the rules here. Just tryingto be helpful. Grab a 35 rem or 45-70 barrel and have at it then.

 

[ropeup79]

Caliber restriction rules are often written this way. They make little sense. I agree that the 10mm should be legal. The .22 Creedmoor should also be legal for elk, but it's not, and the .25-20 Winchester is. Go figure.

If you did use your 10mm, I doubt you'd get ticketed. If you got ticketed, you could make the argument in court and the judge or jury might toss it. After all, you're using a more powerful cartridge in every metric. Who would argue against that?

Another option would be to load a long bullet like this and single load it. That would get you past the 1.5" requirement.
View attachment 1016252

25-20 is shorter than 2” and is not legal to take big game in WY.

 

[Novashooter]

I kill stuff with handguns within the rules here. Just tryingto be helpful. Grab a 35 rem or 45-70 barrel and have at it then.

35 Remington is also not legal. I guess 45-70 would be. I own one in 458 win mag, not really good for anything except showing off.

I would prefer to hunt with a 10mm, but I can use the 44 mag if I have to. I would be bringing a muzzleloader too. That's not the problem. The problem is there is an obvious oversight in the regulations. No matter the opinion on handgun hunting, bow hunting, or whatever other restricted weapon hunting, it is an oversight. The way it is worded is foolish.

I was hoping someone who works at, with, knows somebody with the WYGFP would chime in and mention the mistake. I already sent them an email, but one random non-resident does not tend to do much.

 

[KenLee]

35 Remington is also not legal. I guess 45-70 would be, but I'll pass on that.

I would prefer to hunt with a 10mm, but I can use the 44 mag if I have to. I would be bringing a muzzleloader too. That's not the problem. The problem is there is an obvious oversight in the regulations. No matter the opinion on handgun hunting, bow hunting, or whatever other restricted weapon hunting, it is an oversight. The way it is worded is foolish.

I was hoping someone who works at, with, knows somebody with the WYGFP would chime in and mention the mistake. I already sent them an email, but one random non-resident does not tend to do much.

Im not much of a 35 rem fan anyway.

 

[Thegman]

Beyond letting them know of the issue, maybe suggest a better solution to the problem you're noting. Possibly something like "Centerfire handguns with a minimum bullet weight of X and KE of Y may be used for taking..." Similar to what Alaska requires on at least some bison hunts - "Centerfire rifles with a minimum bullet weight of 175 grains and 2,800 FP of KE...".

I suppose the way they've written it is something that can easily be checked in the field with a micrometer, but the above would get them close enough I'd think, just by looking at the cartridge. Maybe a few would slip a little under the regs, but nothing by too much.

In this case, a 38 Special might not make the cut, while a 10mm probably would.

 

[RWT]

View attachment 1016237

Won’t kill anything. It’s a MOA reticle

 

[Caseknife]

Doesn't show any draw odds for 107-0 for 2025, is it a new hunt for 2026? That may change with the season setting in April.

 

[Novashooter]

Beyond letting them know of the issue, maybe suggest a better solution to the problem you're noting. Possibly something like "Centerfire handguns with a minimum bullet weight of X and KE of Y may be used for taking..." Similar to what Alaska requires on at least some bison hunts - "Centerfire rifles with a minimum bullet weight of 175 grains and 2,800 FP of KE...".

I suppose the way they've written it is something that can easily be checked in the field with a micrometer, but the above would get them close enough I'd think, just by looking at the cartridge. Maybe a few would slip a little under the regs, but nothing by too much.

In this case, a 38 Special might not make the cut, while a 10mm probably would.

That's where it can turn into a huge debate, especially when it comes to energy, which means almost nothing. Personally I think Montana has it right. "There is no handgun or rifle caliber limitation".

I'm not a Wyoming resident though, so I don't really feel like my say should have much weight. 10mm auto is not a controversial caliber, and that really needs to be addressed in some way.

 

[Novashooter]

Doesn't show any draw odds for 107-0 for 2025, is it a new hunt for 2026? That may change with the season setting in April.

Yes, it's just one of the units I'm looking at. It all depends on the antelope numbers this year if they will have it or not. As far as I know that hasn't been decided yet. It's not a new hunt, they had tags in 2023, and I know it's been a special unit a long time.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

You have always been able to use a contender or any specialty pistol in 107
And I have killed at least 10 antelope with pistols here in Wyoming
Scoped 44 mag and a 7-30 imp contender
It is great fun