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Oregon Hunting Laws

Oregon sets different minimum centerfire calibers by species — .22 caliber or larger for deer, pronghorn, black bear and cougar, but .24 caliber or larger for elk, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat. Full metal-jacket and tracer bullets are banned for all game mammals, and semi-automatic rifles are capped at a 5-round magazine.

Rules checked against Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations, August 30, 2026.

At a Glance

Wildlife Agency
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Regulations Year
2026
Coverage
Verified against primary sources
Verified Rules on File
27
Rules Pending Review
0
Zones With Special Rules
0
Official regulations → Verify with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife →

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Sourced Rules

Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.

Rifle

3 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Black Bear

Deer and black bear rifles must be centerfire, at least .22 caliber, and not fully automatic.

"Any centerfire rifle .22 caliber or larger that is not fully automatic"

OAR 635-065-0700 · verified Aug 2026

Elk

Elk rifles must be centerfire, at least .24 caliber, and not fully automatic.

".24 caliber or larger centerfire rifle that is not fully automatic"

OAR 635-065-0700 · verified Aug 2026

All species

Semi-automatic rifles used for hunting game mammals are capped at a 5-round magazine capacity.

"Semiautomatics shall have a magazine capacity of no more than five cartridges."

OAR 635-065-0700 · verified Aug 2026

Rifle and Handgun

1 rule
White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Black Bear

Tracer and full metal-jacket (military-style) bullets are banned for game mammals.

"Hunters shall not use tracer ammunition or full metal-jacket bullets."

OAR 635-065-0700 / 635-065-0710 · verified Aug 2026

Shotgun

2 rules
Wild Turkey

Turkey shotguns must be 10 to 20 gauge, firing shot no larger than No. 2 (smaller shot sizes such as No. 4–9 are also legal).

"It is unlawful to hunt wild turkeys with shotguns larger than 10 gauge or smaller than 20 gauge or with shot size larger than No. 2."

OAR 635-053-0035 · verified Aug 2026

All species

On many state Wildlife Areas, National Wildlife Refuges, and Regulated Hunting Areas, only federally approved nontoxic shot may be possessed or used for shotgun hunting.

"The possession and use of shot other than federally approved nontoxic shot ... is prohibited when hunting waterfowl and snipe. Additionally, on certain WAs, NWRs, and RHAs (pages 29, 34-42) all hunters using shotguns ..."

2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations — General restrictions (nontoxic shot) and wildlife-area pages 29, 34-42; OAR 635-051-0000(2), 635-051-0025 · verified Oct 2026

Handgun

2 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Black Bear

Deer and black bear handguns must be centerfire, at least .22 caliber, and not fully automatic. Military/FMJ bullets are also prohibited.

"Any centerfire handgun .22 caliber or larger that is not fully automatic"

OAR 635-065-0710 · verified Aug 2026

Elk

Elk handguns must be centerfire, at least .24 caliber, and not fully automatic.

"Any centerfire handgun .24 caliber or larger that is not fully automatic"

OAR 635-065-0710 · verified Aug 2026

Muzzleloader

5 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Black Bear

Deer and black bear muzzleloaders must be at least .40 caliber.

".40 calibers or larger"

OAR 635-065-0705 · verified Aug 2026

Elk

Elk muzzleloaders must be at least .50 caliber.

".50 caliber or larger"

OAR 635-065-0705 · verified Aug 2026

All species

Only flintlock or percussion-cap ignition is legal; in-line muzzleloaders that use these ignition types otherwise still qualify.

"Hunters shall use only flint or percussion caps as a source of ignition."

OAR 635-065-0705 · verified Aug 2026

All species

During muzzleloader-only seasons, scopes and battery/illuminated sights are banned; open, peep, and fiber-optic iron sights are legal.

"no scopes (permanent or detachable)... no sights that use batteries, artificial light or energy"

OAR 635-065-0705 · verified Aug 2026

All species

Sabots and bullets with plastic/synthetic parts are prohibited; only granular black powder or substitutes with cloth/paper/felt patches are legal.

"It is illegal to hunt with or have in possession while hunting, sabots, or bullets with plastic or synthetic parts. Cloth, paper or felt patches are allowed."

OAR 635-065-0705 · verified Aug 2026

Air Gun

1 rule
White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Pronghorn Black Bear

Airguns are not on Oregon's authorized weapons list for game mammals — only rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders, and bows are legal.

"It is unlawful to hunt game mammals with a crossbow or any weapon other than those rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders, and bows authorized."

OAR 635-065-0725 · verified Aug 2026

All Weapons

2 rules
All species

Fluorescent orange is mandatory only for hunters under 18 pursuing game mammals or upland birds (excluding turkey) with a firearm; adult hunters are not required to wear orange, though ODFW recommends it.

"No person younger than 18 years of age shall hunt with any firearm any game mammal or upland game bird (excluding turkey) unless the person is wearing in a manner visible from all directions a hat or exterior garment ..."

OAR 635-065-0012 · verified Aug 2026

All species

Nothing in Oregon's hunting law restricts suppressors: the 2026 Big Game Regulations never mention them, and neither do the ODFW weapon rules (OAR 635-065-0700 to -0740) or the wildlife statutes in ORS chapters 496, 497 and 498. What the suppressor must satisfy is the separate possession statute, ORS 166.272, which makes possession a Class B felony unless the device is 'registered as required under federal law' — carrying the registration paperwork blocks an arrest under subsection (3) and registration is an affirmative defence under subsection (4).

Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices

"It is unlawful to hunt game mammals with: .22 caliber rimfire (except for western gray squirrel). Fully automatic firearms. Semiautomatic rifles with a magazine capacity greater than five cartridges (except for wester..."

Legal Hunting Weapons for Game Mammals; Prohibited Methods, p. 18; OAR 635-065-0700 to -0740 — no mention of suppressors, silencers or mufflers in the booklet or in OAR 635-065-0700, -0725 or -0740 (read 2026-10-16) · verified Oct 2026

Federal Rules That Apply in Every State

These federal requirements apply in Oregon on top of state law.

Federal law: only USFWS-approved nontoxic shot may be used — or even possessed — while hunting waterfowl, coots, and aggregate-bag species. 50 CFR § 20.21(j)(1)–(3)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds are limited to 3 shells total (magazine + chamber) with a one-piece plug; limited light-goose and September Canada goose season exceptions exist. 50 CFR § 20.21(b)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds may be no larger than 10 gauge. 50 CFR § 20.21(a)
Federal law prohibits taking migratory birds with a rifle, pistol, or fully automatic firearm. 50 CFR § 20.21(a)
On Waterfowl Production Areas and designated National Wildlife Refuge lands, possessing shot other than approved nontoxic shot is prohibited; individual refuges may impose stricter rules. 50 CFR § 32.2(k)

Sources

2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (published via eRegulations) · retrieved October 16, 2026
2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · retrieved October 16, 2026
OAR 635-065-0012 — Mandatory Fluorescent Orange Garments Oregon Secretary of State / Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026
OAR 635-065-0700 — Rifles — Requirements Oregon Secretary of State / Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026
OAR 635-065-0705 — Muzzleloading Rifles — Requirements Oregon Secretary of State / Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026
OAR 635-065-0710 — Handguns — Requirements Oregon Secretary of State / Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026
OAR 635-065-0725 — Other Weapons Oregon Secretary of State / Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026
Or. Admin. Code § 635-053-0035 — Wild Turkey Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law), mirroring Oregon Administrative Rules · retrieved August 30, 2026

How to Use This Page

Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations are the final word.