Wyoming Hunting Laws

Deer, antelope, and mountain lion: centerfire of at least .22 caliber (the .22 Hornet is specifically excluded) with a cartridge at least 2 inches in overall length — or any ≥.35-caliber cartridge at least 1.5 inches overall.

"Any center-fire firearm of at least .22 caliber (excluding .22 Hornet) and having a bullet weight of at least sixty (60) grains and firing a cartridge of at least two (2) inches in overall length and using an expandin..."

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(b)(i) · verified Aug 2026

Bullets must weigh at least 60 grains for deer, antelope, and mountain lion.

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(b)(i) · verified Aug 2026

Big game rifles must fire centerfire cartridges.

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(a)-(b) · verified Aug 2026

Expanding-point bullets (designed to create a wound channel larger than the bullet's diameter) are required for big game.

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(a)-(b) · verified Aug 2026

Elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and black bear: centerfire of at least .24 caliber with a cartridge at least 2 inches in overall length — or any ≥.35-caliber cartridge at least 1.5 inches overall.

"Any center-fire firearm of at least .24 caliber and firing a cartridge of at least two (2) inches in overall length and using an expanding point bullet, or any other cartridge of at least .35 caliber and at least one ..."

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(a)(i) · verified Aug 2026

Wyoming is unusual: turkeys may be taken with any shotgun, any centerfire firearm, a rimfire of .17 HMR or larger (cartridge over 1 inch overall), a muzzleloader, or archery equipment. No shot-size restriction is set.

"For the taking of wild turkey, a hunter shall use any shotgun, center-fire firearm, .17 HMR or larger rimfire firearm with an overall cartridge length greater than one (1) inch, any muzzle-loading firearm, or any arch..."

WGFC Chapter 32 § 5(b) · verified Aug 2026

Shotguns for big game must fire 00 or larger buckshot, or a slug.

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(a)(iii), (b)(iii) · verified Aug 2026

Wyoming statute restrains the Commission from banning lead shot statewide beyond high-density or federally designated zones — in practice, nontoxic shot is required for waterfowl under the federal mandate (50 CFR 20.21(j)).

"The commission shall not ban the use of lead shot except in areas where shotgun shell pellets will exceed twenty thousand (20,000) per acre as determined by sampling methods approved by the commission"

W.S. 23-1-302(b)(i)-(ii) · verified Aug 2026

Muzzleloading rifles and handguns for big game must be at least .40 caliber, firing an expanding bullet or lead ball with a charge of at least 50 grains of black powder or equivalent.

"Any muzzle-loading rifle or any muzzle-loading handgun of at least .40 caliber and firing an expanding point bullet or lead ball and using a charge of at least fifty (50) grains of black powder or its equivalent"

WGFC Chapter 32 § 4(a)(ii), (b)(ii) · verified Aug 2026

Crossbows need at least a 90 lb peak draw weight and a bolt at least 16 inches long with a broadhead that cannot pass through a 7/8-inch ring when expanded.

"a crossbow having a peak draw weight of at least ninety (90) pounds and a bolt of at least sixteen (16) inches in length equipped with a fixed or expanding point broadhead that when fully expanded cannot pass through ..."

WGFC Chapter 32 § 6(c) · verified Aug 2026

Computerized 'smart firearms' — targeting systems that mark a target, calculate a firing solution, and discharge automatically — are banned for game birds and all big or trophy game.

"No person shall use a smart firearm to take any game bird, big game or trophy game animal."

WGFC Chapter 32 § 7 · verified Aug 2026

Thermal, infrared, and other non-visible-spectrum imaging devices — attached to the weapon or handheld, including real-time video — may not be used to spot or take big game. Only non-transmitting trail cameras are allowed.

"No person shall use any device attached to a legal firearm, muzzleloader or archery equipment, capable of producing a thermal or infrared image, or other imaging outside the normal visible light spectrum, with the int..."

WGFC Chapter 2 § 20(a)-(c) · verified Aug 2026

Fully automatic firearms of any type may not be used to take wildlife.

"No person shall take any wildlife with any fully automatic weapon."

W.S. 23-3-112(a) · verified Aug 2026

Wyoming allows suppressors for lawful hunting of any species, with no state paperwork condition. What the statute does is make suppressor use an extra offence when it accompanies an unlawful taking — trespass, taking without a licence, or taking big or trophy game out of season — so the device only matters if the hunt itself was illegal.

Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices

"23-3-112. Firearms; automatic weapon prohibited; use of silencer or suppressor to take big or trophy game restricted; penalties. (a) No person shall take any wildlife with any fully automatic weapon. ... (c) No person..."

W.S. § 23-3-112(c) · verified Oct 2026

At least one visible fluorescent orange or pink exterior garment is required while hunting big or trophy game; no square-inch minimum is set. Special-archery-season hunters are exempt.

"No person other than archers and crossbow hunters hunting during a special archery season shall hunt any big or trophy game animal in Wyoming without wearing in a visible manner one (1) or more exterior garments which..."

W.S. 23-3-113(a); WGFC Chapter 2 § 11(a) · verified Aug 2026