Yes, the .350 Legend is legal in Ohio for deer hunting during the state’s firearm seasons. Ohio restricts deer rifles to straight-walled cartridges between .357 and .50 caliber, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources names the .350 Legend by name as a compliant round in its annual hunting regulations.1Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2025-26
Why the Cartridge Qualifies
Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31-15-11 bars any rifle cartridge with a necked-down case during deer gun season. The legal range for deer rifles is a straight-walled cartridge with a minimum caliber of .357 and a maximum of .50. Winchester built the .350 Legend to fit regulations like Ohio’s: a straight-walled case with a .357-inch bullet diameter, landing right at the minimum.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 1501:31-15 – Hunting and Trapping3Winchester. 350 Legend FAQs
The ODNR regulations booklet confirms it in plain language, listing legal straight-walled cartridge calibers “from a minimum of .357 to a maximum of .50 (includes .350 Legend).”1Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2025-26
Because the .350 Legend sits at the exact boundary, the margin matters. Factory loads from major manufacturers use the .357-inch spec, so they’re in bounds. Handloaders should measure carefully. Any bullet even slightly under .357 falls outside the legal range, and any taper or neck at the case mouth disqualifies the round regardless of caliber.
When You Can Use It
The .350 Legend is legal during Ohio’s gun seasons for deer. For the 2026–2027 hunting year, the Ohio Wildlife Council has approved:4Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Ohio Wildlife Council Approves 2026-27 Hunting Seasons
- Youth deer gun: Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, 2026
- Deer gun season: Monday, November 30 through Sunday, December 6, 2026
- Bonus weekend: Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20, 2026
The youth weekend is for hunters under 18. During the main week and the bonus weekend, any licensed hunter can carry a .350 Legend rifle. Straight-walled cartridge rifles are also legal during the Disease Surveillance Area early gun seasons held in mid-October in designated counties; the current DSA county list is in the ODNR regulations booklet.
Two boundaries worth marking. Straight-walled cartridge rifles are not allowed during muzzleloader season, and the administrative code goes further than that: possessing rifle cartridges while hunting in muzzleloader season is itself illegal. During archery season you cannot carry any rifle, pistol, or other firearm while hunting deer or accompanying someone who is, with a narrow exception for a person legally carrying a concealed handgun under Ohio’s carry laws.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 1501:31-15 – Hunting and Trapping
The Three-Round Limit
Ohio caps shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles at three rounds total during gun season, counting the chamber and magazine together. If your .350 Legend ships with a five-round magazine, load no more than two in the magazine and one in the chamber before you step into the field. The limit does not apply to handguns.1Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2025-26
Licenses and Permits
Every deer hunter in Ohio needs both a hunting license and a deer permit, regardless of age. Current resident fees are $19 for an annual hunting license, $31.20 for an either-sex deer permit, and $15 for a deer management permit, which allows additional tags in certain counties.5Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits
To buy a license, you need proof of completing a hunter education course, a previously held hunting license from any state, or a sworn statement that you are 21 or older and have held a license before. First-time hunters without those credentials can buy an apprentice license and hunt under the supervision of a licensed adult while they complete hunter education.5Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits
Resident landowners get an exemption. Landowners, their spouses, children, parents, and grandchildren under 18 do not need a hunting license, deer permit, or deer management permit to hunt on their own land.5Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits
What a Violation Costs
Deer violations are punished more harshly than general wildlife infractions in Ohio. A first offense involving the taking or possession of deer is a third-degree misdemeanor, carrying up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. A second deer-related offense within three years rises to a first-degree misdemeanor, with up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1531.99 – Penalty
A court can also suspend or revoke your hunting license and related permits as part of the sentence.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.68 – Suspension or Revocation of License or Permit For repeat offenders convicted of hunting without a license under Ohio Revised Code 1533.17, firearms and hunting equipment in your possession at the time of the violation are subject to seizure.8Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.99 – Penalty Restitution based on the state’s minimum value for the illegally taken animal may be ordered on top of that. Conservation officers check ammunition, licenses, and permits in the field.