To hunt deer or other big game with a pistol in Minnesota, the handgun must be at least .22 caliber with centerfire ignition and loaded with single-projectile ammunition; each projectile must itself be at least .22 caliber and must be a soft-point or expanding bullet. Rimfire cartridges are prohibited for big game no matter the caliber. Those requirements, set out in Minnesota Statute 97B.031, are the core of Minnesota’s pistol hunting regulations for deer, and everything else, from licensing to transport to county-level overrides, sits on top of them.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.031 – Use and Possession of Firearms
Legal Handguns and Ammunition for Big Game
The statute applies to deer, bear, elk, and wolves. Three conditions have to be met at once: centerfire ignition, minimum .22 caliber for both the firearm and the projectile, and a single-projectile bullet that is either soft-point or of an expanding design.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.031 – Use and Possession of Firearms
The expansion requirement is the rule most often missed. A full-metal-jacket round in a legal caliber is still illegal for big game because it doesn’t expand. The DNR notes that most major manufacturers offer bonded or all-copper bullets suitable for big game, and that matching bullet weight to the animal matters as much as caliber.2Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Legal Big Game Ammunition Common handgun choices that satisfy the rules include .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and similar cartridges that carry enough energy for a clean harvest at handgun distances.
Conservation officers may inspect your firearm and ammunition in the field, so it isn’t enough to look legal from a distance. The rounds in the cylinder or magazine have to comply.
Licenses and Firearms Safety Certificate
A firearms deer license is required to pursue deer, purchased through the DNR’s Electronic License System. The resident firearms deer license runs $34, and a bear license costs $44. Youth, senior, military, and disabled veteran discounts bring many of those figures down, and some youth and military licenses are free.3Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Hunting Licenses
Anyone born after December 31, 1979, has to hold a firearms safety certificate before buying a firearms hunting license.4Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.020 – Firearms Safety Certificate Required Minnesota’s Hunter Education and Firearms Safety course satisfies it, and courses from other states the DNR recognizes also qualify.5Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Hunter Education and Firearms Safety
Hunters under 18 generally cannot possess a handgun unless they are under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian. In a hunting context, that means an adult has to be physically present.
You Do Not Need a Permit to Carry to Hunt
State law exempts anyone carrying a pistol “in the woods or fields or upon the waters of this state for the purpose of hunting or of target shooting” from the Permit to Carry requirement.6Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Permit to Carry a Pistol in Minnesota Frequently Asked Questions Where the permit matters is transporting the pistol to and from the field, addressed below.
County Restrictions in the Shotgun Zone
A handgun that meets the state caliber and ammunition rules can still be illegal in a specific county. Counties located in Minnesota’s designated shotgun zone have authority to adopt local ordinances limiting the types of firearms allowed for deer hunting within their borders.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.031 – Use and Possession of Firearms Before planning a hunt, check the regulations for the county you intend to hunt in. The DNR’s annual hunting regulations booklet lists active county-level restrictions.
Blaze Orange During Firearms Deer Season
Anyone hunting or trapping during the open firearms or muzzleloader deer season must wear blaze orange or blaze pink on the visible portion of the cap and outer clothing above the waist, with sleeves and gloves excluded. Camouflage counts if it is at least 50 percent blaze orange or pink within each square foot.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.071 – Blaze Orange Requirements The requirement applies to every hunter in the field during those seasons, not just deer hunters, and violations during firearms deer season are citable.8Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Blaze Clothing Requirements
Shooting Hours
Legal shooting hours for big game run from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Those windows apply whether you’re carrying a handgun, rifle, or shotgun. Turkey and some other seasons have their own schedules, so check the current year’s regulation booklet.
Suppressors and the Poaching Penalty Enhancer
Minnesota banned suppressor possession for decades, but the legislature repealed the prohibition in 2015.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.031 – Use and Possession of Firearms You can now legally own and use a suppressor while hunting, provided you comply with federal National Firearms Act requirements: register the suppressor, pass the background check, and complete the ATF paperwork.
One catch worth knowing. If you’re convicted of trespassing, hunting in a closed season, hunting more than a half hour outside legal shooting hours, or spotting wildlife with artificial lights while armed with a suppressor-equipped firearm, a mandatory five-year revocation of your hunting license and hunting privileges follows.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 609.66 – Dangerous Weapons
Transporting the Handgun
Minnesota Statute 97B.045 requires that any firearm in a motor vehicle be either unloaded and in a gun case that fully encloses it (zipped, snapped, buckled, or otherwise fastened with no part of the firearm exposed), or unloaded and in the closed trunk.10Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.045 – Transporting Firearms An unloaded pistol dropped into the center console or glovebox without a proper case does not satisfy the statute.
A third option applies to Permit to Carry holders: a handgun carried in compliance with Minnesota’s carry laws can be transported loaded in a motor vehicle.10Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 97B.045 – Transporting Firearms Without the permit, the same unloaded-and-cased rule applies to a hunting pistol as to any other firearm. Violating the transport rules is a misdemeanor.
Driving Into or Out of Minnesota
Federal safe-passage protection under 18 U.S.C. § 926A covers transport of a firearm through any state as long as you may lawfully possess it at both origin and destination, the firearm is unloaded, and neither the gun nor the ammunition is readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In vehicles without a separate trunk, the firearm and ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glovebox or console.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms The protection covers transport only. It does not authorize hunting in a state where you lack the proper license or where your handgun would not be legal.
Penalties for Getting It Wrong
Caliber, ammunition, and transport violations are treated as game-and-fish misdemeanors. Under Minnesota’s general sentencing framework, a misdemeanor carries up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.12Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 609.03 – Sentence Not Specified For big game violations, the animal can be forfeited and hunting privileges revoked on top of the fine and jail exposure. Check your rounds, check your case, and check the county before the season opens.