Ask Fish and Game

Q. Can I carry a handgun while hunting during archery or muzzleloader seasons? A. It is legal to carry a handgun while hunting. But it is not legal to kill an animal during archery or muzzleloader seasons with anything other than a bow or muzzle-loading musket or rifle. If an animal is wounded, the hunter should put another arrow or musket ball into it. Taking a big game animal with a rim-fire- or center-fire-cartridge firearm during an archery- or muzzleloader-only hunt is considered a flagrant violation, which can result in a one-year to lifetime loss of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges.