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97B.031 USE AND POSSESSION OF FIREARMS. <br />Subdivision 1.Permissible firearms and ammunition; big game and wolves.A person may take big <br />game and wolves with a firearm only if: <br />(1) any rifle, shotgun, or handgun used is a caliber of at least .22 inches and has centerfire ignition; <br />(2) the firearm is loaded only with single projectile ammunition; <br />(3) a projectile used is a caliber of at least .22 inches and has a soft point or is an expanding bullet type; <br />(4) any muzzleloader used has the projectile loaded only at the muzzle; <br />(5) any smooth-bore muzzleloader used is a caliber of at least .45 inches; and <br />(6) any rifled muzzleloader used is a caliber of at least .40 inches. <br />Subd. 2.Handguns for small game.A person may take small game with a handgun of any caliber in <br />a manner prescribed by the commissioner, except that wolves may only be taken by hunting with the calibers <br />specified in subdivision 1. <br />Subd. 3.Firearms larger than ten gauge prohibited.A person may not use a firearm with a bore larger <br />than a ten gauge to take a protected wild animal. <br />Subd. 4. [Repealed, 2015 c 65 art 3 s 38] <br />Subd. 5. [Repealed, 2017 c 93 art 2 s 166] <br />Subd. 6.Scopes.A person may use a muzzleloader with a scope to take deer during the muzzleloader <br />season. The scope may have magnification capabilities. <br />Subd. 7.County authority to limit firearms for deer hunting.A county board of a county located in <br />the shotgun zone under Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.318, may adopt an ordinance after notice and <br />public hearing to limit the type of firearms that may be used to hunt deer within the county. Subsequent <br />ordinances may be adopted under this subdivision only after additional notice and public hearing and are <br />effective until repealed or modified by ordinance. <br />History: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 7; 1989 c 153 s 1; 1989 c 287 s 7; 2000 c 473 s 7; 2002 c 351 s 15; 2004 <br />c 215 s 19; 2005 c 102 s 1; 2005 c 146 s 28,29; 2007 c 131 art 1 s 36; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 39; 1Sp2011 c 2 <br />art 5 s 39; 2012 c 277 art 1 s 50,51; 2014 c 290 s 38; 1Sp2015 c 4 art 5 s 19,20; 2017 c 93 art 2 s 93; 2023 <br />c 60 art 4 s 55; 1Sp2025 c 1 art 4 s 12 <br />Official Publication of the State of Minnesota <br />Revisor of Statutes <br />97B.031MINNESOTA STATUTES 20251