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Wildlife & License Regulations - Legal Firearms & Archery Equipment


Hunters should be aware of the following regulations describing legal firearms and archery equipment. Ammendments were approved by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioner and are effective as of 4/8/04.

Please note:

  • Bold language indicates new language.
  • ? indicates ‘flush’ line language, meaning it applies to the subsections or paragraphs immediately preceding it.

 

NAC 503.142 Firearms. The board of wildlife commissioners hereby establishes the following exceptions to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 of NRS 503.150:

1. During a type of hunt that is restricted to muzzle-loading firearms, a person may hunt a big game mammal only with a muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading musket, and may use only a lead ball, a lead bullet, a semijacketed bullet or a metal alloy bullet that expands. The use of smokeless powder is prohibited. Only black powder or a black powder substitute such as Pyrodex or Triple 7 may be used as a propellant. A sabot round may be used. The muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading musket must have the following characteristics:

(a) A wheel lock, matchlock or flintlock ignition system, or a percussion ignition system that uses a primer or percussion cap;

(b) A single barrel of caliber .45 or larger; and

(c) Open sights or peep sights. The use of a sight that is operated or powered by a battery, electronics or a radioactive isotope such as tritium is prohibited.

?The muzzle-loading rifle or the muzzle-loading musket is deemed to be not loaded if the priming compound or element, such as the priming powder or the unfired primer or percussion cap, is removed.


2. During a type of hunt that is restricted to muzzle-loading firearms, it is unlawful for a person hunting under the authority of a tag for such a hunt to carry in the field a firearm or longbow and arrow except for:\

(a) A muzzle-loading rifle or a muzzle-loading musket with the characteristics set forth in subsection 1; or

(b) A flintlock or percussion handgun. However, it is unlawful to use such a handgun to hunt a big game mammal.

3. During a type of hunt in which the use of any legal weapon is authorized by a regulation of the commission, a person may hunt a big game mammal with a muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading musket only if:

(a) The muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading musket has:

(1) A single barrel of caliber .45 or larger; and

(2) Open sights, peep sights or a rifle scope.

(b) The person uses a lead ball, a lead bullet, a semijacketed bullet or a metal alloy bullet that expands. A sabot round may be used.

?The muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading musket is deemed to be not loaded if the priming compound or element, such as the priming powder or the unfired primer or percussion cap, is removed.

4. A person may hunt big game mammals with a rifle if the rifle uses a centerfire cartridge of caliber .22 or larger.

5. A person may hunt big game mammals with a handgun if the handgun uses a centerfire cartridge, has a barrel length of 4 inches or more and:

(a) Uses a cartridge of caliber .22 or larger with an overall loaded length of 2 inches or more; or

(b) Uses a cartridge of caliber .24 or larger with a case of length no less than the length of the case of a cartridge for a Remington magnum of caliber .44.

6. A person may hunt deer and mountain lion with a shotgun no larger than 10 gauge and no smaller than 20 gauge. Rifled slugs must be used when hunting deer.

Sec. 3. of Commission General Regulation 320 (LCB File No. R176-03). “Longbow” defined. As used in NAC 503.142 to 503.195, inclusive, and section 3 and 4 of this regulation, “longbow” includes any recurved or compound bow.

Sec. 4. of Commission General Regulation 320 (LCB File No. R176-03). The Board of Wildlife Commissioners hereby establishes the following exception to paragraph (f) of subsection 1 of NRS 503.150. Except as otherwise provided by paragraph (c) of subsection 1 of NAC 503.142, a sight attached to a firearm or longbow that is used to hunt a game mammal or game bird may be illuminated or powered by:

1. A battery contained within the sight;

2. Light-gathering fiber optics;

3. A radioactive isotope such as tritium; or

4. Iridescent or fluorescent paint.


?It is unlawful for a person to hunt a game mammal or game bird with a weapon that is equipped with a sight that is capable of casting or projecting a beam of light from the sight to the animal.

NAC 503.144 Longbows.

1. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of subsection 3, the bowstring of a longbow used in hunting any game mammal or game bird must be moved or held entirely by the muscle power of the shooter through all points of the draw cycle until release and may only be released by direct and conscious action of the shooter, either by relaxing the tension of the fingers or by triggering the release action of a handheld release aid.

2. A longbow used in hunting a big game mammal must, in the hands of the user, be capable of throwing a 400 grain arrow 150 yards over level terrain. Arrows used in hunting big game mammals must be at least 24 inches long and have:

(a) Fixed broadheads that are at least 7/8-inch wide at the widest point; or

(b) Expandable, mechanical broadheads that are at least 7/8-inch wide at the widest point when the broadhead is in the open position.

3. It is unlawful for any person to:

(a) Carry any firearm in the field while hunting under archery regulations.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, carry a longbow with an arrow nocked on the bowstring while in or on any motorized vehicle while the vehicle is on a public highway or other public right-of-way. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to a person who is a paraplegic, has had one or both legs amputated or has suffered a paralysis of one or both legs which severely impedes his walking, if the motorized vehicle is not in motion.

(c) Hunt any game mammal or game bird with a longbow that uses any mechanical device that can anchor a nocked arrow at full draw or partial draw unless the person:

(1) Carries written documentation, signed and dated by a licensed physician,
stating that the person has a permanent disability in the upper torso; or

(2) Has had one or both arms, or a part thereof, amputated,
and the permanent disability or amputation prevents him from manually drawing and holding at full draw a longbow that meets the requirements of subsection 2.

(d) Hunt any wildlife with an arrow that has any chemical, explosive or electronic device attached.

NAC 503.173 Cape and horns or antlers of wildlife must be maintained with carcass. Except as otherwise provided in NAC 502.403, any person who kills a deer, elk, mountain goat, antelope or bighorn sheep shall, until the carcass is frozen, smoked, dried, consumed or accepted by a commercial processing plant for processing, maintain possession of at least that portion of the cape or scalp that includes the ears to the base of the muzzle and any antlers or horns. The cape or scalp and any antlers or horns from the animal must be possessed in such a manner that they remain or are kept together with the carcass of the animal.


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