Maine
Effective January 1, 2006, with a valid crossbow hunting license, a person may hunt bear with a crossbow during the open season on bear and may hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer. The crossbow hunting license may not be used to hunt deer during the archery season, muzzle loading season, or expanded archery season. Crossbows are still permitted otherwise for disabled hunters. A person who applies for the crossbow hunting license, other than a junior hunting license, must submit proof of having successfully completing an archery hunting education course and a crossbow hunting course or evidence of having previously held adult archery and crossbow hunting licenses issued specifically for the purpose of hunting with a crossbow or bow and arrow in this State or any other state, province or country in any year after 1979. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/index.htm
207-287-8000
207-287-8000
Maryland
Crossbows legal during the entire bow season in the Suburban Deer Archery Zone (Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties).
Age 65 and over legal throughout Archery season.
To be updated:
*Crossbows are legal for all hunters during the October 1- October 15, 2007 and January 15-31, 2008 segments of the Deer Bow Season and all regular gun seasons and muzzleloader seasons.
www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide
410-260-8540
410-260-8540
Massachusetts
Crossbows for handicap with permit.
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/hunt_fish_abstracts.pdf
508-792-7270
508-792-7270
Michigan
Crossbows may now be used:
? By anyone 50 years of age or older during the Oct. 1-Nov. 14 bow hunting deer season statewide.
? By any hunter age 12 and older during any hunting season in Zone 3 of southern Michigan, including the bow hunting season.
? During any season in which a firearm may be used, for both big and small game statewide.
? Crossbows used for hunting are restricted to no more than 350 feet per second.
Under the new regulations, 10 and 11 year-old hunters may not use a crossbow. Youth hunters must be at least 12 to use a crossbow.
A crossbow stamp will be required in addition to hunting licenses for those using crossbows. Stamps will be available at all license retailers starting March 15. The stamp, which is free, will help the DNR monitor and survey crossbow hunters over the next three years.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363---,00.html
517-373-1263
517-373-1263
Minnesota
Crossbows legal only for handicapped hunters by permit.
www.dnr.state.mn.us
888-minndnr
Mississippi
Crossbows legal for handicapped hunters with permit, hunters 65 and older, and during primitive weapon and deer gun seasons.
http://home.mdwfp.com/ContentManagement/Html/htmldownload.aspx?id=13
601-432-2400
601-432-2400
Missouri
Crossbows for handicapped archers by permit and during firearms season.
www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/
573-751-4115
573-751-4115
Montana
Crossbows legal only during gun seasons. No provision for handicapped hunters.
www.fwp.state.mt.us
406-444-2535
406-444-2535
Nebraska
Crossbows legal during deer and pronghorn firearms season and for handicapped hunters by permit during archery season.
www.ngpc.state.ne.us
402-471-0641
402-471-0641
Nevada
Legal for all hunters in firearms season.
www.ndow.org/
775-688-1500
775-688-1500
New Hampshire
Crossbows legal for handicapped hunters by permit. Legal for all hunters in firearms season. Legal for all hunters on Long Island with Long Island Deer Permit.
www.wildlife.state.nh.us
603-271-3422
603-271-3422
New Jersey
June 17, 2009
On Tuesday, June 16, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council voted on adopting proposed amendments to the 2009 – 2012 Game Code. The Council voted to adopt all the proposed amendments except amendment 29, which proposed boundary changes to Deer Management Zones 19 and 23. The full proposal containing the amendments can be viewed at
www.nj.gov/dep/rules/proposals/040609b.pdf (PDF) on the NJ DEP website.
The most significant amendment adopted expands the definition of "bow" by removing the prohibition on all draw locking and draw holding devices and by including crossbows in the definition. This allows the use of crossbows in any bow and arrow hunting season and other hunting seasons for all species where the use of bow and arrow is allowed. Crossbows must have a minumum draw weight of 75 pounds and a minimum stock length of 25 inches. (Note that that crossbows are NOT legal for bowfishing at this time; bowfishing is covered by the Freshwater Fish Code.)
This amendment, in addition to the recently passed law allowing Sunday bow and arrow deer hunting on Wildlife Management Areas and private property, is expected to increase participation in New Jersey bow and arrow hunting seasons. Hunters who have never purchased a New Jersey bow and arrow hunting license or have not purchased one since the implementation of the electronic licensing system must present one of the following to purchase a license: 1) a hunter education archery certificate, or 2) a prior year resident bow and arrow license (from NJ or any other state), or 3) a prior year nonresident NJ bow and arrow license. Information on hunter education requirements for bow and arrow hunting and hunter education session schedules can be obtained at
www.njfishandwildlife.com/hunted.htm.
The 2009 – 2012 Game Code becomes law five days after it is published in the New Jersey Register. Hunters are advised to consult the NJ Division of Fish and Game website for updates on the Game Code publication date and effective date of the amended Code.
www.njfishandwildlife.com
609-292-2965
609-292-2965
New Mexico
Crossbow use is allowed by Certified Mobility Impaired Hunters during all hunts.
www.wildlife.state.nm.us
800-862-9310
800-862-9310
New York
A modified crossbow permit is available for persons meeting a defined physical disability.
Page 15 of 2009-2010 NYS Hunting Regulations
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/09guidecont.pdf
518-402-8924
518-402-8924
North Carolina
As of 08/01/2010 Crossbows are legal anytime bows and arrows are legal weapons.
In March 2009 the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission adopted the proposal to allow the use of crossbows, without permit, anytime bow and arrows are legal weapons, but on April 21, 2009 the North Carolina Rules Review Commission has referred a number of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s proposed rules changes to the General Assembly, due to written opposition. This action is required under state law.
http://www.ncwildlife.org
919-733-7291
919-733-7291
North Dakota
Crossbows legal for handicapped hunters by permit.
www.gf.nd.gov
701-328-6300
701-328-6300
Ohio
Crossbows legal during archery season; Draw weight must not be less than 75 pounds and no more than 200 pounds.
www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/default.htm
614-265-6300
614-265-6300
Oklahoma
The use of crossbows and conventional longbows with a device that permits the bow to be held mechanically at full or partial draw are legal hunting methods during any open season when conventional longbows (archery equipment) are a legal means of take. See individual species’ regulations for any draw weight, bolt length and broadhead size requirements.
www.wildlifedepartment.com
405-521-2730
405-521-2730
Oregon
Crossbows illegal.
www.dfw.state.or.us
503-872-5268
503-872-5268
crossbow info
