State by State DNR and Bowhunting Regulations

ALABAMA - Archery Hunting Regulations

A legal bow for hunting is defined as either a long bow, a recurve bow, or a compound bow or a crossbow. It shall be unlawful, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, for any person to hunt deer and turkey with bow and arrows that are not in conformance with the following specifications:

  • Bows must have a minimum peak tension (within the user’s normal draw length) of 30 pounds. Crossbows must have a minimum peak tension of 85 pounds at normal draw length.
  • Arrows shall be equipped with a broadhead which has a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8 inch and 2 sharpened edges.
  • Crossbows must be equipped with a working safety.

ALASKA - Archery Hunting Regulations

Hunting big game with a bow, UNLESS: — the bow is at least: – 40 pounds peak draw weight when hunting deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, Dall sheep, and caribou; – 50 pounds peak draw weight for hunting mountain goat, moose, elk, brown bear, muskox, and bison; — the arrow is at least 20 inches in overall length, tipped with a broadhead, and at least 300 grains in total weight; — the broadhead is a fixed, replaceable or mechanical/retractable blade type and not barbed.

ARIZONA – Archery Hunting Regulations

All broadheads used must be no less than 7/8 inch in width with metal cutting edges.      

ARKANSAS – Archery Hunting Regulations

Long, recurve and compound bows: Must have at least a 40-pound pull. Scopes may not be used. String locks and mechanical string releases may be used. Deer, turkey and bear hunters are required to use arrowheads at least 7/8-inches wide. Poison may not be used on arrows. Mechanical broadheads allowed.

CALIFORNIA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Bow, as used in these regulations, means any device consisting of a flexible material having a string connecting its two ends and used to propel an arrow held in a firing position by hand only. Bow, includes long bow, recurve or compound bow.

COLORADO – Archery Hunting Regulations

A long bow, recurve bow or compound bow on which the string is not drawn mechanically or held mechanically under tension. String or mechanical releases are legal if they are hand-drawn or hand-held with no other attachments or connections to bow (except bowstring).
    a. Hand-held bows, including compound bows, must use arrows with a broadhead having a minimum 7/8-inch outside diameter or width and minimum of two steel cutting edges. Each cutting edge must be in same plane for entire length of cutting surface.
    b. Only legal, hand-held bows allowed during archery seasons.
    c. Minimum draw weight of 35 pounds required. Let-off maximum of 80 percent.
    d. No part of bow’s riser (handle) or track, trough, channel, arrow rest or other device (excluding cables and bowstring) that attaches to riser can contact, support and/or guide the arrow from a point rearward of the bow’s brace height behind the undrawn string.
    e. Bows can propel only a single arrow at a time. No mechanisms for automatically loading arrows allowed.
    f. NEW! Scopes, electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or attached to bow or arrow, with the exception of lighted nocks on arrows. Recording devices such as cameras or video recorders attached to bows may be used as long as they do not cast light toward the target or aid in range finding, sighting or shooting the bow.
    g. Hydraulic or pneumatic technology cannot be used to derive or store energy to propel arrows. Explosive arrows prohibited.

CONNECTICUT – Archery Hunting Regulations

For the purposes of hunting deer and turkey, legal bows include long, recurved, or compound bows with a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds and crossbows. Mechanical string release devices are permitted. Projectiles coated with any drug, poison or tranquilizing substance are prohibited.

DELAWARE – Archery Hunting Regulations

No person shall use a compound, recurve, or longbow with a pull weight less than 35 pounds.

FLORIDA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Using bows with draw weights less than 35 pounds.

Arrows used to take deer, turkeys or hogs must be equipped with broadheads having at least two sharpened edges with minimum widths of 7/8 inch.     

GEORGIA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Crossbows, longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows are allowed for hunting any game or feral hog. Arrows for hunting deer, bear or feral hog must be broadhead type. There are no restrictions on broadhead cutting edges, broadhead material, or crossbow broadhead diameter.      

HAWAII – Archery Hunting Regulations

When hunting with a bow, no person shall use:
(A) Long bows with less than forty pounds of drawing tension at a twenty-eight inch draw;(B) Recurved bows with less than thirty-five pounds of drawing tension; or (C) Compound bows with less than thirty pounds of drawing tension.

IDAHO – Archery Hunting Regulations

With any bow having a peak draw weight of less than 40 pounds up to or at a draw of 28 inches or any crossbow having a peak draw weight of less than 150 pounds. With any compound bow set at more than 85 percent let-off. With an arrow or bolt, and broadhead with a combined total weight of less than 300 grains. • With an arrow less than 24 inches from broadhead to nock inclusive.

ILLINOIS – Archery Hunting Regulations

Vertical bows, limited to longbows, recurve bows, or compound bows with minimum pull of 40 pounds at some point within a 28-inch draw. Minimum arrow length is 20 inches. Any mechanical device capable of maintaining a drawn or partially drawn position on a vertical bow without the hunter exerting full string tension is illegal.

Illinois DNR Website

INDIANA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Legal equipment includes long bows, compound bows or recurve bows and arrows. The bow must have a pull of at least 35 pounds. No portion of the bow’s riser or any track, trough, channel, arrow rest or other device that attaches to the bow’s riser can guide the arrow from a point back beyond the bow’s brace height. The common overdraw is still allowed as long as it does not extend beyond the string when the bow is relaxed.

Indiana DNR Website

IOWA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows shooting broadhead arrows are permitted. No explosive or chemical devices may be attached to the arrow or broadhead. There are no minimum draw weights for bows or minimum diameter for broadheads. Arrows must be at least 18 inches long. Draw locks on compound bows are legal.

Iowa DNR Website

KANSAS – Archery Hunting Regulations

Does not have a minimum bow weight, draw length or bow length.

Kansas DNR Website

KENTUCKY – Archery Hunting Regulations

Each arrow used for hunting big game shall be equipped with a broadhead point incapable of passing through a ring with a diameter of three-quarters of an inch when fully expanded. A big game hunter using archery equipment may possess non-broadhead-tipped arrows while hunting if the arrows are not used to take or attempt to take big game animals. Devices capable of dispensing chemicals to take big game animals may not be used.  

Kentucky DNR Website

LOUISIANA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Legal Gear for Archery Season includes:
Traditional bow, compound bow, and crossbow, or any bow drawn, held or released by mechanical means.

MAINE – Archery Hunting Regulations

Deer may be taken under the archery provisions only by means of hand-held bow with a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and broad-head arrow. Arrow heads must be at least 7/8 inch in width.

MARYLAND – Archery Hunting Regulations

For hunting deer and bear, the vertical bow shall have a full draw and pull of not less than 30 pounds.

An individual may hunt deer and black bear with a bow that propels an arrow at least 18” in length with a minimum speed of 300 feet per second at release, uses an arrow with a sharpened broadhead with metal points and a minimum width of 7/8 inch, and has a working safety if the device is fired by a trigger.

Maryland DNR Website

MASSACHUSETTS – Archery Hunting Regulations

Arrows must be well-sharpened steel broadhead blades no less than 7/8 inches in width. Expanding broadheads and mechanical releases are legal. All bows, except permitted crossbows, used for hunting deer (recurve, long, and compound) must have a draw weight of at least 40 lbs. at 28 inches or at peak draw.

Massachusetts DNR Website

MICHIGAN – Archery Hunting Regulations

When hunting deer, bear, elk, and turkey, crossbow hunters must use only arrows, bolts, and quarrels at least 14 inches in length and tipped with a broadhead point at least 7/8 inches wide.

Michigan DNR Website

MINNESOTA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Bows must have a pull no less than 30 pounds at or before full draw.

Arrowheads used for taking big game must have a minimum of two metal cutting edges, be of barbless broadhead design, with a diameter of at least ⅞ inch. “Expandable” broadheads may be used to take big game if they meet the requirements above and: 1) are at least ⅞ inch in width and no more than 2 inches in width at or after impact; and 2) are of a barbless design and function in a barbless manner.

Minnesota DNR Website

MISSISSIPPI – Archery Hunting Regulations

Longbows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows. There is no minimum or maximum draw weight. There is no minimum arrow length. Fixed or mechanical broadheads may be used.

Mississippi DNR Website

MISSOURI – Archery Hunting Regulations

Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight.

Missouri DNR Website

MONTANA – Archery Hunting Regulations

A bow is considered legal if it is at least 28 inches in total length. Bows shorter than 28 inches are prohibited for use in Montana. In another example, an arrow is defined as a projectile at least 20 inches in overall length. An arrow must weigh no less than 300 grains with the broadhead attached. Crossbows are not a legal weapon during the archery equipment only season.

NEBRASKA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Long bow, compound bow, recurve bow, shoulderfired non-electronic crossbow (with a draw weight of at least 125 pounds), hand-thrown spear.

Arrows must have a sharpened broadhead with a blade no less than 7/16 of an inch and cutting radius from the center of the shaft. It is never legal to use arrows which have been chemically dipped or equipped with explosives in the state of Nebraska.

Nebraska DNR Website

NEVADA – Archery Hunting Regulations

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.

Nevada DNR Website

NEW HAMPSHIRE – Archery Hunting Regulations

Archers must have their name and address on arrows. Fixed blade broadheads cannot be less than ⅞ inches wide and not more than 1½ inches wide. Retractable blade broadheads are permitted (cannot be less than ⅞ of an inch wide when open). Minimum draw weight for deer is 40 lbs.

New Hampshire DNR Website

NEW JERSEY – Archery Hunting Regulations

35 pounds pull at archer’s draw length (long and recurve bows) or peak weight (compound bow) or 75 pound minimum draw weight (crossbow).

New Jersey DNR Website

NEW MEXICO – Archery Hunting Regulations

Includes compound, recurve and longbows. Sights on bows may not magnify targets or project light. Arrows must have broadheads (fixed or mechanical) with steel cutting edges. No drugs may be used on arrows. Arrows cannot be driven by explosives.

New Mexico DNR Website

NEW YORK – Archery Hunting Regulations

A bow with a draw weight of 35 lbs or less is not legal.

It is unlawful to hunt big game with arrows with barbed broadheads; arrowheads less than 7/8 inches at the widest point or with less than 2 sharp cutting edges.

New York DNR Website

NORTH CAROLINA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Archery hunting is limited to longbows and recurved bows having a minimum pull of 40 pounds, com pound bows with a minimum pull of 35 pounds and crossbows with a minimum draw weight of 100 pounds. Only arrows with a fixed minimum broadhead width of 7/8 inch or a mech an ically opening broad head with a minimum width of 7/8 inch in the open position may be used for taking bear, deer or wild turkey. Blunt-type arrowheads may be used in taking small animals and birds, including but not limited to, rabbits, squirrels, quail, grouse, pheasants. Poisonous, drugged, barbed or explosive arrowheads may not be used for taking any game. Bolts must use broadheads as described for arrows.

North Carolina DNR Website

NORTH DAKOTA – Archery Hunting Regulations

A bow must be pulled, held and released by hand. Any release aid may be used providing it is hand operated, the shooter supports the draw weight of the bow, and the release is not attached to any part of the bow other than the bowstring. Bows used for hunting elk and moose must have at least (35 for deer), 50 pounds of draw at 28 inches or less draw length. Arrows must be at least 24 inches long, tipped with a metal broadhead, with at least two sharp cutting edges, and have a cutting diameter of at least 3/4 inch (i.e., not able to pass through a 3/4 inch unbarbed and have fixed blades (i.e., broadheads with mechanical or retractable blades manufactured to stay open are illegal). Telescopic sights, range finding devices, battery-powered or electronically lighted sights or other electronic devices attached to the bow, or the arrow, are not permitted, except a lighted nock and recording devices which do not aid in range finding, sighting or shooting the bow are permitted.

North Dakota DNR Website

OHIO – Archery Hunting Regulations

Longbows and crossbows may be used to take legal game. However, crossbows may not be used to hunt migratory game birds. Longbow hunters may use a hand-held mechanical release or a mechanical device with a working safety. Crossbows may be cocked with a device, but must have a working safety and a stock more than 25 inches long.

OKLAHOMA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Any compound bow of 30 pounds or more draw weight; any recurve, longbow or self-bow of 40 pounds or more draw weight. Hand-held releases are legal. Devices that permit a bow to be held mechanically at full or partial draw are allowed.

OREGON –Archery Hunting Regulations

40 lbs or greater in draw weight for everything but elk. Elk is 50 lbs or greater in draw weight.

Broadheads must be unbarbed and at least 7/8″ wide. Broadheads with moveable blades that fold/collapse when withdrawn are not considered barbed. Western gray squirrel may also be hunted with small game arrow points/heads. There are no restrictions on the type of arrows or broadheads which may be used to hunt game birds.

Oregon DNR Website

PENNSYLVANIA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Long, recurve or compound bows with a peak draw weight not less than 35 pounds, and crossbows with a draw weight of not less than 125 pounds, and not more than 200 pounds. Bowhunters must use arrows equipped with broadheads having an outside diameter of at least 7/8-inch with no less than two cutting edges, which shall be in the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface.
 

RHODE ISLAND – Archery Hunting Regulations

Long bow, re-curve bow and compound bow must be set at not less than forty (40) pounds for archers using fixed blade broadheads, and a minimum of fifty (50) pounds for archers using a mechanical broadheads. Only broadhead tipped arrows with at least two (2) metal cutting edges are allowed. All broadheads must be 7/8 of an inch or greater at the widest point. including mechanical broadheads measured in the “open” position. Licensed deer hunters may carry one blunt or judo tipped arrow to hunt the open portion of the small game season during the archery deer season.

SOUTH CAROLINA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Archery means a longbow, recurve bow, compound bow or crossbow (50-11-565). There are no restrictions on draw weight/length, arrow weight/length, or broad head weight, width, or style.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Archery Hunting Regulations

A person hunting with bow and arrow may not use or possess any of the following: – Explosive, poisonous, hydraulic, or pneumatic points; – Crossbows and draw-lock devices that hold the bow at partial or full draw except as provided in chapter 41:09:12; – Arrow rests that have more than three inches of continuous contact with the arrow; – Electronic devices mounted to the bow that aid in the taking of game. However, cameras, video cameras, cell phones used exclusively for photographic purposes, lighted sight pins, and illuminated arrow nocks may be used; – Electronic arrow or electronic string releases; – Compound bows with a let off of more than 80 percent; – Compound bows shorter than 28 inches as measured from the top of the upper wheel or cam to the bottom of the lower wheel or cam;- An arrow, including the attached broadhead, weighing less than 275 grains when hunting a big game animal; – An arrow that is less than 26 inches long when measured from the notch of the nock to the end of the shaft, not including the blunt or broadhead; – An arrow without a broadhead (fixed or mechanical) that has at least two metal cutting edges when hunting a big game animal, except blunt points may be possessed and used when hunting a turkey and both field points and blunt points may be possessed and used when hunting small game or at any time when possessed and used as practice arrows; or – A bow that measures less than 50 pounds pull when hunting an elk with a mechanical broadhead or a bow that measures less than 40 pounds pull when hunting any other big game animal with a mechanical broadhead; – A bow that measures less than 40 pounds pull when hunting an elk with a fixed blade broadhead or a bow that measures less than 30 pounds pull when hunting any other big game animal with a fixed blade broadhead.

South Dakota DNR Website

TENNESSEE – Archery Hunting Regulations

Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.

TEXAS – Archery Hunting Regulations

There is no minimum draw requirement for longbows, compound bows or recurved bows.

While hunting game animals and game birds, a projectile may not be poisoned, drugged, or explosive. When used to hunt turkey and all game animals other than squirrels, a projectile must be equipped with a broadhead hunting point. An archer may have arrows/bolts with field, target, or JUDO points in the quiver with the broadhead hunting points. There are no restrictions or minimum requirements on arrow or bolt length, arrow material, arrow weight, lighted nocks, broadhead lengths or diameter, number of cutting edges, broadhead material, or mechanical broadheads.

Texas DNR Website

UTAH – Archery Hunting Regulations

The minimum bow pull is 40 pounds at the draw or the peak, whichever comes first.

Fixed broadheads must have two or more sharp cutting edges that cannot pass through a 7/8-inch ring. Expandable, mechanical broadheads must have two or more sharp cutting edges that cannot pass through a 7/8-inch ring when expanded. Arrows with chemically treated or explosive arrowheads may not be used to take big game.

Utah DNR Website

VERMONT – Archery Hunting Regulations

The arrowhead must be at least 7⁄8 of an inch in width with two or more cutting edges.

Vermont DNR Website

VIRGINIA – Archery Hunting Regulations

Broadhead widths must be at least 7/8-inch wide or expand upon impact to 7/8-inch. It is unlawful to use explosive head arrows or arrows to which any drug, chemical, or toxic substance has been added.

Virginia DNR Website

WASHINGTON – Archery Hunting Regulations

It is unlawful for any person to hunt big game animals with a bow that does not produce a minimum of 40 pounds of pull measured at twenty-eight inches or less draw length. It is unlawful to hunt big game animals with any arrow measuring less than 20 inches in length or weighing less than 6 grains per pound of draw weight with a minimum arrow weight of 300 grains.

WEST VIRGINIA – Archery Hunting Regulations

It is illegal to hunt wild turkey, bear, deer or boar with arrows with broadheads having less than two sharp cutting edges measuring less than 3/4 of an inch in width. It is also illegal to use an arrow with an explosive, drug-laced or poisoned head or shaft.

West Virginia DNR Website

WISCONSIN – Archery Hunting Regulations

Crossbows and bow and arrows may be used by any person hunting under the authority of a gun deer license during any firearm (i.e., gun deer or muzzleloader) deer season. Note: when hunting under the authority of an archer license, only bows and arrows are allowed. When hunting under the authority of a crossbow license, only a crossbow is allowed. For hunting deer, bows must have a draw weight of 30 pounds or greater, and metal broadheads must be at least 7/8 of an inch wide and kept sharp. Stone arrow heads may be used. Crossbows must have a minimum draw of 100 pounds, a working safety, and use at least 14-inch long bolts or arrows equipped with broadheads as described above. Bows equipped with a drawlock mechanism that is capable of holding the bow at full draw without the aid of a hunter are considered crossbows. These are exempt from the 100-pound requirement but must meet the 30-pound minimum draw weight.

Wisconsin DNR Website

WYOMING – Archery Hunting Regulations

For the taking of antelope, big horn sheep, black bear, deer, goat, mountain lion or gray wolf where designated as a trophy game animal, a hunter shall use a longbow, recurve bow or compound bow of not less than forty (40) pounds draw weight and an arrow equipped with a broadhead or expanding point designed to have a minimum cutting width of one (1) inch after impact.  For the taking of elk, grizzly bear, or moose, a hunter shall use a longbow, recurve bow or compound bow of not less than fifty (50) pounds draw weight and an arrow equipped with a broadhead or expanding point designed to have a minimum cutting width of one (1) inch after impact.