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All 50 States · 4 Weapons · Official Sources

Your Complete Guide to Crossbow & Bow Hunting Laws

Crossbow, compound bow, traditional bow and slingshot rules for every US state — with season notes and links to each official wildlife agency.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Crossbow hunting status

  • Legal (30)
  • Restricted (19)
  • Not Permitted (1)

State Regulations at a Glance

Crossbow hunting status across all 50 states

  • 30Fully LegalCrossbows allowed in archery season
  • 19RestrictedSeason, permit or age limits apply
  • 1Not PermittedNo general crossbow hunting
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Why CrossbowHunting.org?

Crossbow and archery rules change from state to state — some treat crossbows as full archery equipment, others limit them to firearms seasons or to hunters with a disability permit, and slingshots are rarely a legal method of take for game. We gather the key rules for every state in one consistent format, link straight to the official wildlife agency, and connect each state hub to real field reports from the community.

Always verify current regulations with your state's official wildlife agency before you hunt — nothing on this site is legal advice.