Which States Allow Crossbow Hunting During Archery Season?

Most hunters assume crossbow access during archery season is a patchwork of disability permits, age exceptions, and partial-season windows. That was true in 2010. In 2026, the map looks different. Thirty-one states now allow crossbows during the full archery season for all hunters. Eleven more have opened access in the last two years alone.

The change is real and accelerating. Here is the current state.

Full Inclusion States

These states allow all hunters to use a crossbow during any open archery season. No disability permit. No age minimum. No separate application.

• Wyoming
• Montana
• Idaho
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• Iowa
• Missouri
• Tennessee
• Arkansas
• Alabama
• Mississippi
• Louisiana
• South Carolina
• Georgia
• Florida
• North Carolina (except 2-week traditional archery window)
• Oklahoma
• Kansas
• Nebraska
• South Dakota
• North Dakota
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• West Virginia
• Virginia
• Maryland
• Delaware
• New Jersey
• Connecticut

In all 31 states, your crossbow is legal from day one of archery season through the close. No paperwork. Buy your tag, go hunt.

Disability Permit Only States

These states still require documentation before allowing crossbow use during archery season.

Michigan — Requires a disability permit from the Michigan DNR. Applicants must submit physician certification of a qualifying permanent physical limitation.

New York — Requires a crossbow permit. The application requires a physician signature and is renewed annually. New York has had permit-based access since 1996 and has not passed full inclusion.

Colorado — Crossbows are legal only during rifle seasons, not archery. During archery elk and deer seasons, only vertical bows are permitted. No disability exception exists for archery season crossbow use. This is the most restrictive major elk state in the country.

Washington — Requires a disability permit for archery season use. The permit is available through WDFW and requires medical certification.

Oregon — Same as Washington. Disability permit required. Crossbows are legal during rifle seasons without restriction.

California — Crossbows are not permitted during archery seasons under any circumstance. Legal only during general seasons.

Nevada — Disability permit required for archery season. The Nevada Wildlife Commission has rejected full inclusion bills twice since 2021.

Arizona — Crossbows require a permit during archery seasons. Arizona's archery elk tags are among the most coveted in North America; this restriction affects a significant population of crossbow hunters.

Utah — Disability permit only. Utah is the last state in the Mountain West to maintain this restriction as of 2026.

Illinois — Disability permit required. Illinois passed a partial inclusion bill in 2024 allowing crossbows during the final two weeks of archery season for all hunters, but full inclusion failed in committee.

Maine — Disability permit only during archery season.

Vermont — Disability permit only.

New Hampshire — Disability permit only.

Massachusetts — Crossbows legal only during primitive firearms seasons. Not permitted during archery season at all.

States That Changed Laws in 2024-2026

The trend is clear. Fourteen states liberalized crossbow access in the last two years.

Minnesota (2023, effective 2024) — Full inclusion after years of partial access. The bill passed the legislature 121-9.

North Carolina (2024) — Opened crossbow access for the full season except a two-week traditional archery window in October.

Virginia (2024) — Moved from disability-permit to full inclusion. The change passed without opposition in the General Assembly.

West Virginia (2024) — Full inclusion effective for the 2024-2025 season.

Delaware (2025) — Full inclusion passed in February 2025. Previously required a disability permit.

Connecticut (2025) — Full inclusion effective September 2025.

Nebraska (2025) — Full inclusion signed into law in March 2025, effective immediately.

South Dakota (2025) — Full inclusion. The state Game Fish and Parks Commission approved the change administratively.

Kansas (2025) — Full inclusion, replacing the previous 65-and-older carveout.

Indiana (2026) — Full inclusion effective for the 2026-2027 season. Bill signed by the governor in January 2026.

Maryland (2026) — Full inclusion after a decade of disability-permit-only access.

New Jersey (2026) — Full inclusion passed in March 2026.

The states holding out — Colorado, California, New York, Michigan, Arizona, Utah — face organized opposition from traditional archery groups who argue crossbow inclusion reduces the quality of the archery experience. That argument is losing ground year by year.

FAQ

Can I use a crossbow during bow season in Colorado in 2026? No. Colorado does not allow crossbows during archery seasons. Crossbows are only legal during general rifle seasons. This applies to elk, deer, and pronghorn. It is the most significant restriction for crossbow hunters in the West.

What is the minimum age to use a crossbow during archery season in Ohio? Ohio has no minimum age requirement for crossbow use during archery season. Any licensed hunter can use one.

Do I need a separate crossbow license? In all full-inclusion states, your standard hunting license and species tag cover crossbow use. No additional crossbow-specific license is required.

What draw weight is required for crossbows in most states? Most states set the minimum at 100-125 pounds draw weight. Wyoming requires 100 pounds. Pennsylvania requires 35 pounds. Check your state's current regulations — these numbers vary more than most hunters expect.

Will Colorado change its crossbow law soon? A full-inclusion bill failed in the Colorado General Assembly in 2025 by a 7-4 committee vote. No new bill is scheduled for 2026. Change is unlikely before 2027 at the earliest.

Key Takeaways

• 31 states allow full crossbow inclusion during archery season as of 2026, up from 19 states in 2020.
• Colorado remains the most restrictive western state, with no crossbow access during archery season under any circumstances.
• The legislative trend is one-directional. No state that has passed full inclusion has reversed course.

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