Lifestyle
Which States Allow Crossbow Hunting During Archery Season?
By Editorial Staff · May 13, 2026
31 states now allow crossbows during archery season for all hunters. Here is the full map — full-inclusion states, disability-permit holdouts, and which states changed laws in 2024-2026.
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
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Why we recommend them
If you're hunting elk in Wyoming, whitetail in Kansas, or black bear in West Virginia — Ravin builds the most accurate crossbows on the planet. Rifle-like precision at 500 FPS. We're proud to partner with them.
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