legislative session that would have
allowed crossbow use by all hunters
passed the state senate but appar-
ently wasn’t signed into law by the
governor. Such bills have become an
annual ritual in the Bay State, so it’s
only a matter of time until one makes
it through. Meanwhile, conflicts be-
tween humans and deer continue to
increase as both populations grow.
Hits & Misses
Like most states, Illinois legalized
crossbow use incrementally, first for
disabled hunters, then in 2017 for
anyone hunting during the archery
seasons. More recently, the legisla-
ture removed prohibitions on cross-
bows from all other sections of the
state’s wildlife regulations. Just last
year, the DNR added specific param-
eters on minimum draw weight and
crossbow/bolt length.
Back in the Northeast, where the
majority of the most recent chang-
es seem to have occurred, New York
failed to expand its crossbow-hunting
opportunities last spring. Current reg-
ulations limit crossbow use to the last
11 days of the Northern Zone bow-
hunting season, the last two weeks
of the Southern Zone season, the late
muzzleloader season, any season in
which firearm use is allowed and
during weeks when the full moon falls
on an even-numbered day.
OK, I made up the part about the
moon, but the rest is true. Legislators
can be rather “clever” at times. In
this case, they slipped language that
would have allowed crossbow use
during all big-game seasons into the
senate budget proposal, but it was
stricken at the last minute.
The Holdout
That covers most of the big chang-
es, at least the ones I’m aware of.
The war to promote crossbows as le-
gal hunting weapons has been won;
now it’s largely a mop-up operation
of outposts and islands where prohi-
bitions or restrictions remain, with
one noteworthy exception.
The folks at TenPoint Crossbows
maintain an updated summary of
crossbow regulations including a map
of the U.S. that is color-coded to indi-
cate various levels of allowed cross-
bow use. Colors range from green for
anything goes to red for firearm sea-
sons only. Oregon, where crossbows
are categorically considered illegal
hunting weapons, is the only black
state. Seems a bit ironic that it would
take such a conservative approach.
Tip of the Month
It should go without saying, but
check your state’s crossbow regu-
lations regularly. There have been a
lot of changes lately, and they often
happen quickly and with very little
or no notice. You certainly don’t want
to unintentionally run afoul of the
law, but you also don’t want to miss
out on any potential opportunities as
crossbow regulations relax.
BY BOB HUMPHREY
psearchery.com
COMPOUND CROSSBOW
380 FPS
19702019
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405 FPS
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- Adjustable buttstock
- Foot stirrup
- Limb dampers & string silencers
- Cocking rope
- Dual string stops
- Cocking winch device compatible
