SB 185

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issues hunting

licenses and establishes open hunting seasons that allow the hunting of specified

game animals. Among the licenses that DNR issues are resident and nonresident

archer hunting licenses. An archer hunting license allows the holder to hunt all

game, except bear, elk, and wild turkey, with a bow and arrow during the relevant

open season established by DNR. An archer hunting license allows a person to hunt

only with a bow and arrow and not with a crossbow unless the person is disabled and

holds a permit from DNR that authorizes the use of a crossbow or unless the person

is at least 65 years old. This bill eliminates the age and disability requirements for

using a crossbow. Instead, the bill establishes a new resident crossbow hunting

license and a new nonresident crossbow hunting license.

The crossbow hunting licenses established in this bill allow a license holder to

use a crossbow to hunt the same game animals that may be hunted under current

law with an archer hunting license. The bill also allows the holder of an archer

hunting license to obtain a crossbow hunting license at a substantially reduced fee

and allows the holder of a crossbow hunting license to obtain an archer hunting

license at a substantially reduced fee. As with other hunting licenses under current

law, a person may not obtain a crossbow hunting license unless the person completes

a course of instruction in hunter education or bow hunter education.

The bill also requires a person who applies for a deer hunting license to indicate

on the license application whether the applicant intends to use a bow and arrow or

a crossbow to hunt deer under the authority of that license.