The sole exception to the crossbow’s acceptability as archery equipment for small game hunting is the Mourning Dove: longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows are allowed for hunting Mourning Dove, but crossbows are not. Poisoned arrows and explosive arrows are illegal to use within the state of Ohio. Any draw weight crossbow is acceptable, as is any type of arrow tip except poisoned arrows and explosive arrows. When hunting small game such as squirrel, ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant, chukar, bobwhite quail, fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel, crow, coyote, feral swine (wild boar), and groundhog, crossbows are considered legal archery equipment for the taking of game. In the fall and spring turkey seasons, crossbows are considered legal archery equipment for the taking of deer as long as the crossbow:Īs with deer season, expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal, but poisoned or explosive arrows are illegal. Fires an arrow with a tip that has at least two exposed or unexposed cutting edges and a minimum width of 3/4-inch.Įxpandable and mechanical broadheads are legal, but poisoned or explosive arrows are not.

Allowable for Hunting Deerĭuring the entire deer-hunting season (including archery season, antlerless deer muzzleloader season, gun season, youth gun season, and muzzleloader season), a crossbow is considered acceptable archery equipment for the taking of deer as long as the crossbow: In addition, it is illegal while hunting to have attached to a crossbow any mechanical, electrical, or electronic device capable of projecting a beam of light. Regardless of the type of game, a crossbow may be cocked with a device but must have a working safety and a stock more than 25 inches long. Crossbows may not be used to hunt any migratory game birds. Ohio does regulate what type of crossbow can be used for certain types of game. Crossbow Hunting Regulations in OhioĬrossbows are legal to use by any hunter, regardless of disability or lack thereof.

Make sure to check out our list of top 5 recommended crossbows for hunting in the USA if you’re looking to get started.ĭepartment of Natural Resources (ODNR). With those disclaimers out of the way, this information is based on information from the 2013-2014 hunting regulations booklet issued by the Ohio

We’ve researched these regulations thoroughly, but we cannot expect the information here to remain 100% accurate because A) we aren’t lawyers and B) Ohio refines and adjusts hunting regulations every year. This guide is not meant to be an all-encompassing review of what Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Revised Code has to say about hunting with crossbows, but just to let you know the overall current legal situation for crossbow hunters in Ohio. What follows in this article is a quick overview of crossbow hunting regulations in Ohio.

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