Seen somewhere and was thinking it was here on tradgang that there was a list of all states that showed what their minimum legal draw weights were.
anyone seen this chart before or have link to it?
Haven't seen it but we have no minimum here in WV.
I think NJ is 35#
Hi German Dog. Here is a impartial list of some of the states draw weight minium. I hope this helps some. Shoot Straight and Good Hunting.
Tony
Alabama: 35 lbs.
Alaska: 40 pounds peak draw weight when hunting black-tailed deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, Dall Sheep and caribou
50 pounds peak draw weight when hunting mountain goat, moose, elk, brown/grizzly bear, musk ox, and bison
Arizona: 40 lbs
Arkansas: 40 lbs
California: All bows used for big game in California have to be able to cast a legal hunting arrow horizontally at least 130 yards.
Colorado: 35 lbs.
Connecticut: 40 lbs
Delaware: No minimum limit
Florida: 35 lbs
Georgia: No minimum limit
Hawaii: (A) Long bows with less than forty pounds of drawing tension at a twenty-eight inch draw;
(B) Recurved bows with less than thirty-five pounds of drawing tension; or
(C) Compound bows with less than thirty pounds of drawing tension.
Idaho: 40 lbs
Illinois: 40 lbs
Indiana: 35 lbs
Iowa: No minimum limit
Kansas: No minimum limit
Kentucky: No minimum draw weight
Louisiana: 30 lbs
Maine: 35 lbs
Maryland: 30 lbs
Massachusetts: 40 lbs
Michigan: 40 lbs
Minnesota: 30 lbs
Mississippi: No minimum
Missouri: a longbow or compound bow of any draw weight; handheld string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed
Montana: No minimum
Nebraska: 40 lbs.
Nevada: A longbow used in hunting a big game mammal must, in the hands of the user, be capable of throwing a 400 grain arrow 150 yards over level terrain. (The term Longbow also includes compounds)
New Hampshire: 40 lbs
New Jersey: 35 lbs
New Mexico: 40 lbs
New York: 35 lbs
North Carolina: 35 lbs
North Dakota: 35 lbs
Ohio: 40 lbs
Oklahoma: 40 lbs
Oregon: 40 lbs deer/50 lbs elk
Pennsylvania: 35 lbs
Rhode Island: Long bow, recurve, or compound capable of not less than 40 pounds at peak draw weight at peak
South Carolina:
South Dakota: 40 lbs
Tennessee:
Texas: 40 lbs
Utah: 40 lbs
Vermont: Moose--Bows of not less than 60 pound draw weight,
based on the archer's normal draw length for traditional
bows, and using arrowheads with at least 7/8 of an inch
in width with two or more cutting edges.
Virginia: Bow must be capable of casting an arrow with broadhead
at least 7/8 inch diameter (or expandable to that size), minimum of 125 yards
Washington: 40 lbs
West Virginia: 40 lbs
Wisconsin: 30 lbs
Wyoming: 40# or have the ability to cast a 400 grain arrows 160
yards for antelope,deer,sheep,mtn goat.
50# or have the ability to cast a 500 grain arrow 160
yards to hunt
Sorry, but the West Virginia info is incorrect--there is no minimum--I just verified that with DNR enforcement officers at our recent hunting and fishing show.
Big game/small game difference. Ohio's 40# min is only for big game. There is no minimum for small game (verified by me through the DNR).
KY is correct.
North Carolina minimum for longbow and recurve is 40#. 35# is for compounds.
Yeah thats what I was looking for Tony, thanks.
Should add that I was more concerned with big game requirements.
Texas changed it to no minimum.
Montana is correct
For those that care. For Alberta:
Persons hunting big game must use an authorized bow and an authorized arrow. An authorized bow is one that is held, drawn and released by muscular power and has a draw weight of not less than 18 kg (40 lb.). This is the number of kilograms (pounds) required to draw an arrow of 71 cm (28 in.) to its head. An authorized arrow is one that is not less than 61 cm (24 in.) in length that has a tip that bears a head that is not intentionally designed to resist being withdrawn after it has penetrated an object. Furthermore, it must either have a solid, sharp cutting head of at least 7/8 inch in width, or a head that, when the arrow impacts, opens to present sharp cutting edges at least 7/8 inch in width
Perhaps this thread could get updated and pinned up or whatever for future reference????
Would you really want to hunt with anything less than 40#? This isn't rhetorical, I'm really asking the question. I'm fairly new to all this. I've heard of people killing deer with 25# bows, but wouldn't you have a low recovery rate with that kind of pull?
marahat... with a properly designed arrow...any game animal in North America could be consistantly harvsested.
Arrow design is far more important with respect to enhanced lethality vs moderate increases in draw wt.
Michigan is incorrect - no minimum bow weight.
I use to have ideas about minimums, until I helped a fellow with his deer. He was wedged between two trees and the deer came in from a bad angle and he could not get his bow back. His bow was a 40@28" Bear Kodiak, his arrows were fiberglass with Bear heads with bleeder blades. He said that he only got part of his normal 27" draw and was certain that it was not enough, but the arrow 'sort of disappeared'. He showed me how he shot and it looked to be barely a 25" draw. It sort of disappeared through the deer and into the brush along the creek. The broadhead was surprizingly sharp for a newbie and the bleeder blade still intact. The deer was easier to find than the arrow. He probably only hit 35 pounds at 25" and it was more than enough for the hit he got. On the other hand numbers are just numbers, a short draw weather soaked selfbow can be much slower than a much lighter higher performance bow. The definition of a good arrow for any setup is far more important.
For compliance with laws this thread is great, but it's the same old song: bring enough bow and arrow to do the job. I wish more hunters would choose to hunt with an unquestionable setup rather than chance the minimum.
With all this in mind, I decided not to sell all the arrows I have that are too stiff for my 47# recurve. I want to get into building bows for one thing, and either way, I'm sure I will at some point be a collector of bows. Probly best to keep those arrows. I really like this site. You guys are able to point things out to one another without ruffling too many feathers and getting in arguments. Joining this group here makes me appreciate and want to pursue traditional archery even more.
South Carolina has no minimum...actually here is the actual phrase:
Archery means a longbow, recurve bow, compound bow or crossbow (50-11-565). There are no restrictions on draw weight/length, arrow weight/length, or broad head weight, width, or style.
Arkansas has a minimum 35# for longbows, recurves and compound. :thumbsup:
Verifying - Connecticut is still #40
Il. just changed it to 30 lb.
Vermont; 40# for deer, 50 for bear.
QuoteOriginally posted by Gus:
Michigan is incorrect - no minimum bow weight.
That's correct.
There is not a minimum draw weight in Michigan.
Georgia minimum is 40# @ 28" of draw
New Jersey Correct.
FYI: Below from the 2017-2018 manual.
"Bow" means any long bow, recurve bow, compound bow or crossbow. Hand held release devices are permitted. Air bows are not legal for hunting.
All bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds at the archer's draw length, except compounds, which must have a minimum peak draw weight of 35 pounds and crossbows which must have a minimum draw weight of 75 pounds.
Crossbows must have a minimum stock length of 25 inches.
See crossbow safety tips, below. Crossbows are now legal for bowfishing except for Greenwood Lake. Crossbows are permitted for hunting migratory birds. See below for restrictions when taking game birds in flight.
All arrows used for hunting deer, bear, turkey, coyote, fox or woodchuck must be fitted with an edged head of well-sharpened metal and a minimum width of ¾ inches.
Arrows fitted with heads other than specified for deer, bear, turkey, coyote, fox or woodchuck may be carried in the woods and fields during the small game season or other seasons which overlap with the bow and arrow deer season except that for taking game birds in flight, arrows equipped with an edged head are prohibited. Also, flu flu arrows are required for taking game birds in flight because the arrow is designed to fly only a short distance.
For the purpose of discharging a crossbow, hunters may carry judo points, target points or blunts. Canada geese and turkeys which are not in flight may be taken with standard fletched arrows and an edged head as described above.
Sunday bowhunting for deer is legal only on private land and state wildlife management areas.
It is unlawful to:
• use or possess a poison arrow or one with an explosive tip
• use an edged head for taking game birds in flight
• use a bow one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise during any hunting season
• use a bow and arrow from any vehicle, moving or stationary
• have both a firearm and bow in possession or under control while hunting
• transport in a vehicle a crossbow in the cocked position
Blue Ridge, no draw weight minimum in Georgia. To the best of my knowledge hasn't been for a few years. Used to be 40# but they got rid of it. Checking the 2017 regs and cannot find anything about it being added again. I could be wrong. Is it something you discovered recently? Reason I ask is that in addition to hunting GA we also hunt in Ohio which just says 40# minimum. My wife is above 40# but only at a draw length of 25" (50-53# bows). We have spent a lot of money on new stands, bows and a lease this year and I hope she is legal.
California's is outdated and silly. Ive never heard of anyone being checked or tested in any way.
Mark
Kevin
They could have changed it. If its not in this years regs I would think your ok.
Correction to Arizona. 30lbs except for Buffalo which is 40lbs.