Bowhunting season for deer and bear has begun in New York State.
New for fall 2025, hunters in New York State may use a crossbow in the same seasons, places, and manner as a vertical bow for hunting deer and bear. Crossbows have been used throughout most of New York, in both rural and developed areas, for more than a decade, but until now New York State law limited the locations, times, and types of crossbows that could be used.
Changes to the hunting rules signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul this year remove most of those barriers and will make hunting with a crossbow more accessible and a more effective tool for deer management. Expanding use of crossbows in the urban and suburban areas previously restricted to vertical bows will create more opportunities for hunters of diverse backgrounds to hunt near where they live. Additionally, removing the minimum width and maximum draw weight requirements for crossbows will allow New York hunters to now legally access the majority of crossbows on the market.
To hunt deer and bear with a crossbow during the bowhunting seasons, a hunter must have a hunting license and bowhunting privilege. Read more about Crossbow Hunting on the DEC’s website.
[…] During bowhunting season, hunters with the proper permits can use vertical bows or crossbows, while during the muzzleloading season, a muzzleloading rifle or pistol loaded through a muzzle which shoots a single projectile with a bore of 0.44 inches or larger can be used. […]