How many if any crossbow hunters do we have here? Crossbow has been legal for a couple years in the firearms restriction areas,but now are legal for modern season. Crossbows can be used with telescopic or red dot sights because most manufacturers intstall optic sights at the factory and it would cost over $200 to convert to iron sights.
Page 85 of the regs says "It is illegal to hunt big game outside of a modern firearm season Crossbows cannot be used during archery season."
I inquired about this as crossbows are considered adaptive archery equipment, and as such, should fall under the statement on page 21, muzzleloader seasons, "Muzzleloader tag holders can only hunt during muzzleloader season and must hunt with muzzleloader or archery equipment."
The response was "This is the most confusing statement in the book. You are good to go." Now, that being said I do not know if this would apply to all crossbow hunters or only to those holding a special use permit for crossbow. I have that permit. I will ask again. Logic says it should cover all crossbow users.
Is there any interest in a sub forum for crossbow information?

From everything I have heard it is for modern season only unless you have the disability permit which then lets you use it other seasons (do not know details on which). Basically they opened it up to everyone for use in Modern season, rather than just for those in firearms restricted units.

If you look later in the book there is a definition on what "archery equipment" is and Crossbow is not included in that definition. Crossbow for hunting is a special classification with unique set of rules (for now).

If you get the PDF of the regs or the paper copy, look for the RED text those are the changes from previous year. You will see page 19 updated to add crossbow to allowed hunting methods for modern season. No thange to muzzy and they added only mechanical broadheads for archery. They also added crosbow as a method for turkey (pg80).

Definitions starting page 85 do not conflict with rest of the booklet, as crossbow is only allowed in Modern season unless you have the special disability permit.

Honestly, I don't know squat about crossbows, and only a little about bows.
I know if I was going to hunt with Archery equipment, I would rather have the crossbow....I might actually hit something.

I would read a bow/xbow subforum.

And my first posts to it would be.... "What are the xbow requirements for hunting?" and "What do I realistically want to look for in a crossbow and bolts?"

Last time i did, crossbow is for modern firearm season in restricted firearms areas. You can also do archery season if you have a disabled hunting permit.

Edit: looks like this might have changed to allow hunting in non restricted areas..?

Yes that was the change this year, they opened to crossbow use for anyone during modern firearm season only.

I said that I would ask again, and I received an e-mail from DF&W. The crossbow can be used with a scope or red dot sight in ANY season IF you have the proper tag for that season AND the special use permit. Without the special use permit, crossbows may be used in modern firearm season only and a scope or red dot sight may be used.
My earlier post was from DF&W and was a generic reply from a novice employee.

Thanks for the update OldJim!

I wonder if the inability to read or understand hunting laws would qualify as a "disability"?

No, not a disabled hunting permit, but the Special Use Permit. They are different and have different applications.
The disabled hunting permit only allows for shooting from a stationary auto off the traveled roadwad, and motorized access to certain areas if you are selected in a drawing. The Specal Use Permit allows the use of Archery Adaptive Equipment (ie) crossbow, special release, or a device to hold the bow at full draw.