Crossbows here to stay in Minnesota as data points to growing use in deer season
The use of crossbows during Minnesota’s annual deer hunting season will remain legal after Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill into law on May 5.
Crossbows have been permitted during Minnesota’s annual deer hunting season since 2023 under legislation passed by the Minnesota Legislature. That authorization had been set to expire in June 2026, but the new law removes the sunset provision and makes the use of crossbows permanent.
The newly passed law follows a crossbow report published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in October 2025 that stated the DNR “found no evidence that the statute changes made to expand crossbow use during archery season have impacted deer or turkey populations.”
Prior to 2023, the use of crossbows was restricted to archery hunters 60 years of age and older, or to those with an ability restriction and a specialized permit. Many hunters consider crossbows more accessible and easier to shoot than traditional vertical bows.
In a February House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee meeting, Barb Keller, the DNR’s big game program leader, presented the findings of the crossbow report, which states that the “expanded use of crossbows may benefit recruitment and retention efforts for youth, older hunters, and female hunters who lack the time or physical ability to develop proficiency with a vertical bow.”
Minnesota archery sales rose in 2023 and 2024 following the expansion of crossbows. Although Keller said in the February committee meeting that multiple factors contributed to the increase.
Archery sales also increased in 2025, with 111,471 total licenses sold in the state, up from 109,788 the year prior. The DNR’s 2025 deer harvest data shows that there was a nearly 5% increase in youth archery license sales.
During the 2025 Minnesota deer hunting season, 15,075 deer were harvested by a crossbow, which outpaced vertical bow harvest. Crossbow deer harvest was highest among youth, older adults, and females, according to the DNR.
A similar trend occurred more regionally in the northeast Superior Uplands-Arrowhead region, which includes Cook County. The Superior Uplands-Arrowhead region comprises deer permit areas: 117, 118, 126, 130, 131, and 133.
In 2025, crossbows accounted for the majority of archery harvests in the six DPAs, with 63 of the 109 deer taken using a crossbow.
The DNR noted in the crossbow report that northeast archery hunters are also older on average, suggesting more hunters may have already qualified to use crossbows based on the restrictions in place pre-2023.
Nick Amunrud, the president of Minnesota Bowhunters, spoke during the Feb. 26 committee meeting about a likely trend that will emerge where the majority of bow hunters will leave archery “in favor of a lower effort and more advantageous crossbow.”
He also said that with the continued use of crossbows allowed, it’s likely many firearm hunters will transition to the archery season and harvest a deer earlier. The archery season begins in September, and firearm season typically opens the second Saturday of November.
While the use of crossbows may attract a younger and broader demographic, the regional impacts on deer populations are something DNR officials intend to keep an eye on. The report outlines potential impacts to antlerless deer harvest in areas designated as an antlerless permit lottery.
“It will likely be several years until the full impact of this change on deer and turkey harvest and populations is fully realized,” the DNR crossbow report states. “Continued monitoring will be essential to assess if any future regulatory or legislative changes are necessary.”
Kalli Hawkins May 12, 2026
