More than 20,000 Michigan residents apply for crossbow permits amid new regulations

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New crossbow regulations have resulted in more than 20,000 Michigan residents applying for crossbow permits for the 2009 hunting season.

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission redesigned crossbow regulations in March to promote and expand hunting opportunities within various state zones.

The new regulations allow hunters age 50 and older to use crossbows during the Oct. 1 to Nov. 14 bow hunting deer season. Additionally, the changes allow the use of crossbows during any season a traditional firearm may be used to hunt big and small game.

Michigan’s hunting and trapping zones divide the state into three separate areas. Mount Pleasant lies on the border between zones two and three, with M-20 representing the dividing line between the two zones.

In Zone 3, southern Michigan, crossbows may be used by any hunter age 12 and older during any hunting season.

The regulations place a velocity limit on crossbows, restricting weapons to a 350 feet-per-second range.

Applicants will be required to have a free stamp on their mandatory hunting license in order to use crossbows.

Mary Dettloff, Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman, expects more people to apply throughout the season. She said many of the new regulations were put in place to bring retired hunters back into the sport.

“It’s going to be good for hunters who dropped out of the sport of archery because of physical limitations such as arthritis or surgery,” Dettloff said.

She also said the new regulations might encourage women wary of firearms to take up participation in the sport.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski agreed with Dettloff’s reasoning behind changing the state crossbow regulations.

He said the new rules might affect quite a few people in Isabella County.

“It may get some people that couldn’t previously hunt,” he said.

The new crossbow policies will be examined and possibly altered after a few years, depending on the result of the changes.

“After three years, we’re going to reevaluate and see if we want to keep going this way,” Dettloff said.

County safety

Though there have been a few hunting accidents previously occurring in Isabella County, Mioduszewski said crossbows have never been a problem.

“We have had some accidents where people have tree stand deaths… accidental shootings,” he said. “Nothing to do with crossbows.”

Mioduszewski said he is not expecting any issues with the new policies at all.

“I don’t foresee any major problems, just because we’re introducing crossbows into weaponry for hunting,” he said.

Dettloff said hunters should know where zone separations lie and the regulations of each of Michigan’s three zones.

For a complete list of Michigan’s zones and crossbow regulations, visit the DNR’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr.