Why It Matters: Although hunters are at home in the field or woods, they must still be aware of what happens in the halls of their state government. Changes and updates to hunting laws and regulations can impact the pursuit of sportsmen and women’s favorite species, and hunters must stay on top of those changes to find success afield.
Highlights:
- With bow seasons underway around the Great Lakes region, hunters are behooved to brush up on their state hunting laws and regulations, as they may offer increased opportunity for hunters.
- State fish and wildlife agencies summarize their laws and regulations in digestible language, usually in both digital and hardcopy format.
- Among other updates in the region are expanded opportunities available to hunters in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, which the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) advocated for over recent legislative sessions.
With October upon us, hunters around the Great Lakes region are drawing back on bucks and does. While Minnesota and Wisconsin’s bow seasons have been underway since mid-September, hunters in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio have just kicked off their bow seasons – and firearm seasons are not too far behind. Success afield hinges on hunters’ understanding of their state’s hunting laws and regulations, and CSF encourages all sportsmen and women to get their hands on their state fish and wildlife agency’s regulation summary handbook to brush up on any updates.
One such update is that crossbows are still fully included in Minnesota’s archery season. A continuation of a multi-year effort in the state, CSF worked to support the passage of full crossbow inclusion in both 2023 and 2025, as crossbows benefit the sporting-conservation community by providing aging archery hunters the opportunity to continue to pursue their favorite species, as a sharp decrease in archery hunters occurs as hunters grow older.
Additionally, following legislative efforts during the back half of the 2024 session, Wisconsin hunters may use modernized muzzleloader models during the state’s black-powder season. These models still require the projectile to be loaded through the muzzle, still only accept one projectile at a time, and they have a similar effective range to muzzleloaders that have been traditionally authorized, but they expand hunting accessibility and safety while honoring the state’s longstanding outdoor traditions.
CSF will continue to work within the halls of state government to secure victories for sportsmen and women that improve access and opportunity while protecting and promoting our sporting heritage.
