Archery Only2023-2024 Seasons & Regulations

Archery Only Seasons & County Regulations


Archery and Crossbows

  • Only the archery and crossbow equipment prescribed in this section may be used for taking game animals or game birds.
  • Archery and crossbow equipment may not be used to hunt deer during the Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season.
  • Archery and crossbows are lawful for non-protected nongame animals.

Longbows, compound bows, or recurved bows

  • There is no minimum draw requirement.
  • Lighted pins, sight magnification, overdraw rests, and devices that allow a bow to be locked at full or partial draw are lawful during any season when lawful archery equipment may be used.

Crossbow

  • Crossbows are lawful for any person during the Archery-Only Open Season except in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, where no person may use a crossbow to hunt deer during the Archery-Only Open Season unless the person has an upper-limb disability and has in immediate possession a physician’s statement that certifies the extent of the disability. An upper-limb disability is a permanent loss of the use of fingers, hand, or arm in a manner that renders the person incapable of using a longbow, compound bow, or recurved bow.
  • An Archery Endorsement is required to hunt deer during the Archery-Only Open Season. An archery endorsement is required to hunt deer, turkey and/or javelina at any time in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, including during the general open season.
  • Any person, regardless of physical ability, may use a crossbow to hunt game animals or game birds in any county, including Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, during a general open season or Eastern spring turkey season.

Projectiles (Arrows and Crossbow Bolts)

While hunting game animals and game birds, a projectile may not be poisoned, drugged, or explosive.

  • When used to hunt turkey and all game animals other than squirrels, a projectile must be equipped with a broadhead hunting point. An archer may have arrows/bolts with field, target, or judo points in the quiver with the broadhead hunting points.
  • There are no restrictions or minimum requirements on arrow or bolt lengths, arrow material, arrow weight, lighted nocks, broadhead lengths or diameter, number of cutting edges, broadhead material, or mechanical broadheads.