Bowhunter Education Requirements and License Types for Bowhunting By State
| State | Mandatory or Voluntary |
Type of license allowing bowhunting and requisite for purchasing license |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama |
V
|
Combination Hunting/Fishing License (includes archery) Lifetime Hunting License (includes archery) Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License (includes archery) |
| Alaska |
M
|
Hunting License (for use in any season)You must take NBEF/IBEP Course in order to archery hunt in Alaska |
| Arizona |
V
|
Archery Big Game Nonpermit Tag |
| Arkansas |
V
|
Combination Sportsman's License (CS) (includes archery) Sportsman's License (RS) (includes archery) |
| California |
V
|
Resident Hunting License (for use in any season) One-Deer Tag (for use in any season) Second-Deer Tag (for use in any season) |
| Colorado |
V
|
Elk, deer, antelope or bear license stated and/or validated for archery |
| Connecticut |
M
|
Archery License Deer Archery Permit Archery Deer Tags |
| Delaware |
V
|
Hunting License (for use in any season) Deer License (for use in any season) |
| Florida |
V
|
Archery Permit Sportsman's License (includes archery) Lifetime Sportsman's License (includes archery) Lifetime Hunting License (includes archery) |
| Georgia |
V
|
All Weapons License (includes archery) Sportsman License (includes archery) Lifetime License (includes archery) |
| Hawaii |
V
|
Hunting License (for use in any season) Deer Tag (for use in any season) |
| Idaho First Time Bowhunters |
M
|
Archery Permit Sportsman's Package (includes archery) Lifetime License (includes archery) |
| Illinois |
V
|
Archery Deer Permit Archery Turkey Permit |
| Indiana |
V
|
Archery License Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License (includes archery) Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting/Fishing License (includes archery) |
| Iowa |
V
|
Archery Deer License Archery Turkey License |
| Kansas Only 12 & 13 year olds |
M
|
Archery Antelope License Archery Deer License Archery Turkey License |
| Kentucky |
V
|
Deer Permit (for use in any season) Bonus Archery Antlerless Deer Tag Archery Turkey Permit |
| Louisiana |
M
|
Bow License Universal License (includes archery) Lifetime Resident Hunting (includes archery) Lifetime Combination Hunting/Fishing (includes archery) |
| Maine |
M
|
Combination Fishing/Archery License Archery Hunting License Expanded Archery Hunting License |
| Maryland |
V
|
Bow Stamp Consolidated License (includes archery) |
| Massachusetts |
V
|
Archery Stamp |
| Michigan |
V
|
Archery Deer Combination Deer License (includes archery) |
| Minnesota |
V
|
Deer (Bow & Arrow) License |
| Mississippi |
V
|
Archery/Primitive Weapon License Sportsman's License (includes archery) Lifetime Sportsman Gold (includes archery) |
| Missouri |
V
|
Archers Hunting Permit Urban Archery Deer Hunting Permit |
| Montana |
M
|
Bow & Arrow Stamp |
| Nebraska |
M
|
Deer, antelope, turkey permit stated and/or validated for archery |
| Nevada |
V
|
Deer, antelope, elk tag stated and/or validated for archery |
| New Hampshire |
M
|
Archery License Special Archery Deer License |
| New Jersey |
M
|
Bow & Arrow Hunting License Bow Season Deer Permit All Around Sportsman's License (includes archery) |
| New Mexico |
V
|
Deer License (must be validated for bow) General Hunting License (must be validated for bow) General Hunting/Fishing (must be validated for bow) |
| New York |
V
|
Bowhunting Stamp |
| North Carolina |
V
|
Comprehensive Hunt License (includes archery) Sportsman License (includes archery) Resident & Nonresident Big Game Hunting License (includes archery) Lifetime State Comprehensive Hunting (includes archery) |
| North Dakota |
V
|
Deer Bow License |
| Ohio |
V
|
Resident Hunting License (for use in any season) Special Deer Permit (for use in any season) |
| Oklahoma |
V
|
Deer Archery License Lifetime Hunting License Lifetime Combination License |
| Oregon |
V
|
Deer Bow Tag Elk Bow Tag |
| Pennsylvania |
V
|
Archery License |
| Rhode Island All first time bowhunters |
M
|
Archery Permit |
| South Carolina |
V
|
Combination Hunting/Fishing/Big Game License (includes archery) Sportsman's License (includes archery) Lifetime Combination License (includes archery) |
| South Dakota First time hunters & under 16-archery elk hunters |
M
|
Archery pronghorn/deer/elk license |
| Tennessee |
V
|
Annual Big Game Archery (type 10) Lifetime Sportsman License (includes archery) Sportsman License (Type 04) (includes archery) |
| Texas |
V
|
Archery State Stamp Resident "Super Combo" License (Type 111) (includes archery) "The Texan" (Type 500) (includes archery) Lifetime Resident Combination Hunting & Fishing (includes archery) Lifetime Resident Hunting (includes archery) |
| Utah |
V
|
Elk, deer permit stated and/or validated for archery |
| Vermont |
M
|
Archery License Second Archery License Lifetime License (includes archery) |
| Virginia |
V
|
State Special Archery License |
| Washington |
V
|
Archery Deer Tag Archery Elk Tag |
| West Virginia |
V
|
Archery Deer Hunting Stamp (Class U) Sportsman Hunting/Trapping/Fishing License (Class X) (includes archery) Lifetime Combination Hunting/Trapping/Fishing (Class AB-L) (includes archery) Lifetime Hunting & Trapping (Class A-L) (includes archery) |
| Wisconsin |
V
|
Archery License Conservation Patron License (includes archery) Sports License (includes archery) |
| Wyoming |
V
|
Archery Only Licenses (type 9) |
The bowhunting license information was provided by the MT Hunter Education Program. The Mandatory/Voluntary Bowhunter Education information was obtained from surveys. If any of this information is inaccurate, please contact the NBEF at (479) 649-9036
| Canada Provinces | Mandatory or Voluntary |
|---|---|
| Alberta |
V
|
| British Columbia |
V
|
| Manitoba |
V
|
| New Brunswick |
M
|
| Newfoundland |
V
|
| Northwest Territories |
V
|
| Nova Scotia |
M
|
| Ontario |
V
|
| Prince Edward Island |
V
|
| Quebec |
M
|
| Saskatchewan |
V
|
| Yukon Territory |
V
|