Is it Illegal To Hunt With a Crossbow in West Virginia?
- In West Virginia, people are permitted to use bow and arrows to hunt wildlife animals during the official archery season, which usually ranges from the beginning of October until the end of December. However, some archers must use crossbows to hunt because they suffer from physical disabilities that render them incapable of using conventional bow and arrow devices. According to the West Virginia code of regulations, certain disabled people can obtain Class Y crossbow hunting permits that would enable them to use crossbows during the established archery seasons.
- It is illegal to hunt wild animals with a crossbow in West Virginia unless the hunter possesses a Class Y crossbow permit. The Class Y permit allows people who cannot shoot standard bow and arrows because of physical disabilities to instead hunt with crossbows. To acquire the permit, the hunter must submit an application to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Each applicant must also provide a valid state hunting license, a Class Q permit that enables handicapped people to hunt from stationary vehicles and a medical statement from a licensed physician.
- To qualify for a Class Y permit and to legally crossbow-hunt in West Virginia, the applicant must submit an official report from a licensed physician verifying that his physical handicap hinders his ability to handle and shoot bow and arrows. The applicant is considered eligible to receive a crossbow permit if one or both of his hands are so permanently impaired that he fails the upper extremity pinch, grip and nine-hole peg tests conducted by the physician. The applicant can also become eligible if the disability has substantially diminished the strength or flexibility of his shoulders to such an extent that he fails to meet the standards of the physician's shoulder-strength test.
- If the Division approves the application, the hunter will receive a Class Y crossbow permit that will allow him to lawfully use crossbows to hunt during archery seasons in West Virginia. However, if a person violates the state code by using a crossbow while not possessing a Class Y permit, the hunter can be detained, charged with a misdemeanor offense and penalized with fines. If any animals are injured or killed while a violator is illegally hunting with a crossbow, the total amount of the fines can dramatically increase.