Bow & Arrow Laws in Nebraska

Nebraska's hunting seasons depend upon the method you are using to hunt and what type of game you wish to hunt. As of publication, archery-hunting season -- depending upon the game -- begins as early as Aug. 20 and ends as late as Dec. 31. Hunting with a bow and arrow is legal in Nebraska as long as you are hunting turkey or big game like antelope, elk, bighorn sheep and deer. Bow-and-arrow hunting can be done no earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise and no later than 30 minutes after sunset.

  1. Equipment

    • Most manual forms of archery equipment are legal for hunting in Nebraska. Legal bow-and-arrow hunting equipment includes recurve bows, compound bows, shoulder-fired and any other non-electric crossbow with 125 pounds of draw weight. Hunters cannot use spotlights or electronic sight devices including night vision or infrared scopes when hunting with a bow and arrow.

    Education Course

    • A bow-hunting safety course is required for all hunters ages 12 through 29 wishing to hunt with archery equipment in Nebraska. The course comprises two parts: on-line and field day instruction and testing. An out-of-state course will be honored if it was not part of a general hunting-safety course. Hunters must carry proof of completion of the education course when hunting with a bow and arrow.

    Arrows

    • Arrows must be a sharpened hunting head. The arrow's blade must have at least a 7/16-inch radius from the shaft's center. It is illegal in Nebraska to use tips filled with poison, explosives or paralyzing chemicals.

    Permits

    • Bow-and-arrow hunting, like a firearm method, requires a permit to legally hunt in Nebraska. Hunters cannot have more than one antlered deer permit in a single season. It is illegal to borrow someone else's permit, as the hunting license is non-transferable.