Can You Hunt With a Recurve Bow? Regulations, Safety, & FAQ

Last Updated on Mar 15 2024

Since the medieval period, recurve bows have been popular in bowhunting and recreational shooting. Archers prefer them because they require less energy and deliver powerful shots.

Recurve bows are super easy to carry and make less noise than other hunting weapons. They are even used in Olympic archery competitions due to their high accuracy. But unfortunately, many hunters struggle to find a recurve bow with the right draw weight.

If you’re a beginner, you may have difficulty using recurve bows and finding a suitable draw weight. This guide will tell you everything about hunting with a recurve bow, its advantages, effective range, and state regulations.

Are Recurve Bows Good for Hunting?

Recurve bows are excellent for hunting but require experience and skills for shooting accurately. They are similar to longbows—the only difference is that the limbs of a recurve bow are curved back from the end and stock up energy when you draw the bowstring.

These bows also allow archers and hunters to shoot with extra power. Here are some benefits of using recurve bows for hunting:

Silent

No hunter wants to keep chasing an animal for hours or lose it after putting in a lot of effort. If your hunting weapon makes noise, your prey will likely run away in a blink of an eye. Even a bit of noise from the bows can scare animals off.

A recurve bow is well known for making less noise, but don’t expect it to be completely silent. Most recurve bows come with unique limbs and dampers made of quiet components. They are attached to the strings, so the bow creates negligible noise whenever you take a shot. This makes a recurve bow an ideal choice for hunting.

Improved Draw Weight

Every hunter wants to take a shot that kills the target animal quickly instead of piercing through it and injuring it. The draw weight plays a significant role in killing an animal without hurting it.

Of course, not all recurve bows have a better draw weight. So, you must search through the market and find the one that has. The ideal draw weight in a recurve bow is at least 40 pounds.

Good Length

A recurve bow is not only used in hunting but for archery competitions as well. So, it may not be the best hunting weapon, but it offers an extraordinary length to target animals in the wild.

When buying a recurve bow, go for one with a minimum length of 58 inches. It is the ideal length for shooting and taking down targets.

What Is the Range of a Recurve Bow?

Recurve bows can cover an area of hundreds of yards from the point of the shoot. The accurate shooting rate of a recurve bow typically ranges from 60–100 yards, but the ideal distance is between 20–40 yards.

Remember that the range of a recurve bow varies depending on the arrow weight, draw length, and draw weight.

Recurve Bow Hunting Regulations in the US

The regulations for recurve bow hunting in the US vary from state to state. Here are some of them:

Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, and Idaho

Within these states, you can use a recurve bow for hunting. However, you must follow the minimum 40-pound draw weight requirement when hunting larger game animals, such as wolves, black bears, deer, etc.

In Connecticut and Illinois, you can’t use mechanical strings. Illinois also has a minimum 20-inch arrow length requirement. In Arkansas, you must use specific arrowheads (⅞ inches wide) and mechanical broadheads for deer, bear, and turkey hunting.

Idaho has a restriction of 24 inches of the broadhead. The use of poison on the arrows is strictly prohibited in all these states.

Delaware, Florida, Indiana, and Hawaii

Within the states of Delaware and Hawaii, you can use the recurve bow with a minimum of 35 pounds of draw weight for hunting.

Nebraska

In Nebraska, you can hunt with a recurve bow having a minimum of 125 pounds of draw weight.

Montana

You can use recurve bows in Montana with a minimum length of 28 inches. There is no minimum draw weight.

Nevada

You can only use those recurve bows in Nevada that can throw the arrow at a minimum of 150 yards. In addition, the arrows must be 24 inches long with a broadhead of at least 7 inches.

Maryland and Minnesota

Within these states, you can use the recurve bow with a minimum of 30 pounds of draw weight.

In many states, including California, Louisiana, Arizona, Mississippi, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, and Georgia, you can hunt all animals with no size and length restrictions for arrows and broadheads. Check the recurve bow regulations in your state before hunting.

How to Use a Recurve Bow for Hunting

If you’re an amateur, you should mark the target area so everyone can see clearly from a distance. Then, follow these steps to use a recurve bow most safely and accurately:

Safety Rules When Using Recurve Bow

If you’re a beginner, you must learn the safety rules to prevent injuring yourself and the target animal.

To avoid any injury, you should get help from a professional archer to learn the essential tips and tricks.

Drawbacks of Using a Recurve Bow

When using the recurve bow, you may encounter a few downsides that longbows or compound bows don’t have.

Final Thoughts

Recurve bows can be an excellent addition to your hunting weapons collection. These traditional bows look almost similar to the classic longbows and compound bows. However, they have curved limbs and require less energy to deliver powerful shots.

If you’re a beginner, you must know the correct recurve bow posture and safety tips to prevent injuries. Then, keep practicing with your recurve bow to learn to take accurate shots every time you pull the string.

Don’t forget to check the hunting regulations for recurve bow’s draw weight and arrow’s length in your state.

Featured Image Credit: Belish, Shutterstock