State Bowhunter Education Requirements
|
Min Age |
On-Line |
Required for State & Remarks |
|
|
Alabama |
none |
Y |
|
|
Alaska |
none |
N |
Required proficiency shoot, BHE Required for many special state hunts and urban draws |
|
Arizona |
10 |
N |
Required for all big game hunting |
|
Arkansas |
none |
Y |
Not Required |
|
California |
none |
Y |
Not Required |
|
Colorado |
none |
N |
Either BHE or HE required for license, minimum age is 12 for Big Game License, Strongly recommend BHE for 10 and up only |
|
Connecticut |
11 |
N |
Required for all, minimum of 12 to buy Junior Bow Hunting Permit |
|
Delaware |
none |
N |
Offered, very occasionally |
|
Florida |
none |
Y |
Not Required |
|
Hawaii |
10 |
N |
must take HE first, not required for any archery hunting |
|
Georgia |
|
N |
Not offered by state agency |
|
Idaho |
10 |
Y |
Required for any archery only hunts of any species |
|
Illinois |
none |
N |
Not Required |
|
Indiana |
N/A |
N |
BHE not offered in their state |
|
Iowa |
none |
N |
Only required by some urban hunts |
|
Kansas |
none |
Y |
Not required |
|
Kentucky |
none |
N |
Not required, but offered |
|
Louisiana |
10 |
N |
Not mandatory for state, Mandatory for hunting FWS Federal Refuges |
|
Maine |
10 |
N |
Require statewide |
|
Maryland |
none |
Y |
Not Required |
|
Massachusetts |
none |
N |
Strongly suggest no one below 10 take course |
|
Michigan |
none |
Y |
Not required, age limit of 12 to take online course |
|
Minnesota |
12 |
N |
Not required except special hunts, must take HE first if under 16 |
|
Mississippi |
N/A |
N |
Not offered |
|
Missouri |
11 |
N |
Not required statewide, but is required by some cities for urban hunts |
|
Montana |
11 |
Y 18 & up |
Required for all, minimum of 12 Bow Hunting Permit |
|
Nebraska |
11 |
Y |
Required statewide |
|
Nevada |
none |
N |
Not required for any archery hunting, under 11 must attend with an adult, must be 12 or older to hunt big game |
|
New Hampshire |
12 |
N |
Mandatory |
|
New Jersey |
10 |
N |
Not required |
|
New Mexico |
none |
N |
Not required |
|
New York |
12 |
N |
Required for big game archery permits, must be 14 to buy junior archery permit |
|
North Carolina |
none |
N |
Not Required for any archery hunting, no minimum age for HE either |
|
North Dakota |
11 |
N |
Not Required |
|
Ohio |
none |
Y |
Not required statewide for any archery hunting, maybe required by certain urban areas |
|
Oklahoma |
none |
N |
Not required or taught by state, only by IBEP instructors |
|
Oregon |
none |
N |
Not required |
|
Pennsylvania |
11 |
N |
Not required state wide may be required by some municipalities |
|
Rhode Island |
none |
N |
Youngster must be 12 years old to get his/her first license. Course is a requirement for everyone prior to archery deer hunting |
|
South Carolina |
none |
N |
offered through State Bowhunter Association |
|
South Dakota |
12 |
Y |
Mandatory for any 1st time license holder or 1st time Elk license holder |
|
Tennessee |
9 |
N |
Not required, age requirement same as HE |
|
Texas |
12 |
Y |
Required in certain areas not statewide |
|
Utah |
none |
N |
offered through State Bowhunter Association, not required, however state does require the taking of a special extended archery season online course if planning to participate |
|
Vermont |
none |
N |
Mandatory |
|
Virginia |
none |
N |
Not required |
|
Washington |
none |
Y |
Not required |
|
West Virginia |
none |
N |
offered through State Bowhunter Association |
|
Wisconsin |
none |
N |
Not required |
|
Wyoming |
none |
N |
Not required |
