Archery Talk Forum banner

A felon can still bowhunt, right?

45K views 130 replies 96 participants last post by  bsizzle 
#1 ·
I asked one of my uncles today how come he never hunts. He said he used to and he loved it but then he got convicted of a felony when he was 18 (Breaking in a garage) he's not 38 and a changed man. He regrets not being able to hunt because of course he cant have a gun. I said "What about bowhunting" he didnt think he was allowed to do that either. Correct me if im wrong, but he can still own a bow and hunt with it right?
 
#2 ·
I'm not sure about other states, but here in New Mexico a felon can hunt with a bow. It is illegal to carry a gun, but they can use bows to hunt.
 
#6 ·
Give your local conservation officer a call, he can answer for your particular state. Here in WI I think felons can bowhunt.
 
#7 ·
Never been in a state where a felon cant use a bow and some states allow smoke poles.

Maine is one such state :)
 
#11 ·
This is the kind of thread that should have been handled in PMs. PETA loves when people talk about how felons are allowed to hunt. daniel you should call a warden near where you live and ask the mods to delete this thread, nothing good can come of it.
 
#101 ·
Why wouldnt a felon not be able to hunt if they are free? I would love to talk to peta about it. Unless it was a violent gun reason. Have a friend that cant own a pellet gun cause it shoots over 750 fps cause he killed someone in a car accident 15 years ago. He was drunk and it was wrong but what does it have to do with guns?
 
#12 ·
just a wunderin,,,,,,this happened 20 years ago,no?,,,,If he wants I'm sure he can apply for a pardon and git rid of the mark,,,,,,,,go online and check out your state regs on bowhunting,,I do belive he'll be alright,,good luck
 
#68 ·
This is correct for my state. If it was a non violent offense I believe a pardon can be applied for after all probation and restitutions are finished. I personally know a guy that was in the same situation and the local sheriff office helped him go through the procedure. Pardon wass granted and he can now hunt with a firearm. Probably each state has it's own guidelines.
 
#13 ·
he might be able to get an expungement

some states ban ex cons from owning "deadly weapons"
 
#14 ·
This is a state by state issue, but generally what a felon loses are his right to possess a fierarm, so he consequently cannot hunt with one. Unless the state has gone further and specifically listed "hunting" as a priviledge taken away from felons, or made it illegal for felons to possess bows & arrows, they still possess the "right" to bowhunt to the same extent that any other citizen can.

Exceptions may exist for game law violations in which loss of hunting priviledges is part of the penalty.

-- FLIX
 
#15 ·
vermonster13 said:
This is the kind of thread that should have been handled in PMs. PETA loves when people talk about how felons are allowed to hunt. daniel you should call a warden near where you live and ask the mods to delete this thread, nothing good can come of it.

This doesnt need to be handled in PM's. I dont tip toe around, or even pay attention to PETA.
 
#106 ·
I fully agree with the tip toeing. And I understand that you might be curious about what other places do BUT I would think it would be just as easy and alot more accurate to contact some official in your state than the replies from the rest of the world. I didn't mean to be ugly but it is sort of like folks posting on here asking what an out of state license cost.:darkbeer:
 
#16 ·
if it was not a violent felony who cares ... in oregon you can hunt with a black powder rifle or a bow ... screw the furries do I care what they think ? HELL NO
 
#17 ·
vermonster13 said:
This is the kind of thread that should have been handled in PMs. PETA loves when people talk about how felons are allowed to hunt. daniel you should call a warden near where you live and ask the mods to delete this thread, nothing good can come of it.
Boy aren't we the almighty,wow man. I am a felon and explain to me why I "shouldn't" be able to hunt...I honestly don't understand why you would suggest this thread be deleted. The man asked a serious question and wants an answer.

In WI you can no longer hunt with a muzzleloader but are totally allowed with bow. After awhile in this state you can ask for a pardon from the governor.
I will be in the process of doing this myself.

Daniel,just ignore vermont as he obviously has his mind made up already about
"felons" and is paranoid about PETA and what they think.:confused:

I personally like this thread and it should be discussed!
 
#69 ·
I agree, "Felon" doesn't always mean anything. In MN, it can be getting too many DUIs or something else completely non-violent. I've heard of a guy who received a felony conviction and had to register as a sex offender for mooning a kid. And as the OP stated, this was for something over 20 years ago.

To the OP: Your uncle can also petition a judge to regain his right to bear arms to be able to hunt with a shotgun/rifle as well. I'm not sure how this is done as I don't know anyone that has done this, but I do know that it is possible. Best bet there would be to talk to a lawyer.
 
#18 ·
Daniel BOOM said:
I asked one of my uncles today how come he never hunts. He said he used to and he loved it but then he got convicted of a felony when he was 18 (Breaking in a garage) he's not 38 and a changed man. He regrets not being able to hunt because of course he cant have a gun. I said "What about bowhunting" he didnt think he was allowed to do that either. Correct me if im wrong, but he can still own a bow and hunt with it right?

depending on the state, yes he can for sure. Gear him up and take him hunting.

It's not considered a firarm,

sort of like you don't have to necessarily check in a bow as a firearm when traveling.
 
#19 ·
I don't think it's something that needs to be tiptoed around either! In fact, one of my bowhunting buddies has a felony conviction but one that I can truly admire. He found out another man was sleeping with his fiance so he beat him half to death! Should be legal, in my humble opion, and certainly shouldn't keep a man from bowhunting!
 
#128 ·
sorry to hijack but why admire that? i obviously dont know the whole story. but you didnt say he was raping her and it takes two. unless it was a close friend that was the guy i wouldnt say two words to him in that situation but her on the other hand i would show the door faster than she could imagine.
 
#21 ·
Cornfed said:
I don't think it's something that needs to be tiptoed around either! In fact, one of my bowhunting buddies has a felony conviction but one that I can truly admire. He found out another man was sleeping with his fiance so he beat him half to death! Should be legal, in my humble opion, and certainly shouldn't keep a man from bowhunting!

completely agree. If we as hunters can't portray the real us and keep lolly gagging around like they have formed us to act already, then things are going downhill.


heck yes, he can BOWHUNT, and so should every other hunter who has that one mistakenly or past commited felon who still has the desire to hit the woods bow in hand.
 
#22 ·
I don't think it's just a state by state basis but rather a CASE by CASE basis. My neices husband has a felony drug conviction from 5 years ago. He never did any jail time....got probation and has straightened the ship. In his case he cannot use a gun, bow, or even a knife for that matter! I believe any possession of these breaks his probation and is a felony in itself that sends him directly to jail. That's just his case....I know others differ within this state.
 
#87 ·
If he is on probation then he can't have a weapon in his possession and I'm sure all 50 states are the same on that rule. When he is off probation unless the state has a rule against it then he should be able to hunt some way.

I agree about peta, like they don't have felons and people who commit misdemeanor crimes in their group.
 
#26 ·
FULLTIMEHUNTER said:
I don't think it's just a state by state basis but rather a CASE by CASE basis. My neices husband has a felony drug conviction from 5 years ago. He never did any jail time....got probation and has straightened the ship. In his case he cannot use a gun, bow, or even a knife for that matter! I believe any possession of these breaks his probation and is a felony in itself that sends him directly to jail. That's just his case....I know others differ within this state.

I was at a sentencing yesterday ( minor league-selling hamburger as ground sirloin-still a federal felony). THe judge put the guy on probation for two years and specifically told him that DURING probation he couldn't own a gun-guess what-once you have a felony you can never own a gun again except for certain very limited circumstances.

he was told he couldn't own any "deadly weapons"

its a gray area for hunting with bows-and different states have different rules
there is no FEDERAL implication in bows like there are for guns that "move in interstate commerce"
 
#109 ·
I was at a sentencing yesterday ( minor league-selling hamburger as ground sirloin-still a federal felony). THe judge put the guy on probation for two years and specifically told him that DURING probation he couldn't own a gun-guess what-once you have a felony you can never own a gun again except for certain very limited circumstances.

he was told he couldn't own any "deadly weapons"

While on probation they can limit "deadly weapon possession". Just like they can say no booze. Once off probation they (felons) can own bows and no one can say otherwise unless it's a state law, in your goofy state. California maybe.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top