Crossbow Hunting Regulations in South Carolina

The information below will help you figure out if using a crossbow for hunting purposes in South Carolina is legal, as well as what restrictions might apply and what the requirements might be. We did what we could to verify all the references you will find on this page, however we cannot guarantee the validity of this information and so you should not assume it is 100% accurate. Please make sure to verify everything you learn here with a legal consultant or a governmental agency.

Make sure to check out our list of top 5 recommended crossbows for hunting in the USA if you’re looking to get started.

Crossbow Hunting Regulations in South Carolina

The crossbow is considered officially to be a legal archery weapon in South Carolina, and so it can be used for hunting purposes whenever and wherever the use of any bow (recurve, long or compound) is allowed, which pretty much means all seasons.  Depending on the type of game you want to hunt for with your crossbow, you’ll need a different set of permits; most larger game (deer, elk, bear) will require both a Big Game License as well as a Hunting Permit. For a full list of required licenses and permits depending on your activity, visit this website.

As usual, you’ll need to complete a hunter education course successfully before you can receive a hunting permit. The course can be either led by an instructor, or it can be a self-study course (online, CD, or book). You can inquire about the availability of different courses by calling 800-277-4301. Currently the only animals you are not allowed to hunt for with a crossbow are coyote and armadillo.

As of July 30th 2013, there are completely no restrictions in regards to the crossbow draw weight, arrow length/weight, or broadhead cutting diameter in South Carolina. To find out much more about these regulations, please see this PDF file.

Help Us Get Better

We hope you’ve find the South Carolina crossbow hunting references above useful. As already stated, these regulations change on a regular basis and we cannot say if the above is 100% accurate as you read this; we might have missed a recent change or update, making our references invalid. Which is why we ask for the following: should you believe any of the information above is based on out-dated regulations, kindly send us an e-mail and we’ll look into it immediately and make any required corrections to reflect the current legal situation.