I was browsing the Michigan DNR website and I found a little blurb about airbow hunting. The direct wording is "It is unlawful to hunt using an airbow during any season for any species in Michigan". It's pretty clear cut. I'd post the pic, but I'm not paying Photobucket for third party posting.
Michigan airbow hunting
- Thread starter Helimech
- Start date
It is in the current hunter's digest as well . I have little interest in hunting with an "air bow" but one of my uncles did . I do not think that they should be legal in any archery season since they are in no way a bow . but I see no harm in allowing them during firearm season . Maybe it will change at some point . I was going to offer to lend my uncle my dragon slayer if he wanted to buy some "air bolts" to use .
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I do have some interest in hunting with an airbow. I can see your point that it shouldn't be allowed during archery season, but if they aren't allowed, crossbows shouldn't be either. In my opinion, both crossbows and airbows should be legal in archery season for "disabled" people. Maybe loosen up the "disabled" rules. My friend has had several shoulder surgeries and doesn't qualify to hunt disabled. Michigan should allow airbows during firearm season or during archery season for "disabled" people. They should also open up turkey to airguns, to include airbows, as well. If the far left California allows airgun hunting for turkey, every darn state should! How fun would it be to hunt turkey with an airbow utilizing the guillotine heads 
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I could under stand "air bows" being legal for those unable to use a crossbow even with a crank . I am not sure what the disabled regs cover anymore after the regs changed to allow anyone to use a crossbow . If only disabled people were allowed to use a crossbow like in the past I wouldn't be able to bow hunt any more, at least not affordably . My draw length is longer than most bows can handle and I'm also left handed . It was much more affordable for me to switch to a nice used recurve crossbow than have a custom bow made .
I have seen some crossbow hunters on the Excalibur crossbow forum that I am on take the stirrup off and make a rope one so that they could use those turkey heads . Worked out well for them, a couple of them took turkey heads completely off . I have never hunted turkey since I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to calling . I'd give it a try if I knew some one that hunted them and would teach me .The land I have permission to hunt is covered in them . During squirrel season I often see more turkey than squirrels .
We can hunt turkeys with an airgun but it needs to be an air shotgun that meets the minimum gauge requirement for a firearm . Under MI hunting regulation all airguns are treated as a firearm . Any thing you can hunt with a firearm you can hunt with an airgun that meets the gauge/caliber requirements . Only thing we can not hunt with an airgun is elk . The only airgun specific regulations are .35 or larger pcp for deer in southern zone, .35 or larger pcp for black bear and no "air bows". Turkey being legal with an air rifle would be nice for those that hunt turkey . It has worked out well in CA .
I have seen some crossbow hunters on the Excalibur crossbow forum that I am on take the stirrup off and make a rope one so that they could use those turkey heads . Worked out well for them, a couple of them took turkey heads completely off . I have never hunted turkey since I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to calling . I'd give it a try if I knew some one that hunted them and would teach me .The land I have permission to hunt is covered in them . During squirrel season I often see more turkey than squirrels .
We can hunt turkeys with an airgun but it needs to be an air shotgun that meets the minimum gauge requirement for a firearm . Under MI hunting regulation all airguns are treated as a firearm . Any thing you can hunt with a firearm you can hunt with an airgun that meets the gauge/caliber requirements . Only thing we can not hunt with an airgun is elk . The only airgun specific regulations are .35 or larger pcp for deer in southern zone, .35 or larger pcp for black bear and no "air bows". Turkey being legal with an air rifle would be nice for those that hunt turkey . It has worked out well in CA .
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I contacted the DNR a while ago when Crosman had put on their website that it was legal to hunt turkey with an airgun in Michigan and I couldn't find anywhere that said you could. The DNR responded to me fairly quick with it is not legal. Shotguns and Bows are the only legal way to harvest turkeys in Michigan. I asked about the air shotguns and they said any projectile that utilizes air as a propellant is not legal to hunt turkey.
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I was told by the dnr after the airgun reclassification package passed that any airgun was a firearm under hunting regulation and that any regulation relating to a firearm applied to an airgun unless specifically stated otherwise in the hunting regs . They may have changed the regs to reclassify airguns to something else since then, although I am not aware of that . The dnr officer that I talked to via email was corporal Peggy Ruby .
The owner of extreme big bore airguns built a 28 gauge air shotgun and hunted turkey with it in MI . He posted it over on the GTA forum a year or so ago . It is treated no different under hunting regulation than a 28 gauge firearm is since it is one under hunting regulation .
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=107751.msg1024740#msg1024740
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=107977.msg1029243#msg1029243
The owner of extreme big bore airguns built a 28 gauge air shotgun and hunted turkey with it in MI . He posted it over on the GTA forum a year or so ago . It is treated no different under hunting regulation than a 28 gauge firearm is since it is one under hunting regulation .
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=107751.msg1024740#msg1024740
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=107977.msg1029243#msg1029243
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According to Air Venturi (maker of air bolts) MI already does allow the taking of deer with an air bow. Hmmm. And why not? The accuracy lethality is without question. Of course, there's nothing "bow" about an air bow, so perhaps they're legal to use during the firearm season?
Btw, the moment .45 cal air bolts are available for my .45 Texan, I'm all over it.
Brian
Btw, the moment .45 cal air bolts are available for my .45 Texan, I'm all over it.
Brian
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Yeti, I contacted the DNR around 3 or so years ago. Things might have changed since then, but they sure didn't put it in writing. I still have the email saved, but it's on my work email account and I only have access to it at work. I'll post that email when I get back to work It's funny how different officers will give you a different answer. I got two different answers about rabbit hunting in the same day. I figured out how to post pics here again, so here is what the DNR has to say about airbows. It's pretty cut and dry 
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Brian.in.MI
It dose not matter what air venturi says, MI DNR says that air bows are not legal for any game during any season . It is in the 2017 hunters digest, grab one next time you are some were that sells licenses . they are free . Maybe they considered an air bolt different from an air bow since it is fired from a rifle? It would be a good idea to ask the dnr and get it in writing if you plan to use them . If the .45 air bolts are anything like the .357 air bolts they will not work in the texan . The .357 air bolts are too short and barely will hold the valve open long enough to get the arrow out of the barrel in a .357 texan . PA said they shot around 60fps if I remember right . They are designed primarily with the samyang big bores in mind . The arrows are about a foot too short for the texan . PA has a video on the .357 air bolt page were they talk about it in the texan as well as other airguns .
Helimech
Yeah it is hard to get the same answer from two DNR officers . It is best to get it in writing when asking the dnr something . Print an email or whatever you can do . The airgun reclassification package went into effect July 1 2015 so if you asked three years ago you will probably get a different answer now . It was shortly after the reclassification package passed and went into effect that I asked the DNR a few questions about airguns . They are always better at telling you what you can't do than what you can or the guide book would be huge . You could talk to Brent Hogue of extreme big bores . I am sure he knows tons more about it than I do . His contact info is on his web site and he is also on the GTA forum . Not sure if he is on here or not .
It dose not matter what air venturi says, MI DNR says that air bows are not legal for any game during any season . It is in the 2017 hunters digest, grab one next time you are some were that sells licenses . they are free . Maybe they considered an air bolt different from an air bow since it is fired from a rifle? It would be a good idea to ask the dnr and get it in writing if you plan to use them . If the .45 air bolts are anything like the .357 air bolts they will not work in the texan . The .357 air bolts are too short and barely will hold the valve open long enough to get the arrow out of the barrel in a .357 texan . PA said they shot around 60fps if I remember right . They are designed primarily with the samyang big bores in mind . The arrows are about a foot too short for the texan . PA has a video on the .357 air bolt page were they talk about it in the texan as well as other airguns .
Helimech
Yeah it is hard to get the same answer from two DNR officers . It is best to get it in writing when asking the dnr something . Print an email or whatever you can do . The airgun reclassification package went into effect July 1 2015 so if you asked three years ago you will probably get a different answer now . It was shortly after the reclassification package passed and went into effect that I asked the DNR a few questions about airguns . They are always better at telling you what you can't do than what you can or the guide book would be huge . You could talk to Brent Hogue of extreme big bores . I am sure he knows tons more about it than I do . His contact info is on his web site and he is also on the GTA forum . Not sure if he is on here or not .
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