PAL For A Crossbow

maple leaf

maple leaf

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I need everyone's help. I do not have a PAL, but I own an Excalibur crossbow. I signed up for my hunting course today and the instructor told me something disturbing. He stated that I can hunt with a crossbow in Ontario with no legal issues with the MNR. However, if an OPP officer questions me about my crossbow, they can request to see a PAL. If the holder of the bow does not have one, you can get a $150 fine!?!

I've read the legal draw weight requirements for bows in my province (no issue there), however I've never heard of this before. My understanding was that a crossbow was not a firearm. For one it doesn't shoot powder and it is under 500 ft/ second. Has anyone heard about this before? Any help clarifying this would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Well I just got off the phone with the MNR here in Ontario. They indicated that a crossbow is legal to hunt with in Ontario without a PAL. They also directed me to the RCMP FAQ section: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/faq/index-eng.htm#a4a

Specifically there is this posted on their site -
"Q5. Do the licensing and registration requirements apply to bows?

A5. Crossbows that can be aimed and fired with one hand and crossbows with an overall length of 500 mm or less are prohibited. You cannot lawfully possess or acquire a prohibited crossbow.

You do not need a valid licence or registration certificate to possess any other type of bow, including a crossbow that is longer than 500 mm and that requires the use of both hands. Criminal Code provisions making it an offence to acquire a crossbow without a valid licence were never brought into force.

If you plan to use a bow to hunt, please check provincial hunting regulations for information on hunting licence requirements and restrictions that may apply to the use of bows. For example, some provinces do not allow crossbows for hunting."

Also, mastrmasn thanks for the comment
 
maple leaf said:
I need everyone's help. I do not have a PAL, but I own an Excalibur crossbow. I signed up for my hunting course today and the instructor told me something disturbing. He stated that I can hunt with a crossbow in Ontario with no legal issues with the MNR. However, if an OPP officer questions me about my crossbow, they can request to see a PAL. If the holder of the bow does not have one, you can get a $150 fine!?!

I've read the legal draw weight requirements for bows in my province (no issue there), however I've never heard of this before. My understanding was that a crossbow was not a firearm. For one it doesn't shoot powder and it is under 500 ft/ second. Has anyone heard about this before? Any help clarifying this would be appreciated.

Thanks
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Yet another instructor that does not know basic rules and regulations. There is a huge variation in "instructors" out there. Many are in it for the $$ and don't know squat. Too bad that this shadows over the good instructors that know what they are doing and teach because they want to make people safe!
 
Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think when the PAL licensing system first became law, you did actually need one for a crossbow. I don't have it with me because I'm at work, but I seem to recall that my original PAL did have an endorsement for crossbows on the back of the card.
 
You should be able to purchase the crossbow without any license (I did) and can do target shooting without further requirements.
To use it for general hunting, you need a hunting license specifically for bow/crossbow hunting.
 
Scott_N said:
Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think when the PAL licensing system first became law, you did actually need one for a crossbow. I don't have it with me because I'm at work, but I seem to recall that my original PAL did have an endorsement for crossbows on the back of the card.
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Never been proclaimed as law - but it is there. (Why precisely? I forget. :HR: )

From the CCC:
97. [Not in force]

Look at the C-68 legislation:
97. (1) Every person commits an offence who at any time sells, barters or gives a cross-bow to another person, unless the other person produces for inspection by the person at that time a licence that the person has no reasonable grounds to believe is invalid or was issued to anyone other than the other person.
Punishment
(2) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1)
(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or
(b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Exception
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who lends a cross-bow to another person while that other person is under the direct and immediate supervision of a person who may lawfully possess it.
 
Yup. When I first got my pal it had crossbow under possess. Not anymore. Only has non res and res under purchase and possess.
 
My first PAL also had the crossbow endorsement, I bet a few guys are happy that didn’t stick. I still don’t understand why the hand held crossbows went prohibited. It’s not like they were super accurate, could shoot far, or were you able to conceal them. I could see the MNR not wanting them to be used to hunt with as I bet you couldn’t hit a partridge standing still at 20 paces. Canadian laws, you have to love them as they make so much sense.
 
maple leaf said:
I need everyone's help. I do not have a PAL, but I own an Excalibur crossbow. I signed up for my hunting course today and the instructor told me something disturbing. He stated that I can hunt with a crossbow in Ontario with no legal issues with the MNR. However, if an OPP officer questions me about my crossbow, they can request to see a PAL. If the holder of the bow does not have one, you can get a $150 fine!?!

I've read the legal draw weight requirements for bows in my province (no issue there), however I've never heard of this before. My understanding was that a crossbow was not a firearm. For one it doesn't shoot powder and it is under 500 ft/ second. Has anyone heard about this before? Any help clarifying this would be appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

No need and with all the budget cuts doubt you will every see a co in your hunting career. Unless you do something pretty dumb and have a higher chance of seeing the police. No pal needed.
 
Scott_N said:
Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think when the PAL licensing system first became law, you did actually need one for a crossbow. I don't have it with me because I'm at work, but I seem to recall that my original PAL did have an endorsement for crossbows on the back of the card.
Click to expand...

that's what I was going to say, my first PAL and non-prohibited and cross bow listed on the back, my current PAL doesn't mention the cross bow.
 
BigUglyMan said:
Ninjas used then all the time in the 80's with devastating results. Didn't you watch any movies growing up?
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I did watch those movies in the 80’s and had a real good laugh about it. This is another good example of those who are in the process of making decisions and not knowing the facts.
We had a gentleman give us an update last year on where they were going with the new powder storage laws. Well the guy said the people working on the laws were smart, knew about the dangers of powders, but did not realize what was being done and the quantities of powder some people store. Fortunately they steered them in the right direction or we could be only allowed a couple of pounds at home. I still haven’t heard if the new regulations for powder storage came out yet?
 
Veit-man used them a lot and they made them with old jeep springs which improved them over wood. I remember back in the late 70s early 80s needing a pal to buy a crossbow.
 
Raton57 said:
I remember back in the late 70s early 80s needing a pal to buy a crossbow.
Click to expand...
We didn't have a PAL in the 70s and 80s. We had a FAC and in it came out around 1977.

Found said:
I still don’t understand why the hand held crossbows went prohibited.
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I had one of those hand held crossbows I bought years ago. I can't remember where I bought it, but I do remember it was piece of crap.
 
The handhelds were banned because some guy I think in Ottawa, shot his wife or girlfriend with one on the sidewalk. There was a big stink that they could be bought at flea markets everywhere for $20.00
They were not very good overall, but obviously were able to do the job at a couple feet away.
 
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