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Michigan PR9134: Disability Bow/Crossbow Permit

Michigan hunters who cannot hold, aim and shoot conventional archery equipment can apply for a permit to use a crossbow or modified bow in the Upper Peninsula late archery season or the bear archery-only season. The applicant completes Sections 1 and 2, and a physician, physical therapist or occupational therapist certifies the disability in Sections 3 through 5 using diagnosis-based criteria or standard tests.

Who completes it

A licensed physician or a licensed or registered physical or occupational therapist completes Sections 3 (examiner information), 4 (evaluation) and 5 (approval and certification). Only a physician may check the diagnosis boxes; a therapist's test findings need no physician signature.

Submitting and payment

How to submit it
Send the certified application to the DNR Disability Bow Program by mail or email; incomplete applications are returned. Allow 2 to 4 weeks, and eligible applicants receive the permit by mail.

Good to know

  • Pain or lack of endurance alone cannot justify a permit. Loss of function must be shown by a functional draw test, manual muscle test or range-of-motion test.
  • The functional draw test simulates holding 35 pounds of resistance for 4 seconds; manual muscle grades of 3 of 5 or less in shoulder or elbow motions qualify.
  • Range-of-motion thresholds include shoulder flexion of 90 degrees or less, shoulder abduction of 70 degrees or less and elbow extension of minus 20 degrees or less; failing any one is enough.
  • A person may not seek diagnosis for this permit more than twice in six months, and fraudulent certification can lead to disciplinary review under MCL 333.16231.

Get the official form

Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.

Bow Permits for Hunters with Disabilities (application)

Official pagePDF

How this list is checked

A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms and their requirements change without notice, so check the official page for the current version before you complete one.

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Frequently asked questions

Which conditions can a physician certify without testing?

A physician can certify an amputation affecting the extremities needed to use conventional archery equipment, a spinal cord injury leaving the person permanently non-ambulatory, or a permanent wheelchair restriction. Under Other, a physician can describe in plain terms any disability, such as a neuromuscular condition, that prevents use of conventional equipment.

Can a temporary disability qualify for a Michigan disability bow permit?

Yes. The permit is available for temporary or permanent disabilities that leave full use of only one upper extremity or prevent holding, aiming and shooting conventional archery equipment. In Section 5 the examiner marks whether the disability is temporary and gives the date it is expected to end.

What does the permit allow?

Use of a crossbow or a modified bow, one altered so it can be held, aimed and shot with one arm, during the late archery season in the Upper Peninsula or the bear archery-only season. The holder still needs a valid license for the game and must carry the permit while hunting.