(1) "Archery equipment" and "bow and arrow" mean either a longbow, recurve bow, or compound bow that propels an arrow by means of limbs and a string, that is hand-held, hand-drawn, and held in a drawn position by hand or hand-held release mechanism and that has no mechanical device to enable the shooter to lock or prop the bow at full or partial draw. Other than energy stored by the drawn bow, no device to propel the arrow is permitted.
(2) "Crossbow" means a device for propelling an arrow or bolt by means of a bow or other limbs affixed transversely to a stock which utilizes a nonhand-held locking mechanism to maintain the device in a drawn, partially drawn, or ready to fire condition. A crossbow is not archery equipment or a bow and arrow.
(3) "Upper limb disability" means an impairment certified by a licensed neurologist or orthopedist which prevents a person from holding the mass weight of archery equipment or a bow and arrow at arms length perpendicular to the body, or drawing or pulling the string of archery equipment or a bow and arrow of a minimum draw weight of forty pounds.
(B) Crossbows are legal for use statewide during any open season for deer, turkey, or bear by a person who suffers from an upper limb disability, provided the person, while hunting, has in immediate possession a written statement certifying the disability. The statement, based on a physical examination by the certifying neurologist or orthopedist, shall describe the disability and shall state the person is not capable of operating archery equipment or a bow and arrow. A copy of the statement must be provided to the department prior to hunting with a crossbow.
(C) Except as provided in subsection (B), the use of crossbows during any open season for wild turkeys is unlawful and the use of crossbows during any archery equipment or bow and arrow only season is also unlawful. The use of a crossbow on private property statewide during the firearms or muzzleloader season for deer and bear is not prohibited.