Bill > HB4855

This bill amends Michigan's natural resources and environmental protection act to allow bow hunters to carry a pistol while hunting game. Specifically, the bill modifies existing language about firearms and hunting by adding a new provision that permits individuals hunting with a bow and arrow to also carry a pistol. The bill preserves existing exceptions for individuals with concealed pistol licenses or those legally authorized to carry a concealed weapon without a license, such as law enforcement officers. The changes update gender-neutral language (replacing "his or her" with "the individual's") and clarify that the act does not prohibit pistol transportation under certain circumstances. The key modification is the new subsection explicitly stating that a person hunting game with a bow and arrow can legally carry a pistol, which was not previously specified in the law. This change provides additional flexibility for bow hunters who may want to carry a sidearm for personal protection or as a backup hunting tool while in areas frequented by wild animals.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4855