dkeener

If guns are legal, why aren't crossbows? As someone who started and still shoots traditional, but didn't start hunting with a compound till this year, I felt like I was cheating with a compound. Crossbows aren't that much more deadly /difficult than a compound, and still take more skill (primarily getting closer to the prey) than a gun.

GMPT

OntElk - Its hypocritical if its legal or not. Why ? The definition of a bow and arrow can be applied to a crossbow, a longbow, a recurve and a compound. They are ALL bows that uses the same basic principles to propel an arrow.

Anti-crossbow zealots will squeal over and over about letoff, its all about the letoff. Yet when its pointed out that they too have letoffs up to 85% on a lot of bow, more on some models, they'll change their tunes in a hurry. They'll likely say well, its all about the cocking mechanism and triggers. Hmmmmm, isn't a mechanical release much the same ? Uh, yeah, it is. They'll then say well its so easy to use, theres no challenge ! Compare a compound to a recurve - c'mon man, theres not comparison ! I literally, and I'm not kidding, shot my Dad's Q2 all of 12-15 shots to tune it to my way of shooting and 3 days later arrowed a dandy buck with it - one shot one kill. they are SOOOOOOOO easy to shoot its unbelievable ! I hadn't shot a compound in over 2 years and in 5 minutes was deadly accurate with it.

So what it boils down to is ....... selfishness. These guys that are against crossbows don't want more hunters in the woods. They could care less about letoff else they'd not be using 85% letoffs, or even 65%. Its not about triggers because most use mechanical releases. It aint about technology or ease of shooting - you need only to look at the lastest Mathews and bowtechs to see how far modren compounds have come. its not about protecting what archery is, or all these guys would jump on the bandwagons to ban mechanical releases, fiber sights, impose 50% letoff only bows etc etc.

No, its about not wanting more hunters imposing on "their" hunting season, plain and simple when not one single shred of proof can be offered up that crossbows are a negative to archery hunting where they are legal.

GMPT

Guns are not allowed in archery season because they A) do not shoot what is defined as an arrow and B) they use gunpowder not the force of a string and storee energy of limbs to propel the projectile.

GMPT

WHOA ! Someone who speaks the truth - better watch out or the Ethics police will start chasing you.

PSE Hunter for Life

I live in Ohio. I shot a compound bow. In my group of friends there are both crossbow hunters and compound bow hunters. They may not have to spend as much time tuning there bow but everything else is exactly the same. IMO anything that gets more people out hunting is a plus. I am betting some of you are the same people who dont take the time to take a kid into the woods. Not just your own kids. There are thousands of kids who will never get a chance to experience the sport we love because of elitist like you!

Merry Christmas

dkeener

If the argument is about whether crossbows should be legal during gun season and not during archery season, I would agree with that.

GMPT

dkeener - in most states you can use more difficult weapons as the seasons begin to overlap. ie a bow during muzzleloader season, and a bow and/or a muzzleloader during rifle season.

The restrictions placed on weapons are done so for several reasons, from how they impact the # of animals taken to the level of technology they possess to the dangers involved to the hunters. Crossbows in several states now are saying hey, we know compounders don't like them, but theres no justification to NOT allow them with booming deer herds and states like Arkansas and Ohio showing no real negatives to them being allowed. Crossbow in archery season = more active archery hunters, more revenue, perhaps even a better chance of reaching the targeted numbers of deer killed for the units/regions of the states.

Some states you cannot use a bow to fill a rifle tag though - like Colorado.

silentassassin

Arthur,

You got better stuff than that. Not allowing something to become a law and outlawing something that is already a law is the same thing. You can try to spin it ut it's the same thing. Either way you are advocating legislation that could potentially keep hunters from trying the sport. You say that 90% of the hunters it Texas don't want to allow crossbows but why exactly? What negative impacts do you think it would have on the hunters, the deer, and the hunting in general?
That's like saying woman were imposing their opinions when they asked for the right to vote. No one is saying they would have to shoot crossbows just that they should have the right to coose. Surely you see the difference. You are trying to censor the way people hunt, the other group is merely saying they should have a right to choose. Then it would be left up to the individual as to how the choose to hunt. I don't see any imposing there. All I see is hunter descrimination on a level that could be hurting the sport. I am all for a good debate and I sincerely think that bowhunting is the elite form of the sport but at the end of the day I think people should be able to hunt however makes them happy. The more the merrier. I am still going to be out there trying to get them to convert to bowhunting, just as I do to the crossbow hunters that I know. However, I realize that just because I have an elitist attitude about bowhunting, that doesn't give me the right to decide for others how they should or shouldn't hunt. My arrogance does have some limits to it.

dkeener

GMPT - I understand the differences between states and their hunting restrictions. In MI, you can't shoot a crossbow at all unless you have a proven disability. In IN, crossbows are legal for anyone during the late season (Dec 1 - Jan 2). My point is that they should be legal during the firearm portion of the season, and I think the IN law is a fair law in this regard, with the MI law too restrictive.
Maybe this all boils down as to whether a crossbow is more like a bow and arrow or a gun. I personally feel it is more like a gun, hence let them (anyone, not just somebody with a disability) shoot them during the gun/primitive season.

gromage1

To me the fact that the hunter has to draw the bow and shoot makes the difference in hunting with a crossbow during archey season the issue. Maybe it would be more fitting to have a crossbow hunter wait until his quarry is within or close to his range to cock the thing or apply the samething to a firearm wait to load until the animal is standing in front of you, never happen, I guess that's why archers here can use a bow in any season as long as they abide by the rules that apply to that season. If all methods were considered equal( as far as difficulty) there wouldn't be seperate seasons.