Buck Hunter 1

Choice, the deer still have to there when you hunt. I see no shortage of does in 2D absolutely no shortage of deer at all. I shoot compound and Xbow as well as Inline and flintlock. My choice what to pick up and head into the woods with that day. MY CHOICE on MY GROUND! I have seen the egotistical bow hunting community degrade the Xbow experience and start the war.They have absolutely no room for anyone else in the woods but themselves. That includes small game hunters by the way! If you are a purist as you guys state, drop the compound and go stick bow!!!!!!!!!!!! You wonder why the PAPGC gets over? Keep making anti hunting statements like those above by the same anti Hunting supposed PA sportsmans group! Sproul I agree w/ the 3 day doe hunt 100%, but it will never be again. I think the last week of the 2 week gunseason we had in 2D is what we will all see next year.

livbucks

You try to diminish the topic of x-bow inclusion, but the fact is that the ramifications of the change to deer management will be large. It has nothing to do with one weapon over another. The effects are the only concern.

DougE

There isa proposal to add crossbows to the regular archery season.It will most likely pass imo.

There is no proposal to add inlines to the flintlock season.A bill was started last year but it died a quick death.We won't be seeing that in the near future.

rybohunter

I am not worried about X-bows killing too many deer that is for sure. The rifle season will always take the lion share. I am against X-bows on principle in that they are not a BOW. They are cocked and fired from the shoulder. I am also worried about the detrimental effects of additional hunters in the woods and the enjoyment of the overall hunting experience. Hunting natural deer movements and enjoying the woods without them being overcrowded will be over. You will have gang drives and more people in the woods than ever over the course of the fall.

livbucks

That is why they are x-guns or bolt-guns to me.
They store the energy with no fatigue factor to the shooter.
They anchor to the shoulder and have fixed sights front and rear that are not affected by shooting form.
They release by trigger.

GUN.

Say what you will. If they are legal I will probably end up using one someday when I am older.
Regardless, I still don't think they should be legal in BOW season.

muzzyman88

I see two sides to the Xbow debate. One side of me sees the obvious, the PGC doing whatever they can to get more hunters in the woods and buying a license. This means introducing new weapons, seasons, bag limits, etc. Face it, they know they're losing hunters by the truck loads.

The thing that bothers me most about the xbow is that many, many guys believe they can shoot further and more accurately with one. Which, if anyone has ever shot one or tried to sight one in knows, is simply not true. They're no more effective than a compound.I fear that this mentallity will lead to more marginal shots taken and ultimately more wounded deer.

On the other hand there might be less wounded deer because the average joe who picks his bow up a week before season and heads to the woods will tote a crossbow, which you really don't have to "practice" with in the sense that its more of a gun rather than a bow.

I don't know, I am leaning more toward no crossbows because it just doesn't operate like a bow, compound or traditional. I'm a compound guy but I don't hold myself on a pedestal. I have no qualms with the use of crossbows, just the mentality that usually comes with them.

4evrhtn

I am dead against allowing everyone to use xbows. Let those who have disabilities have the advantage of using an xbow. Take that from them then what edge do they have. Those who need it should have the ability to use them, those who don't can hunt archery just as we have always done. A weapon with a scope, firearm trigger and capable of shooting without any practice and little skill has no place in the same season with a traditional bow or compound. I hunt archery for the challenge and by allowing xbows I feel the season will become exactly what rifle season is.

BTBowhunter

I own one and have killed several deer with one. All in gun season.

Having experience with both gives me a better perspective than some.

trying to be fair here.....

Gun like features of the crossbow...

Stored energy.
ready to shoot when game appears.
easy to learn to shoot.
fired from the shoulder and can utilize a rest.
easily shot from a sitting, kneeling, offhandor prone position

Bow like feaures......

Needs to be as close as a conventional bow
Kills by hemmorage not by shock necessitating more precise shot placement than a firearm requires.

advantages over a conventional bow.....

Minimal movement required in presence of game
no chance of fatigue from holding at full draw
can be shot effectively from many more body positions than a conventional bow
easy to learn

disadvantages to the crossbow.....

noisy
bolts are less stable especially at longer ranges
less accurate from offhand position without a rest than a bow in most hands

The claim by crossbow proponents that it is still a close range weapon are true but sadly thats not the message that the industryseems to promote.
It's relatively easy to pick one up and be reasonably accurate with it in an afternoon. I practice year round with my compound but only need to shoot a few nolts each year with the crossbow.

The problem as I see it is that hunting with a broadhead tipped projectile is a sport that requires a considerably higher level of responsibility and commitment. The hunters willing to make that commitment already have done so. The crossbow seems way too likely to attract those looking for the "easy way" to get in on the longer season.

By accepting the extra challenges that come with hunting with a conventional bow, a bowhunter "earns" a longer season. We are understandably concerend that the longer season we have earned might be shortened by those looking for an easier way. I have no problem withhunting by a less challenging method till it threatens the one that so many archers have worked so hard for.

Buck Hunter 1

BTB, how gracious you are w/ praise for yourselves! Gawd, it must be great to sit in your treestand w/ yur compound and feel you have "earned" the rights ot be the only ones in the woods! I am hunitng small gane at the same time you are in that tree, but you probably don't feel I should be in your earned woods! You and your Org. are a trip! You play it like you are or use both weapons, but the entire comparison is slanting down hill for your compound boys to again have your own season. Forgetting that I pay for a license, pay taxes and have a voice and opinion. IN fact my opinion certaninly does not degrade other types of weapons nor ask for "my! earned right to be in the woods!" I don't care what you are in the woods with, we need more hunters in the woods. Agaoin, I will be humting w/ my Xbow next year in the woods at the same time you are, that was told to me by a source in Horton for you copnspiracy theories.

livbucks

I don't see a problem with making them legal for Senior license hunters or something of that nature.
Add X-guns and Sunday hunting to Archery and see what the ramifications are......
SHORTER SEASON!

Kiss the rut goodbye!!

Bob, you are a little more patient with the issue than I am, andI totally respect your position.
I can plainly see the benefits of using a x-gun in firearms season to encroach Safety Zones where gun hunting can't touch.
I have NO problem with that. The whole existence of BOW season will be lost however,when they are included statewide.