fastfire

I don't have a prob. with crossbows for the handi cap.
BUT I also think that they should have to take a safety corse just for C/B
and demo. that they can use it safely& be actuate with it.
If they can do this & pass the corse them let them have at it.

The only prob. I do have is who is to say who is handi cap and who is not.
Anybody????

Deleted User

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farm hunter

??? - RWK??

I missed something there.

NYB -was very helpful to my father-in-law in getting a compound bow set up with a locking device, and how to apply for the legal permit in NY. He has very poor shoulders and couldn't pull a bow back if he had too.

For a handicapped person like him, this device allowed him to bowhunt again.

That said - I too think crossbows should be allowed for the gun season, and possibly the criteria for crossbow hunting in bowseason should be reveiwed.

Charlie P

I personally have no problem with a "truelly disabled" person using a crossbow during bow season. I just hope they don't give them out as freely as they do the "handicapped parking" permits,that are so easily issued.

kevin1

Indiana is just now beginning to relax a little on crossbows . Everybody can use them during our Late Archery season for doe only , disabled can use them for Early Archery too and can take a buck . Everybody can also use them for turkeys . In 2005 we have a great chance of everybody taking a buck in addition to does during Late Archery only , not a huge gain but I understand that we may also get the separate license that all the bow hunters kept whining about .

I'm not entirely certain why they want that , in Indiana it takes having the Legislature make a ruling on their legal status to create a license , then DNR sets a season(s) for it . I wonder which group will be the lucky ones to lose 2 weeks of their season to the crossbow ? Gun hunters ? Doubtful , they outnumber the bow hunters 10 to 1 . Since the Legislature is also very unlikely to rule them to be firearms I just don't see that happening . That pretty much leaves calling them just what they are , bows .

BuckAlley

Kevin, are you saying you feel the crossbow is a bow? I certainly hope not seeing its a rifle type stock, shoulder held, always cocked, fired by a gun type trigger mechanism, shoot bolts- not arrows, capable of using rifle type scopes. Its hardly even close to the whole concept of archery.
The way I see it if others want to enjoy the early season take the time to learn how to shoot archery equipment. Thats why Its called ARCHERY SEASON.
Farmhunter, thank you for that post. Finally someone that understands how NYB has taken great efforts to get handicapped persons in our archery woods, using archery equipment. Thats what it should be all about.

jbc

Buckalley,
Help me understand this. Are you saying it's easy for a handicapped person who is unable to draw and hold a bow to get a permit for a bow with a draw locking device?

The entire reason NYB opposes this is they are scared crossbows for all will creep into "their" regular season. Let the handicapped hunt. It will have no effect on others in the woods and no real effect on the deer population. A handicapped person with a crossbow holds no advantage over a compound hunter. What's the problem??

kevin1

I guessing that you don't know a lot about crossbows Buck Alley ,
you've almost certainly never shot or owned one judging from your questions . If you did then you'd know that they predate firearms by over 1,500 years . This means that all firearms with a stock , trigger , safety , etc. are actually modeled after the crossbow , not vice versa . You'd also realize that bolts are just short arrows , which are necessary due to the shorter power stroke of the crossbow . I'd also guess that you didn't get your copy of the Cabela's Archery catalog this year where you'll find scopes , red dot sights , and even electronic range finders that can be mounted on nearly any recently made compound bow .

Do I consider them to be a bow ? Yes , they aren't called "crossguns" by anyone except those who fear and don't understand them . I have yet to see a crossbow that can chamber and fire a bullet , so they aren't guns . If you look around the world you'll quickly find that they are accepted as archery equipment in most countries and by many archery organizations here . The fact that they don't fit your definition of "archery equipment" doesn't mean that you're in the majority . In fact , bow hunters are the minority in every single state .

One thing I get really sick of is being told to "learn to shoot a real bow if you want to hunt Early Archery" . It's nobody's business but mine what I shoot if the tool is legal for use , and BTW I shoot a 50# recurve too . You come from a state that doesn't even allow anyone but a near quadraplegic to use one , Indiana at least grants the disabled hunter that much and has for years . Here they can hunt both seasons with one and take their one and only buck , and the bow hunters here would also begrudge them that much if they could get away with it . How pathetic is that ?

BuckAlley

Jbc, No its not as difficult to obtain a Modified bow permit, as it is to obtain a special crossbow permit. NYB helps people do it all the time. Thats been my whole point in this forum, and ones of the past. I've wrote many times in previous forum, if a handicapped person exhausts all means to use a bow in archery season, then I have no problems if they used a crossbow as the only possible means for them to hunt. I wouldn't want in anyway to prevent a handicapped person from enjoying the archery woods. But if one is capable of still using a compound or archery equipment then why wouldn't they want to do so? Thats what I'm not understanding here. It just seems all too many are jumping on the crossbow legalization bandwagon, w/o first trying to see what they can do with their present equipment. They might just be surprised.
Your right NYB is worried the handicapped legislation is only a trojan horse to eventually get crossbows legalized for everyone. The bills introduced in the past have always been about legalizing the crossbow during archery season, or regular seasons. They've never been just strictly about the handicapped person before. I wonder why that is!
That in itself makes me curious as to the real reasoning behind this Bill.
Kevin1, ah yeah I think I know the common sense knowledge you write of so heartedly. Regardless of their ancient name used as weapons of war, before black powder was discovered. Were in quit abit different age here don't ya think. It really comes down to ethics. Do you want the possibility of a guy(non handicapped) in the same woods as you using a crossbow with far better capabilities, and easier shooting over your more primitive archery equipment. Perhaps the crossbow manufacturers could try, and push for separate seasons of the weapon. But for some strange reason they continue to push for archery seasons. I wonder it thats where the competition, and $ might be.
As far as scopes, sights, red dots. I see alot of difference in lining up a scope mounted on a stock at eye level, right up to the eye. Over one mounted on the side of a bow 20 plus inches away. I personally wouldn't use one on my bow anyways.
We often mention everyone should have the choice to hunt with whatever weapon they please. Thats all fine and dandy, but its not really ethical or possible. At some point lines need to be drawn to separate ethics, standards, and obviously seasons. I enjoy several types of hunting. The bow is by far my favorite. Sorry if I don't want to see it tainted by a superior weapon in NY's archery season. A crossbow just isn't true archery to me. I wouldn't want a crossbow in the archery woods, no more then the Nwtf would want rifles. Or deer rifle season would want automatic weapons if legal, or a fly fisherman wants snagging. I was never for inline muzzleloaders during blackpowder season. I especially wasn't for scopes allowed on all muzzeloaders during NY's blackpowder seasons. That was, becasue of persons not being able to use open sights. Northern Tier muzzleloading now sounds like the southern tier regular season opener, bang,bang,bang. Try bow hunting in that! If crossbows are legalized I see the same pattern happening. I certainly don't see how the crossbow will be a major benefit to anyone but the manufacturers.
Ok I'm babbling, and tired. I've said my piece, and I'm done with this subject. Whatever happens is beyond our control anyways. Its left to people who make much more $ then us to make all of our legal decisions. Probably most could really give a hoot, and never shot a bow or crossbow themselves either. [:-]

jbc

Let's say, for example, that I am a man (or woman) with only one arm, wheelchair bound, or unable to hold a bow with a draw lock steady due to a disease or condition. I guess I'm still screwed in NY because NYB's dislike of all things "crossgun". Pathetic.