RE: Got the Jones!
THAT'S a can 'o worms you're asking me to open. And I'm afraid I don't have a short answer for it.
Now, I like shooting crossbows. They are a fun diversion from flinging arrows. I even intend to make my own replica of a mideaval crossbow sometime this summer. I've got a nice limb on an osage tree already picked out and will cut it next week to begin seasoning it to make the prod.
However, I've never been in favor of their unrestricted use in bow seasons. In fact, I've fought hard against them. I've written many letters to the wildlife commission and state legislators opposing crossbows in bow season. I've been involved in practically every crossbow debate to come along on the forums.
It's not all been wasted effort, but I feel I've only helped delay the inevitable.
A couple of years ago, as you'll recall, Pope and Young Clubdropped their 65% letoff rule. That was the last pillar of hope to keep bow seasons somewhat true to their origins. Now the field is wide open. Mechanical releases are de rigour for practically everyone shooting a compound these days. 99% letoff bows are already on the market. Draw now, wait for the shot, pull the trigger.To me, there is no difference in doing that and usinga cocked and locked crossbow. There is no 'drawing in the immediate presence of game' with that kind of bow.
Obviously, we cannot ban compounds because some 90% of all bowhunters are shooting them. A sizeable portion of that 90% won't even consider any kind of restrictions on performance or letoff. In fact, ifone even suggests such restrictions, he istarred and feathered... figuratively if not literally.So, since we are forced to accept the compound under those terms,then we must also accept it's kissing cousin, the crossbow.
It's not that I'm in favor of crossbows in bow season now. It's just that I thinkcompounds are now just as bad. Honestly,each and every oneof the nightmarish things we were afraid was going to happen 35 years ago, as they were trying to legalize the compound for bow seasons, have all now come to pass. We lost that battle then, which has set us up to lose the crossbow battle now.
I truly believe the battle IS lost and there is no way of carrying on the fight without coming off as a flaming hypocrite.
One thing I can tell you for fact though. Even when they are eventually legalized in bow season here, I'll continue to use my crossbow in the way I've always used it. In gun season, where I think it belongs.