Awesome crossbow Arthur, though I have to admit I thought you had stuck a pepper grinder on the end.

This post has been a breath of fresh air. All I ever hear it seems are opinions that divide us all instead of bringing us all together. I don't nor have I ever used a crossbow for anything. However, if you are going to put in the time it takes to be a master of your weapon, so that you can humanely take an animal, welcome to the woods. We need more of you here.

In Indiana, hunters are allowed to use crossbows during the late archery season, which follows the firearms season and (I may be mistaken) if disabled may use a crossbow during the regular archery season. That is a change from the original regulations where crossbows were allowable for the disabled only. That change occured 7 or 8 years ago. I think. The latest season we have definable numbers for is 2006. In 2006 during the late archery season 1456 deer were harvested, accounting for 1% of the total deer harvest. Crossbow kills were listed as less than 1%, though I am unclear as to whether that is 1% of total or 1% of late archery kills. Earlier in the thread, one of the posters brought up the point of deer herd management, could the deer herd handle the added pressure of another weapon and season? At least in Indiana the answer is yes. My opinion, for what it's worth, is let them hunt.

Information sited can be found here:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/deer/2006_deer_season_report-new.pdf
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/huntguide1/HATG_0607/HATG0607_1-19.pdf