ORIGINAL: Dnk
TEmbry, I respectfully disagree about crossbows not being bowhunting. It is the same position many had towards compounds years ago. Many who do not use a crossobw YET will change their tune when they are too old to pull back a compound, recurve etc and bow season comes around!
I certainly hope many here can agee to disagree.
definitely, people werent made to look at all things the same, that would be boring.
And I should have made it clear that I am in no way ANTI-crossbow. I think its great people hunt with them, and I would in a heartbeat if old age or injury got the best of me. IMO, people with injuries/age preventing one from using a regular bow SHOULD be allowed to use them during archery season.
For everyone else, they are separate in my eyes, just as rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns, and pistols are all separate. Not worse, just different. I'll give someonea congrats for a kill regardless of the weapon used, i respect them all the same. I also understand the level of skill required to use each weapon efficiently. Not all "bows" are equally easy to become proficient with, same goes for rifles. Anyone tried hitting a cantelope at 400 yards with a small bore centerfire compared to plinking with a .22 at 20 yards? More skill is involved in the actual weapons, not the hunting.