Have we all forgotten the hubris that resulted when the compound bow first became available in the 70s ? The " real" archers were vehemently opposed to legalizing them , many still are . The traditional bow is only slightly older than the crossbow , and guns are a fairly recent addition themselves . I went through this thread at another site' s BB , and they didn' t resolve the matter any better than this thread probably will . If you want to see how assinine this argument can get go to hoosierhunting.com and check the Bowhunting forum . Like it or not , crossbows are legally defined as " archery equipment" in all states , and by most bowhunting associations including the IBO . Most of these same organizations sponsor crossbow shooting events , and even have their own teams . Most states that legalize them for hunting do so because the hunters are not taking enough deer to keep the herd numbers down , especially does . It seems that our passion for big racked bucks has become our own undoing , and other tools are being made available to compensate for our lack of understanding about game management . Those who cannot embrace new tools should try to accept that there are some people who do . If you don' t want to use one don' t buy one , but why would you deny someone else the opportunity to share in the wonderful experience we call hunting ? Archery can also be an expensive undertaking , and some folks just aren' t willing to part with the kind of loot that it takes to own a first class bow . While a crossbow may not be used in exactly the same way as a compound or traditional , it still exposes the person who tries one to the fundamentals of archery . For those of you who' ve never tried one let me assure you that it takes just as much practice to master one . Granted , it has 100% let-off , but only if you leave it cocked . Those of us who own one can tell you how bad that is for the prod(bow) , it can even cause them to break under fire if done constantly . It also has a shorter range , less KE , and greater drop than a bow . Anyone who considers them to be an advantage over bows , or easier to use , has never used one . Face some grim facts , our numbers are declining , and fewer children are being exposed to hunting with each passing year . The antis are aware of this , and never fail to bring it up when they lobby your state Legislature to ban hunting for whatever ridiculous reasons they may have . Yes , a crossbow is different from other bows , but this doesn' t make it something to be feared or loathed . Personally , I wouldn' t want to be in the woods with mine when the gunners are out there too , much too hazardous for my taste . And why all the opposition to their use during the general archery season ? If it uses a stick and string to launch a stick with feathers it is a bow by any generally or legally accepted definition of " archery equipment" . Your personal view of it may differ , but as state after state makes them available to help manage the herd we' ll all have to make a little bit of room for each other . After all , regardless of the tool we use we still have one thing in common , we' re all hunters .