Buckforme
You make a valid point regarding the hunt and getting to the point where you have the deer into bow/xbow range. I also agree that the xbow has roughly the same distance limitations. Not that it loses accuracy past 30 yards but more that the noise factor makes it inneffective much past 30.
I have no problems with a crossbow being treated as a seperate weapon but I have two major problems with allowing it for the able bodied in archery season.
First, as I said in the other thread that eventually got locked, I own one. I have no disability but use it in a suburban deer control program in the gun season on properties where guns are not permitted. I shot 3 deer with it this year including a 129 6/8" buck. I can honestly say that the buck and one of the does would still be walking around if I'd had to draw a conventional bow. (I had to hunt tight spaces where it was tough to be concealed well with VERY people smart deer residing there.) My point is the success rate would be higher than conventional bows and it wouldn't be fair that the large majority of bowhunters would have to have a shorter season due to a fundamentally different weapon being brought into an established season.
My second problem is one I bet you can really appreciate is that bowhunting takes a serious commitment. Something I suspect you have for your sport. My worry here is that the crossbow proponents I see here that arent in it for the money are looking for an easy way to get in on the extra time archers have in the woods. Archers get lots of woods time simply because what they do is harder than many have the patience and perseverence for. The success rate is relatively low. Lots of woods time is one of the rewards that makes the challenge worth it. From what I've seen , I think it's a legitimate concern that the woods will swell with "shortcutters" and seriously detract from a long standing respected sport.
JMHO
BTW this is strictly a personal opinion, but shooting that 129" buck with an xbow did detract from my sense of accomplishment.
That is strictly my personal opinion!
Edited by - btbowhunter on 01/25/2002 17:26:49
Edited by - btbowhunter on 01/25/2002 17:29:49