this argument will go on forever...traditionalists vs technology. As one whos' shot them all, I will say that todays x-bows are NOT the same as 2400 yrs ago. nowhere close. they look the same, but that's where the semblence ends. they had wood and sinew and feathers...we have composite and nylon and carbon... the longbows are very similar, as are the recurves( except the takedown versions). Compounds were indeed created to gain popularity to archery..it was a sick and dying sport that needed a shot in the arm. Compounds gave it that... but even the 1st compounds( Allen/Bear/Martin/Jennings/etc)were nothing more than a recurve with round wheels at each end... they we're of the 40-50% let-off variety( anyone remember those!!) the risers were mostly wooden( or even metal),limbs were too, but became laminated composite material..let-offs reached the 80-90% area, which no traditionalist can ever comprehend holding.
80+ pound bows having that let-off, is soooo easy, that any teenager can hold it for 10 minutes after draw. the argument has been raging for years, and now with the X-bow, it only continues. as for the States who are looking into this issue, they don't care about anything but the $$$...period. if it'll generatew more tax for the state, if it''l add revenue to the DNRs, then they'll be for it..... tradionalism be darned... full speed ahead from the Gov's office!!!

I hunt with a custom takedown recurve, and it doesn't bother me if they allow X-bows/ machine guns/ even mortars in ANY season, as long as they get the azimuths correct... hate those short rounds