The one negative? Heck, I'm still waiting for the one POSITIVE!
Look at Ohio, where there are more people hunting with crossbows in bow season than compounds and stickbows combined. I certainly do not consider that as a positive. But I'm sure folks that promote crossbow hunting do.
The bickering is caused by guys that want their crossbows in a season where: 1) they do not belong. 2) they are NOT welcome by the vast majority of bowhunters 3) they had absolutely no part in getting the seasons established to begin with.
It's easier to try and hijack an existing season than it is to get one established for themselves - reference Ohio again. And let's face it, they ARE trying to hijack the seasons. If you have any doubt of that, whatsoever, then you need to read what some crossbow fanatics have written:
I suggest that you trads be careful about bashing xbow archers. A clever PETAphile would have a much easier task bashing trad bows then ours-a trip to the local 3D range would leave most non archers thinking trad bows are woundamatics given that at any 3d Shoot at my club its rare not to get stuck behind some Trads looking for arrows at every target or watching them shoot "barely foam" on some targets
if you all had to pass proficiency tests to be able to hunt, then your "doing it the hard" way would have some merit. I have run a range for 3 years now, and spent another 5-6 at one several times a week and I have seen dozens of trads who hunt who couldn't pass any type of objective test.
...I would prefer they shoot an accurate weapon rather than wound something.
And from another person:
If WE are going to ban anyone...we would have to ban the Trad archers because of their general low effeciency.
These are not isolated comments. I've seen them dozens of times. Now, as a traditional shooter yourself... Does that sound like people that are trying to come in as friends? Are those the kind of people YOU want to share your time in the woods with?
Why are they attacking trads? Because they can't say our equipment is comparable to their's, in any strech of the imagination. If they can dispose of us, then it makes it easier for them to waltz in.
If you need something more negative than that....