I will take the first stab at this. I was at my local archery range last Sunday with my wife enjoying an afternoon of shooting when this guy shows up in a BMW and a crossbow (sounds like the start of a joke). I watch him fumble around with it for a few minutes and take a few shots. It was obvious he did not really have an understanding of what he was holding. He then proceeded to load the WEAPON and then held it parallel to his hips while doing a 360 of the area around him, looking at nature or whatever. Point is, it was a loaded weapon and it was not pointed down range. I quickly responded by asking the gentleman (trying to be polite) to keep the weapon pointed down range and he replied with "the safety is on" and kept the crossbow pointed at me and my wife. I bit my tongue and had my wife quickly pack up her things and we vacted the area. I reported the idiot to the park police and went home.

My point is, I feel a crossbow for anyone who does not have some sort of handicap is a poor excuse for archery and should not be included in the normal season. Primitive season fine, but not the time set aside for the true stick flingers of the woods. If someone does not have the patience to learn how to pick up a compound or traditional bow then they have no buisness in the woods during archery season. Any idiot can load a crossbow and line the sights up, as was demonstrated at the archery range. Taking an animal with a bow is a spiritual thing that culminates after hours of practice with the weapon and learning the animal that you are hunting.

(IMPORTANT FINISH OF POST) If someone has a disability and wants to enjoy hunting during the archery season then a crossbow is a wonderful way to get them into the woods and I do not mind that, but no disability, no crossbow.

Thanks for letting me get on the soap box.

OH Redneck