I will take a stab at this one. Archers need more time in the woods so that they can be more effective in reducing deer numbers.

It takes more time to get a deer within range of a bow when compared with a rifle/muzzleloader, etc.....

Now, as for muzzleloader hunters....I would have no problem with a longer overlap with the regular archery season. Let the Muzzleloaders have the last two or three weeks of the regular archery season as an overlap........you won't hear an argument from me....


...just as long as bowhunters have more time, undisturbed, in the field. Fewer people and less overall disturbance are what is necessary for archery to be used as an effective deer management tool.

As for the crossbow...I have stated my feelings on it several times before....but I have one question. What happened in the last few weeks that everyone is so sure that it is going to be legalized in early archery, or in a separate early crossbow season, next year? I get the feeling that everyone "knows" that it is going to happen, but nobody has stated why they know.