RE: Illinois - Crossbows
Duramax, I apologize, I took your post incorrectly. I just get sick and tired of people implying that if you hunt with a crossbow you are , for some reason, not a real hunter. And I would challenge any of them to go through what I have, because I believe most would have crawled in bed and never come out.
As far as the safety of a kid; It depends on the kid. A 150lb crossbow is hard to cock, no doubt but if he/she is able to cock it on the ground they should also be able to do so on a tree stand assuming it has an ample sized base. You put your boot in the stirrup and use equal force on both sides, for most people with normal balance this should not be a problem. Whether they legalize them or not, Parents should make the ultimate decision whether or not their kid is ready. Practice it on something at ground level with the same size base.
Duramax, Again, I apologize for going off like that.