You're sitting there in the stand, weapon locked and loaded. You see that animal coming into range. Raise weapon to your shoulder, cheek down on the stock, find your aim point in the scope, flip off the safety, aim, pull the trigger. Doesn't matter to me whether it goes bang or clank, whether the power source is chemical or spring action, or the effective range. That is NOT a bow.

To be fair, I also question whether using a mechanical release on a ultra high letoff compound that lets one draw and hold for several minutes at a time should be classified as a bow. Compound technology has long passed the limits of the season's intent, IMO.