BigJ-
Your point that a crossbow is not a firearm is not disputed. As you said-
I understand very much the problem some have with it. I myself have the hardest time with that part of it.
You seemed to come to a conclusion that while different, a crossbow could be considered archery.. even though it was tough for you. On the point that a crossbow holds the weapon at full draw and all bows don't, how do you rationalize that away. It's whaty makes a bow a bow and a crossbow something else.
I wish there could be a way to separate them but I feel it would cause too much fighting because some group would have to give up some days and I can't see that happening
There we differ. You can seperate them .. in fact they ARE seperated already. The only group that this doesn't work for is the crossbow guys. The DNR's don't have to appease them, but if their popularity and use as a management tool is viable they could and in some states should have a season of their own to see what happens. They absolutely do not have to be considered archery, in fact that is the only way you really upset people. If their seperate seasons overlap ... that is ok and may well happen as in Maryland. Nobody here disputes this. The longer this goes .. the weaker the arguments to allow them.