OK, I could give a hoot less about what someone hunts with. I prefer to use my compound right now, I started with a recurve 35 years ago and took several deer with it. I have a recurve I'm practicing up with to use again. What someone else uses to hunt isn't going to make or break my hunt. I hunt for me and no one else. I don't blame my failures on anyone else. I bow hunt during muzzleloader and gun seasons. It's a personal thing. If someone wants to use a Xbow that's fine. Me, I don't like them....but that's me. I don't chose this weapon or that one to make someone else happy. If I fail it's not someone elses fault.... it's my own. If someone wants to get it legalized he'll have to fight to change the laws. Me, I'm going hunting.
Thanks for you input.
You know for the longest time I thought just like you...and for the most part still do, because when it comes right down to it, we all hunt for ourselevs, our reasons, our enjoyment.
Then came this thread asking me if I could find a negative to crossbows? Well I can't. Oh, I can speculate about if there inclusion would hurt deer herds in states that have low numbers. And I can speculate about all the "slob" hunters that would be picking up crossbows and entering the woods.
But without actually trying them in the archery season in a particular state, it's just that, speculation. There are just too many variables to contend with that can change the amount and type of crossbows hunters and thus their impact on the herds and sport of archery from state to state.
So I asked myself, "What would a rational thinking person do to find out?" My answer, look at the states that do allow crossbows in their archery season and see if any of the fears I have speculated could be found and thus a negative. So I did and I found none. Does this tell me that all of the states will end up the same way? No, BUT it is the best case study to be had and certianly should not be dismissed, because after all what else do we have becides speculation? Again, when it comes to the effect crossbows
might have on an individual state, we can run all the numbers and factor all of the percentages we want but in the end it's still speculation.
So I have come to the conclusion that allowing crossbows into the states archery seasons would
probably not hurt that state one bit. I say this based on the only
hard evidence I could find. Furthermore it would be irresponsible of me to come to a conclusion based on speculation, percentages and numbers when there is a better case study to be had. In the absence of a better case study and
all you have is speculation, percentages and numbers then you have to go with that. I'm not saying to ignore them because
some things can be learned, but unfortunately it's not very reliable.
That being said, I can say with reasonable amount of confidence, there is no negatives to crossbows, as far as their effect on a state and it's archery season. If someone has hard evidence to prove otherwise I will entertain it.