RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

I'll use one when the day comes that I have to, but until I am physically unable to use a traditional or compound.......not.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

I used to be hard core anti-crossbow until about8 years ago. Until I turned around and looked behind me, and opened my eyes to what the archery world I was trying to protect was doing behind my back. I considered what I saw behind me as just as bad as what I was facing.

Then everyone started raising hell about P&Y's 65% let-off rule, said there shouldn't be one, and forced P&Y to sell out their principles. So... 100% let-off is okay. Mechanical releases are okay. Short little dingleberry bows are okay. More speed! More performance! Everything you can do to makebowhunting easier is okay.

Came to the conclusion that nobody will be happy until the compound bow is reinvented into a crossbow anyway. "Not sure why this is needed..... Specially with all of the advances in bow technology we have today, " says jmbuckhunter, so he's seeing it too. He just hasn't figured out he's seeing it though.

So what's the point in opposing them any longer?

Nowadays I've got times I want to shoot but my shoulders hurt too bad to do it. I get out my crossbow, the midieval-type one I made a couple of years ago. I enjoy it almost as much as shooting my compounds,and not nearly as much asshooting my recurves and longbows. But at least it's shooting. Oddly enough, the guys at the all-traditional club don't mind it a bit.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

My father hunted with both bow and gun until a few years ago when health problems made it very hard for him to use a bow effectively. He then switched to a crossbow whichis now allowing him to continue to bow hunt. He can only afford a basic model that has less range than most of the high-tech compound bows. I just don't see the problem with that, but then again am not looking for a problem.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

Thank goodness your father had the opertunity to use the crossbow. For someone that has hunted and fished all their life, then all of a sudden you remove their enjoyment of the outdoors because of medical issues, well it could and has removed the will to live for many. It was a choice for him to have, and he took it, good for him. I hope he has many more years of successful trips into the woods.

That is your choice and that is what you have the right to choose. And it is only a choice between two equal hunting tools.

Now tell me if this is fair:

A few years ago I knew someone with a disability and needed a crossbow to hunt. THis person had disability permits to hunt in 3 different States (the States he was most likely to hunt in). One day he got an invite to go on a hunt into another State, 3.5 months before the trip date. He imediatly applied to that State for the permit. WEll he had to make a trip into that State to see a Dr from that State, pay for the visit, the form to be fill out, then make a second trip. The cost of off this is unbelievable, espically to someone that is on a disability. By the way, he never got the permit until after the trip date as that State takes aprox 6 months (average) to process the permit.

The trouble is that in this world, we never know what is going to happen tomorrow, let alone next week or next year. IF it is an accident or illness, your health can be taken away from you in a split second and then what you love to do (archery hunting) will be gone without the possible use of a crossbow. I have known many that have used a crossbow to hunt while they were injured, then after they got better, they sold it and went back to what they did before. But again that was their choice and some of these people were real hard core anti-crossbow, but not anymore because that is their choice and now they know the truth about crossbows.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

Cross bows are not a big deal to me. But I will bet that the lobbyists for the crossbow industry were wining and dining a lot of politicians to get their foot in the door.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

I have been unable to use a verticaql bow for over 25 years so I do have alot of first hand knowledge on them. You above statement is not true. Not sure if your major companies in the USA are doing that, but the Owner for Excalibur has constantly stated that he does not lobby politicians as this would not help promot crossbows. You know the arguement that you just put forth ..... COMPANIES ONLY AFTER MONEY ......

With Excalibur did was put forth a web site to help educate people about the truth on crossbows. The more people learn the truth, that crossbows and compounds are equally compareable, then they apply the pressure on the politicians to change the laws. I would have to say that it is the people, not the companies that are changeing the laws, as well as the HIGHEST COURT in the USA deeming that it is DISCRIMINATING to exclude people from archery hunting becasue of their disability.

Your right that crossbowsare not a big deal, they are just another tool for a hunter to choose from. I know many that hunt with all three methods, traditional, compound and crossbow. what ever they like using that day. Again ..... just a choice.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

Let me start by saying I'm not opposed to the crossbow rule for next year, but make no mistake. Our illustrious governor Rod Blagojevich only did this to increase revenue from add'l liscense sales and crossbow sales taxes. This is the same man who raided the Habitat fund to help decrease his deficit leaving most of the public hunting grounds for dove hunting here in the north w/o any plantings like sunflower and as a result very few doves. He also knows that Sportsmen in this state for the most part despise him and is looking to "nice-up" to them. As contentious as this issue is it may backfire on him.
BTW, I look forward to buying a crossbow in 12 yrs!

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

Why 62? Is that the age we startsoilingour pants trying to pull a regular bow or what?

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

I agree - 62 seems a little young. Men don't really start to lose their strength until what age? 70?

Tommy Bolt says once you turn 80 you lose 10 yards a year off the golf tee - that's flexibility as much as anything, I would think.

RE: New Bowhunting Law in IL
 

Very cool!