Crossbows (I refer to them as XBows as its easier to type), have been legal here in VA for something like 3 or 4 seasons now.... here are my observations and takes...

First... I have never seen anyone hunting in the woods with an xbow... ever.

Second... There are still too many deer in our state.

Thirdly... The revenue for our DGIF (DNR) has gone up.. and our state government is taking more of it away thanks to Jim Gilmore and his stupid no-car-tax ploy he used to win the gubernatorial election a few years ago. That has left a hole in our budget big enough to drive a truck through (no pun intended), and many state programs are getting cut and agencies budgets getting squeezed to make up for it. Not cool. But the added revenue the xbow license has created has no doubt helped.

Additionally... there are very few younger folks or even middle aged folks who have taken up xbow hunting as their first step into archery. 90% of the folks who by crossbows went to them from a compound, or used to shoot a compound or trad gear, but through a life of hard work do not have the shoulders they used to have. They are not handicapped per the former requirements, but not really fit to use vertical archery tackle either...




My personal opinion..... shooting/hunting with a crossbow is no different than being gay. Its not contagious. It will not come running into your woods or home and get you or infect you. It will not ruin all of your hunting opportunities. Personally, I do not really care for it... or see the attraction of such a thing... but if you choose to do so or partake in that activity than good for you, I hope you enjoy yourself. How you hunt and how you live are completely up to you, and hunting is really a quite private activity, and it doesn't affect or bother me one way or another.

Then why do they not come close to posting the same scores at IBO events where they shoot the same course?
They typically fall in the middle - smoked by a lot of the compounders.

Steve

Good grief, after all the fuss that went on over crossbows about a month ago I never thought that it would be brought back up again!

As many of you know, I hunt with a crossbow. SwampCollie said that very few younger hunters take up crossbow hunting as a first step into archery, well I am one of those few. I'm 18 and have been hunting with one for this will be my fourth season. I stated it many times in the last discussion that I hope to take up compounds in the next year or so and trad bows somewhere down the road. When it comes down to it, I just love to hunt, I dont care with what. Honestly,I'd rather hunt with a muzzleloader than anything else (look out Jim Shockey!), I'm just that kinda guy I guess.

Seriously though, crossbows are fun to hunt with and just plain fun to shoot. Are they easier to harvest a deer with than a compound? Yes, however, there is still a learning curve you have to make with your equipment to really become efficient with your crossbow.

Everyone touched on just about every subject. No, the archery season will not be flooded with crossbowers. No, they will not kill "your" deer". No, they will not ruin your hunting.

As far as crossbow hunters being the "bubba's" of the hunting world, I find that claim to be completely bogus. Granter there are going to be some lost folks out there in the deer woods with no idea as to what they are doing, but thats the case with just about any weapon, I am sure.

I do, however, find those who do not want it included in the archery season to not necessarily be selfish, but maybe a little too proud. I am not accusing anyone on here of such a claim, but having read over the posts thats the best insight I have on that.

Take Schultzy for example, perhaps the best all around guy we have on this site. He doesn't want them included in the archery season. Why? He isn't a fan of all the modern technology in regards to bowhuntin (feel free to correct me if thats false) and would rather head out with his stick and string and harvest a deer the old fashion way. Nothing wrong with that at all, his view is completely unbiased, educated and reasonable. When you bring those hunters in who say, "I dont want a crossbow hunter in the woods during archery season, cause hes shouldering his weapon while I draw mine, blah blah blah." That's whenI have a problem.

Well thats my 2 cents on the topic.

Overview:

I hunt with a crossbow and will as long as I can hunt. Anti-crossbowers don't bother me much because most of their accusations are made out of pure ignornance (Ignorance is a lack of knowledge folks- an opportunity to learn, nothing to get in a tussel about) and I respect and appreciate each and every other hunters views and opinions and selfishly expect every hunter to do the same, because we all are out there for the same reason: to enjoy the outdoors and chase after God's most majestic animal.

132 posts....wew...grab a stick and string...toss some flint around....

Do it....go for it....go bare bones....you only live once....feel that sensation of taking a white-tail with a long bow and flint heads....

Then do whatever you please...[8D]You will love me for it...and you will love hunting more then you love it now...

Just an opinion...I do not want the wolves coming after me now.

Maybe it's just me. or call me crazy.....but I'd rather form my own opinions and take advice from tose who have hunted for years rather than grade-schoolers.[&:][8D]

I'm not trying to twist anything Sliver. I just happen to disagree with you on this.............no big deal really.

Remember, we are on the same team.

IMO....that's the best post I've ever seen on this subject. Along with some things BigJ (and others) have said........I think we ought to leave the emotion out and look at the facts.

Like you, SC....I've never seen anyone use one in the woods. I only know of oneperson who uses one.....and it affects me NONE.

If I lived in a state like PA....I might have a different view. But...for our state....we need more deer killed. Anyone doing so in a legal and ethical manner has my support.

GREAT POST!

I ain't saying whether I believe or disbelieve that one, though after a couple of years of messing with crossbows I know I couldn't do it without having a good benchrest and having the crossbow sandbagged into place.

Also, the trajectory would have me shimming the scope mount way up to get anywhere close to being able to sight in at 100 yards. The longest yardage mark in the scope on my best crossbow - Excalibur Vixen - is on target at around 43 yards but nearly 2 feet under the spot at 50 yards.

Even if I could shim up the scope enough to get a 100 yard zero, I think the crossbow would be elevated so high the end of the arrow deck would block the view of the target.

I'm just saying I don't know how this shooting was accomplished at 100 yards... but I'm keeping my can of BS repellent close at hand.

To me, there is a greater distance between TRUE traditional bowhunters and modern day compounders, than there is between crossbows and modern day compounders ..... that right there is XBow gospel [:-]

I would lie about such a thing? You need to spray yourself with the repelent since your post is based on speculation. Oh, and they were shooting it off of standard bails of straw, you must have assumed they were shooting it free hand? Also the arrow was elevated off of a Y rest like what was on the old SABO, you can look it up on Archery history if you dont remember what one looked like, not the rail.
I'm just saying, when I dont know something to be a fact, I usually dont say nothing at all.

Well if thats the case, I have 41 yearsas a licensedbowhunter and competitive archery, although have not been to competitive as of late. Even had a few articles published over the years.

I agree, we disagree on this!