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Nevermind

Nothing surprises me about contemporary deer hunting. It started becoming all about the allmighty dollar and the big racks years ago.

Rybo the guys who have fought for xbows in MI are guys who used to bowhunt, but no longer canpull a bow back.

One bad back
One a bad hip, etc

There just guys who want to hunt. Yes guys will pick it up who think it's "easy" to kill a deer with one.
Having played with my Grandfathers Xbow now that he meets the 80% rule, I find them terrible for archery hunting. Too heavy and clumspy IMO.

Even if legal here I would never use one if I can shoot a bow

Bingo Well stated

Operative term there is "yet," rybo. When your legislature sees they can increase revenue with no additional expense - since the bureacratic infrastructure is already in place to administer it - they'll do it. Along with managing state wildlife resources and enforcing game laws, one of the fish and games prime directives is to provide opportunity and promote more recreational hours in the outdoors. When they see an easy chance to make themselves look good on that point, they'll recommend it. When they look across your border and see what's been done in Ohio, they won't see any reason to not do it.

As for whether or not there is any popular support for it in your state, you won't find it if you only look for information from your state bowhunting org. I don't know a flippin' thing about hunting in PA except the horror stories I've read in this thread, so I wouldn't have a clue about crossbow support there. I'll leave it to you to do your own research.

I would assume that the most vocal folks against the crossbow may be getting more than a little enouragement from the compound bow companies. At least I am gonna assume that you won't find a single compound bow company rep saying anything other than bad things about expanding use of he crossbow.

When my Father-in-Law's cancer returned and the realization hit him that he would not beat it this time....Hewas dying(and he knew it) he wanted nothing more than to hunt with me one more time. I bought a Ten Point crossbow for him, set it up (never owned or even shot a crossbow before) and read the directions on how to crank the string back load and un-load it etc... Sighted it in for him and let him practice with ita few times. He was a natural marksmanso it didn't take him long to hit where he was aiming. I then bought him aground blind because he was too weak to climb, bundled him up nice and warm and even bought one of those little propane heaters to help keep him warm in the cold late season (January). We went together and hunted a small tract of land close by that I've bow hunted before. He was too tired to make the trip to his own hunting property down in southern Illinois. The property we hunted was loaded with deer and I ended up killing a doe, I had already taken two bucks that year so I didn't have a tag but I'd seen some nice ones that day. When I made my way back to him to help him out of the woods, I asked him if he'd seen anything and told him about my kill. I didn't even need to tell him because he saw the blood on my clothes (from field dressing) and new I had made a kill, he just sat their and smiled. He said he'd seen a couple does and a nice buck just out of range. I asked why he didn't shoot the doe(s) and he answered he was holding out for a buck. He was so happy to be hunting and in the woods that he literally cried a little while explaining the close doe encounters he'd had and the excitement of the possibility that she (the doe) might of had a buck in tow. For a short time, he didn't think about his situation, all that disappeared and he was hunting, with me again..........He died three months later.

I gave the brand new crossbow to a charity that helps other hunters with the hopes it might bring someone else that same joy it did my Father-in-Law. A joy he would have never experienced had crossbows not been considered archery tackle. Personally, I don't care where they put crossbow hunters, gun season, bow season, their own season, I'm just glad Illinois sees them as archery tackle, it allowed one more day in the woods for a proud hunter.

Why is it you can rip compound shooters but at the same time your using one? I don't get it, your ripping yourself as well! You say its not true bow hunting but yet you do it because its legal. Thats a bunch of BS!! If you don't believe in something you shouldn't do it period. Trying to impress someone? I suppose you would shoot a gun out of a car too at deer just because it would be legal.

It makes no sense to me Big D. Do what you gotta do though, whatever turns your crank. Each to there own weather we all agree or not.

Amen

We got the same Ten Point for Gramps a few years back.

We are all hunters

Cool stuff BigJ!! Well done!!