sutton

No GMMAT forget it you missed the point i was just comparing and hunting is something i am very passionate about it not about the deer. it about people ruining the thing i love

tschaef

How do you guys feel about furthering the sport and bringing new hunters aboard?
I'm sure no one has too much problem with a disabled person hunting with a x-bow, but what about a newbie using it as an introduction to the sport? Are you just worried about someone else shooting your buck?

I ask these questions because I'm an example, deer hunting has been my passion for a long time, but up here we have a two week rifle season. When I realized that bow season was 3 months I ran out and bought a x-bow, practiced with it, and hunted with it. I didn't even take a shot in 2 years with it. It was heavy and cumbersome, I hated moving around with it. And I realized that IT IS NOT A GUN! There is still a ton of movement required, the horizontal limbs love to hit things at release, they are loud, and if anything they have less effective range than a vertical bow due to the short bolts.
I haven't taken my x-bow afield in years, I've never killed anything with it, but I have a few deer down with my compound in the same time frame. The x-bow helped me join your ranks as a vertical hunter, I still see horizontal bows as archery.

YooperMike

Jeff, glad to have you back in discussions like this!

Your points about the gun hunters in your area mirror my own as well. In my experience, the extra effort required in archery hunting is what keeps alot of guys out of it. With no increased effective range with the x-bow, I think these same guys will tire of it rather quickly. And you are right, xbows are HEAVY!

I cringe when gun season starts here in IL because of the numbers of people that hit the woods, so I am free to admit that more people in my area is not something that necessarily appeals to me, but if they were all x-bow hunters and not gun hunters, I wouldn't worry nearly as much. I'm the only bow hunter within about 850 acres where I hunt, come opening day of gun season, the 560 acresbehind me, there is 24 guys on it. So, believe me, I know about a sudden influx of "new" hunters.

kickin_buck

I have stayed away from this post for the most part, but now feel the sudden need to throw my 2 cents in.

First, I really like the orginal post here. The point is we are all hunter's no matter what weapon you choose to hunt with. Waddell had a very good post on this subject on AT a few weeks back. Talking about how we, hunters, need to come together and stop fighting each other. The fact is, there is potential to outlaw hunting video's, which if you think about, would make it a very short step to outlaw hunting. This can only be stopped when we, hunters, stop fighting each other and start fighting the people that are attempting to outlaw the sport we all love.

I think it is funny when people stand up on a soapbox and talk about how bow hunters are so much better than gun hunters, or in this case crossbow hunters. You can go into any range 2 weeks before bow season opens and find bow hunters that have not seen their bow since last season shooting and getting ready to go out. I personally remember the night before Oct 1st last year going into my local shop and seeing 20+ guys that I had never seen before shooting at the wall and talking about the monster they are going to shoot tomorrow morning, all the while holding a nice 12" group at 20 yards. The fact is, there are sloppy bowhunters. I have seen guys with three different arrow tipped with three different BHs in their quiver and could not understand why they could not hit the same place two times in a row. I have watched these type of bowhunters shoot a week before the start of the season and just feel sorry for the deer they will be chasing. My point is, the type of weapon one chooses does not make them a sloppy hunter, the type of person does. If they are sloppy, they will be sloppy with a bow, crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or ML. I personally hunt with a bow, shotgun, and ML. The weapon I have in my hand does not change how I hunt, or my ethics.

I hope, for the sake of my kids and grandkids, that some day hunters will learn what the anti's already have. To succeed, we have to stand together.

buckeyehntr5

What does it matter what somebody uses to shoot a deer with????? Crossbow, compound, shotgun, rifle, bazooka... Who cares! As long as this person is having fun enjoying the outdoors legallyis fine by me. Why are x-bows so bad??? I started out with one and I turned out ok. Compound is my cup of tea now and will probably never set it down. My dad still hunts witha x-bowplus many others that I personally know. I don't frown at them. We still have plenty of big bucks running around. I don't own those deer, the state of Ohio does, so I can't tell them what to shoot them with.

Windwalker7

Let me stress my point. The reason most archery hunters enjoy archery is to have a chance to get away from the crowds and have the woods to yourself. I think most would agree with this statement.

Here inPennsylvania, I believe we are near the top of the list for hunting licenses sold in the United States. I don't think you guys from other states realize how crazy things get here in rifle season.

There are lots and lots of slob hunters here. Not all hunters are slobs but there are many.

I see it now with compoound bow hunters. I hear it all the time at work. Guys hit deer and give up trailing because it got dark. They hit a deer andseeit run away fast and figured it wasn't hurt. They start tracking too early and jump the deer up and think it isn't a fatal shot and give up. I've heard it all!

These guys are the weekend warrior type and know little about hunting yet they are out there every season.

My fears are that the legalization of Xbows will make matters worse. Guys that have only rifle hunted and now will be archery hunting without getting educated about it.

If they had manatory testing for archery hunters ( many states do) I would be all for it. Pennsylvania requires no testing for archery.Maybe that's why many of you don't see a problem, becausemaybe your state requiresarchey education before an archery stamp is bought.

BGfisher

Sutton,

I can see your point, but I would consider this a chance to talk with your cousin, help him, and educate him to the realities of hunting with a crossbow (or bow), and just learn what this sport is all about. Maybe with the proper attitude he just might be receptive and become a better hunter, in which case, he might pass this on to some others. Might work and might not, but at least you'd have the satisfaction that you tried.

I'm not that happy about the decision to allow crossbows either as I see it as mostly a ploy to bolster sales of these weapons where the state can get their tax money and the Game Commission can sell more archery tags, but for now it is a decision we have to live with.

kickin_buck

So are you suggesting we not increase the exposure to the sport we love so much? Maybe each State should put into law that if you don't currently hunt, then you will not be allowed to hunt ever? This would be a great way for the anti's to get what they want, just sit back and wait for the current hunters to die off.

I could only assume that even if your State started an archery education program that any new bow hunter would be frowned on upon you because it would increase the number of hunters in the woods, thus not allowing you to have the woods to yourself.

Simple solution to your problem....purchase some property. Then you can limit who will be on the property. No money to purchase, then lease private ground.

We, hunters, should embrace anyone who in interested in our sport (hunting).It is the only way our sport will survive!

Windwalker7

If my above statement is false, please explain why you think most archery hunters like this sport.

I hunt both private and public land.

I hunt a farm I share with only two other hunters.

fingerz42

As a fellow PA hunter, Windwalker makes some great points. For all of you saying we need more exposure to the sport and all this.. PA has a TON of hunters when compared to other states.. and also this whole crossbow thing really just comes back to the fact that the PGC wants anything brown in the woods to be killed.. As windwalker fears, the gun only slob hunters may make a transition to the crossbows, and that is surely scary...

Until you all have hunted or been to a PA hunting season it is quite hard for you to grasp entirely how us PA people feel...


Also, I've noticed that a few of you keep bringing this back to the arguement "well who cares what someone uses to hunt, let people hunt with what they want" ....I totally agree.. this isnt what we are arguing about. I agree people should use whatever they want, as long as they can do it responsibly and ethically.. The issue with the crossbow isnt what WEAPON they use, its more about the type of crowd we are going to gain by including the crossbow.. If someone wanted to "bowhunt" they already could have done that, with a trad bow or a compound.. Throw a scope on a bow, and turn it sideways, and suddenly a truckload of people want to come "bowhunt"..... Howcome?! Most likely,because in their minds, a xbow is considered "easier" than using a compound.. therefore, what type of people do you think we will gain by this xbow inclusion? The typical orange army, weekend warrior, PA slob looking for an easy kill with his new found scoped xbow...

If the majority of new xbow hunters were ethical and responsible and treated archery season like archery season, I wouldnt have such a problem with it... I'm still holding on to the idea that this upcoming season wont be so bad, and I have worried wayyyyy too much... LETS HOPE..