Of the two "hardcore" bowhunters nearest to my parents place, one was caughttrespassing and baiting last year and the other has a habit of crippling deer and not bothering to track them if they run more than a couplehundred yards. But i tend not to generalize about bowhunters based on a couple bad apples.[&:]

Well, you're not FOS! You and I see eye to eye on this my friend.[8D]

Despite your misfortune of having that many lazy folks around you, I assure you that all crossbow hunters aren't lazy. Some peoplesimply LOVE gun hunting and have no interest in bow hunting. Some people LOVE bow hunting and have no interest in gun hunting. Others LOVE hunting with tradequipment and have no interest in compounds, crossbows or guns. Doesn't it stand to reason that some people would LOVE hunting with a crossbow just because of what it is?We should just take it at face value. They are deer hunters, plain and simple. My honest personal opinion is this: Any deer hunter that loves to hunt deer like I do and does so legally is welcome at my camp anytime. I'm not better than anyone. My way of doing things is not better than anyone elses. My views and personal beliefs are my own and will never be pushed on anyone else. I'll share them in a debate orif asked, but I'll never force them on anyone.

We all need to stop the argument for awhile and hunt together as hunters...
and maybe put some of that energy into protecting our right to even hunt.
Who care about the weapons., as long as they are legal lets go for it.
The anti's want to stop hunting...you have heard it over and over...
but yet I continue to see these XBow vs Compound or archery threads...
way to much energy spend on this subject...
as hunters if we fight and argue among ourselves...then the anti's already have won half the battle.

My dad would not be able to hunt in archery season if it werent for an xbow. He has a perminant, irreparable shoulder injury that makes almost everythimg painful, and drawing a bow impossible.

i dont have a problem with anyone using an xbow. imho, they are inferior weapons, but to each their own.

You current weapon doesn't define you or your opinions at all? Nothing wrong with it, just wondered.

Shooting traditional tackle doesn't make one a "traditional" hunter. You could be that with most any weapon (IMO). Or....you could be a slob with any weapon. That was my point.

In your opinion, are there more "slobs" carrying X bows vs trad gear?

Yes. But you have to dig a little deeper as to the "why" that is.

The kind of folks you're talking about are looking for a means to allow them legal access to the woods. Period. If a man is looking to extend his hunting season (to include bow season), he's probably not going to pick up a weapon that gives him "fewer" advantages (trad tackle) if the compound is available to him and legal. If you openeda season and just called it "primitive"....and let them choose between a ML and a bow.....do you think you'd see more "slobs" grab a ML or a bow?

I just think attaching a stigma (good or bad) to a weapon is unfair. There's a contingency that thinks a LOT of trad hunters are slobs because they wound animals. I saw a thread like that on AT, last week.

Sad.

This arguement is never going to die. Honestly i dont understand how people get so bent out of shape over what other people are using in the woods. As long as they arent tresspassing, they have just as much of a right to use the woods and shoot the deer as you do. Let them have their fun and they too shall let you have your fun. You want to go shoot a fawn with a bazooka, if its legal, have at it. Like somone mentioned before, its a deer.

Here is my major question- What is it about whitetail deer that makes people loose their minds? You hear it every year, people trespassing, breaking laws, fighting with fellow hunters, argueing over what gear they can or cant use. Honestly its a deer. Are antlers really that important? I want to shoot the biggest buck out there, but not at the cost where its going to ruin my season if i dont. Why is it that deer bring out the worst in a outdoorsman? You dont see people arguing over bows vs guns over turkey do you? What about bass fisherman using lures vs live bait. I just dont get it.

The original post was more about the type of people that PA will gain by bringing in the xbow.. not the fact that people are using a xbow.. We, as ethical PA hunters, arent worried about the weapon itself, we are more worried about the yayhoot crowd this will bring in.. There is a difference..