bullsi

Why do I read and hear so much bashing on crossbows?Are they not more like bows than guns.the only similarity to gun is the shape of the gun stock.They shoot arrows not bullets-you can mount a scope on a bow as well as a crossbow-I pull a trigger on my release just like a gun and I point my bow just like a gun.I have not have or heard any ill effect from crossbow hunters in fact in our state they took less than 3% of game last year.they belong in bow season more than gun season.As fellow hunters should we not be supportive of all forms of hunthing. Ok guys let me have it!

nub

I better go get a large popcorn and a Coke for this one.

reylamb

Sure, but not in Archery season. A weapon is no longer an archery weapon when the hunter is not holding the force of the weapon. Sure it has strings and limbs, and shoots arrows, but since the hunter is not holding the force of the weapon it is not an archery weapon. I have no problem with them in primitive weapons and the general hunting seasons, but they do not belong in an archery only season. Same goes for the draw locak and other similar items. If a device is holding the force rather than the hunter it is not an archery weapon.

hunter9022

I agree with reylamb on this one. Crossbows may have the string and shoot arrows, but its not archery. Yea, if your disabled and its the only way you can hunt, go for it. But, why would you want to use one when you can use a regular bow anyway? Because you dont have to hold it back. They dont belong in a regular archery season for the general public.

LA Hornhunter

I' m all for the disabled using a crossbow during archery season. Today a 45# bow is adequate enough to take deer, so those who are not disabled should be able to find a bow to hunt with that they can handle the draw weight. I know there are people who have shoulder injuries and things like that but a crossbow is just not the same as a bow. Part of the challenge of bowhunting is pulling the bow back without being spotted and being able to hold the bow at full draw until the shot. With a crossbow you just cock it when you get on stand and wait until the time comes to pull the trigger. Yes, I have shot crossbows for target practice only and know the range is really no more than a compounded bow.

Arthur P

A lot of the same guys that say the crossbow isn' t a bow because you don' t have to hold the force of the limbs at full draw are also on the Pope and Young Club bashing team. They don' t think there should be any letoff restrictions at all that define what is or is not a fair chase archery weapon. Double standard? Or just outright selfrighteous hypocracy?

They complain about crossbows being scoped and the speed of crossbow bolts, but they are always craving more speed (which often exceeds even the fastest crossbows already) and more elaborate sighting systems.

They gripe about the crossbow' s trigger, when at least 90% of bowhunters today also use a trigger to shoot their bows.

But God help you if you even suggest that today' s bows are a lot closer to being crossbows than they are longbows and recurves... You know... The bows we had when we managed to get archery hunting seasons established in the first place.

Now, pass the popcorn. [X(]

LA Hornhunter

Arthur P, I don' t believe crossbows should be used during archery only season for health and able persons such as myself. The bow I shot has 80% let-off and i could care less about Pope and Young rules. I don' t hunt for scores I hunt for the love of bowhunting and the meat.

liquidorange

my buddy at work just got his card from the state allowing him to use a crossbow during the archery season. he had to go to a doctor and meet with the board before getting this lifetime permit. he has struggled to shoot a compound bow for years do to his handicap from birth. although he did pass his course in bow hunting as a youngster he never went bow hunting much i think its because he felt that he couldnt do the job properly.this will be his first year bow hunting in many years and im happy that we will get to go together some of those times rather than waiting till december for the gun season. he is a very happy man.there are so many deer in my state of jersey i dont care whos hunting with a crossbow. if it allows a person with little time to practice to get out and hunt he will still be on our side and we need as many as possible. i still say i can match any crossbow up to 20- 25 yards so lets just get huntin!

TJD

Yep, we should, but that doesn' t mean it' s even close to holding a bow at full draw...regardless of it' s let-off. Reylamb put it quite well.

I have no problem with crossbows and I don' t " bash them" , but think they are considerably different than any hand-drawn bow, whether compound or traditional.

Oh here we go again!!! I thought that thread died a dignified death a few weeks ago. Actually, LA Hornhunter put it perfectly, not that Arthur P was reading... You' ll note that is from someone who stated he OWNS a crossbow, not some " hypocritical crossbow basher" .

But since someone decided to dig up the let-off issue for another go-around...I' m game.

Get this straight: shooting with a crossbow is nothing like shooting a compound, whether it' s 65% or 80% let-off. Those of us who have shot both know better. Apparently the folks at P&Y don' t agree with you either, Arthur. Here is the definition from P&Y' s own definition of a hunting bow:

" The bow must be hand drawn by a single and direct, uninterrupted pulling action of the shooter. The bowstring must be moved from brace height to the full draw position by the muscle power of the shooter’s body. The energy used to propel the arrow shall not be derived from any other source such as hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical or similar devices. These limitations shall not exclude the mechanical leverage advantage provided by eccentric wheels or cams so long as the available energy stored in the bent limbs of the bow is the sole result of a single, continuous, and direct pulling effort by the shooter."

Note: " hand drawn...by the muscle power of the shooter' s body" . That sound like a crossbow to you? A crossbow has 100% let-off. A compound, whether 65% or 80% has to be held at full draw. The whole issue of let-off is the result of some " outright selfrighteous hypocracy" on the part of a few crybabies on the P&Y rulemaking committee who want to turn their organization from one that represented the majority of bowhunters to an effiete, elitest organization that wants to preserve the standing of record book bucks that were shot years ago. They sort of remind one of the PGA " regulating" golf.

PGA:
New two-piece golf balls? Do nothing. Graphite shafts? Do nothing. Titanium drivers? Do nothing. Extra long putters? WELL, LET' S LAY DOWN THE LAW NOW! TOO MANY BIRDIE PUTTS BEING MADE! Forget about the fact that scores on the Tour have dropped an average of 3 or 4 strokes over the past 20 years due to the first advances, (that by the way made golf more playable for the masses), we NOW have to do something to preserve the sanctity of the game.

P&Y:
Compound bows? Do nothing. Carbon arrows? Do nothing. Mechanical broadheads? Do nothing. Let-off beyond 65%. WELL, LET' S LAY DOWN THE LAW NOW! TOO MANY BUCKS BEING TAKEN! Forget about the fact that bow harvests and hunter success percentages have gone up over the past 20 years due in large part to the first advances, (that by the way made bowhunting more enjoyable for the masses), we NOW have to do something to preserve the sanctity of the sport.

How you fixed for popcorn now, Nub?

nub

Crunch, crunch, crunchsip ahhhhhhhhh munch munch