RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

i think tennessee ,now can use the crossbow..alot of hunters are telling me that they passed it.....so if this is true then tennessee now can use a crossbow ......

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

thay allow it here in alabama...this is the first year though..happy hunting to all

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

They're legal for all in Indiana during our Late Archery season for does only until next year when we'll also be able to take a buck with one . Disabled with a doctor's statement can get special permits to use them all season . The majority of states have liberalized them to some degree according to a friend of mine who researched the subject for our DNR , only a few states don't allow them at all , most allow them for disabled only .

I own 2 of them and they are a blast to shoot , but don't get one thinking that it's easy or a significant advantage over a compound or other bow type . The range is about the same but the bolts lose energy faster . The drop can be amazing compared to a vert bow , I've seen my 20" bolts drop 8-10 inches over just 10 yards . They are also considerably heavier than even the heaviest compound bow , and the prod tends to tangle easily in brush . They are also very noisy compared to a vert bow no matter what you do to silence them .

Mine are straight prod and recurve models , which makes them far easier to maintain than compound models . The compound type is faster , but that's their only advantage . The ones like mine are almost always cheaper than compound models too . If you decide to get one be sure to check out your state's minimum poundage requirement , all states have one , and whether or not they require a mechanical safety device(most do) .

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

They past that law two yrs ago in GA.

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

Crossbows are illegal in Maine.

In New Hampshire it is legal to hunt with a cross bow durring the open firearm season. It's illegal durring the bow season though. They make you jump through hoops to get the permit though. You can only be issued a permit to hunt with a cross bow from the Fish & Game headquarters in Concord NH. The cross bow must have a draw of at least 125lbs.
This is the first year that they've been legal so I'm not sure if that's what you have to go to Concord to get the permit. It seems stupid to me. Tagging the deer is done the same way as any other deer. Hopefully next ear they'll make it easier to get the permits. I as a bow hunter agree that they should not be allowed durring bow season due to the advantages that hunting with a cross bow. Drawing on a deer can be the most difficult part of bow hunting and it's eliminated when using a cross bow but I don't believe that you shouldn't be able to get the permit where you'd buy a regualr liceness. That's just my opion though.

Where are you at SapperLohr? If you in the area we should get together for a hunt once firearm season opens up.

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

I am in Oklahoma right now. Any time that a hunter from the forum is in the area, email or IM me, and you have a place to stay-hell, once I close on my property, you will also have a place to hunt!

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

i dont understand al the fuss either. i wouldn't go out and buy one myself. but for those that would , you still have to get the deer within range. its not a gun afterall . you still have a limited range. with that said you also can stay at full draw completly ready at all times.
i think it all comes down to where you draw the line on equipment. the tradition bowhunters look at copounds kind of the same way.

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

I agree with the last comment. It is the same with Black Powder. I shoot a traditional, but have recently started looking at inline, and have purchased an old Knight and a new Thompson Omega. I love them all three, but the "Traditional" is the only one that I consider "true" black powder hunting. I have bought the other ones for sure-shooting on bigger bucks in shotgun only areas of the Military installations that I hunt.
The main reason that I want a crossbow, is to hunt the Contonement areas. Around housing on Fort Sill, there are herds of deer. They are in the street, in the yards, everywhere. I am a pretty decent shot with my bow, and have been moderately successful with kills. I have not had to track too many deer very far, but in the woods between major roads and housing areas, it is a different story. Tracking 100 yards in the woods is a completely different animal than tracking one across the interstate! Anyway, I think a xbow would be more effective for this type of hunting, but would probably never use one during archery season. I have too much fun with my compounds!

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

SapperLohr ,
just try one for backyard plinking for awhile , that's actually why I bought my first one . I wasn't even aware at the time that I could legally use one to hunt since I wasn't disabled other than mentally . ;) Imagine my surprise when I found out that DNR would allow it during our Late Archery season , and all I needed was a standard archery license for deer(we don't have a dedicated crossbow license like some states) . I bought one with more than enough poundage to exceed our minimum , and began shooting at a foam square target in the backyard . Crossbows require practice too , and I wanted to be sure that I would be ready by the following year .

Being used to guns , and more than a little intimidated by regular archery , I found it to be a smooth transition . The red dot sight it came with was better for me than the sights , so I stuck with that . Sighting a red dot isn't like sighting a scope so much as it resembles tuning pin sights like you're familiar with . I eventually got it tuned to the point that I could hit dead center on a 2" target at 20 yards , and cut the same hole at 30 by holding 8-10" high . The drop between the two is that steep , and that's at 235 FPS with a 20" Easton xx75 shaft and 100 grain Thunderhead broadhead . Shots at 40 yards were a bit too shaky for my taste , so I set 30 as my max comfort point . Bear in mind that I don't own a compound type crossbow , this one is a straight prod type .

When I first found out that I could use it to hunt I eagerly anticipated extending my season for the first time , and with a weapon that I really felt comfortable with . I didn't practice traditional archery then , I'd never even shot a bow since I was a kid back in the sixties . I felt confident from my practice and testing it's limits that I could cleanly take the does that I would be allowed to shoot(Bucks aren't allowed yet , still aren't) , and I looked forward to it . The ugly response to this harmless tool from the bow hunting community in general caught me by surprise , but I overlooked them and went hunting anyway . To say that it was magical would be an understatement , I'd never hunted deer in December before .

The biggest single reason that I now own and shoot a 50# recurve that I love was from shooting that crossbow , I'd never had any interest in archery before that . I soon wheedled a 40# recurve out of my cousin and began shooting , a 3-D soon followed to add realism . Of course I soon found the need for an armguard [:o] and shooting glove , and you just can't shoot with a noisy bow so you try those string leech things you heard about on a website . Wow ! They have Limb Savers for crossbows too ! Is this beginning to sound familiar by any chance ? [8D]

Sorry to be so windy , but judge one for yourself , don't let anybody steer you from what could be something you might like . Plink with it , take it out to the woods when the seasons are over and see how it feels to carry a bow that weighs like a gun afield . You can get a plinking grade model nearly all year long from Sportsman's Guide , most are around $100 and come with what you'll need to get started shooting except a target . They also carry much nicer ones around hunting time , but get a cheap one to play with .

They're not nearly as quiet , powerful , or as easy as you may have been lead to think , ask Cardeer . They're heavy compared to a bow , have severe bolt drop , they're loud no matter what you do , and if you're string isn't centered when you draw you won't hit much but sky . You've probably drawn a 70# compound , now double that and be prepared to use your feet , you'll need them . Most states have a 125# minimum , and I have yet to find a 125# crossbow , so plan on a 150# + model . Never forget to wax the track about every other shot , a snapped string on a 150# crossbow can leave permanent scars . Crossbows have a tendency to bury bolts at short range , and most bolts are plastic fletched , hope your fletching skills are current ... [:o]

I think you get the idea SapperLohr , try one out if you really want to do those hunts you spoke of , I think you'll enjoy it .

RE: States allowing Crossbows
 

In Virginia we can use a crossbow during bow season(and the rest of the season) if you have a form filled out by your doctor. you have to be unable to hold the bow at arms length, unable to draw the bow, or unable to release the bow. And it has to be a permanent situation. I qualify. i can push forward with no problem, but that's not how you hold a bow. Because of shoulder reconstruction I can't push outward at the angle required to hold a bow. I miss shooting a regular bow, but I love hunting and the distance limitations are about the same as a bow.

David