Datamax and Silent, I would like your opinion on this I posted several pages back

The negatives I worry about come from problems which are immeasurable. Yes, they are theories, but that does not mean it can't and doesn't happen. All I'm saying is that I would rather not chance these problems in my state.

The fact of the matter is that the use of crossbows will probably never affect my life or any of my hunts directly. I just think that allowing the use of crossbows is bowing down to those hunters who choose to be lazy and not pick up a compound.

Now you can defend crossbow hunters all you want, but unless they have some sort of handicap to keep them from using compounds, they have no need for a crossbow.

I thought I did ? I will again though, no problem

Isn't that what compounds do too ? And isn't MORE hunters better ? I don't mean for hunting situations, I mean strength in numbers ?

Well, you need only to look at the states that allow crossbows to figure it out. Increased man days certainly IS a benefit to archery - and compounds do the same thing BTW. But a rifle hunters tagging a buck as an archery kill is still a bowhunter and counted in our ranks. We can use as many as we can get, can't we ? Not to mention the kids/women that can hunt now. And even if that number is 2,000 or 5,000 ........... every single one helps, doesn't it ?

But they can use compounds that kill every bit as easily ? What age do you place on kids being "able" ? With supervision, guidance .......... I don't have any problem with it at all. In fact, it teaches responsibility and HELPS children learn to be capable.


You were an exception to a 10 year old handling a 45-50 pound bow. By far.

Compounds WILL keep progressing ..... you know that, don't you ? And there will be no limits to them either. You support this ?

Funny, I think people are lazy who shoot compounds and not recurves. Unless you have a handicap or something why WOULDN'T you want to shoot a recurve ?

Yes, Datamax you are correct. The reason that you, I, and Silentassassin have steadfastly held this OPINION is that we have FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE in our home state to base our OPINION. Those without FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE will continue to hold a different OPINION.

DC,

I think it will add more hunters to the season but not enough to really see a difference in hunting pressure. I don't think people will hunt more than they hunted with a compound so I can't really see why the number of man hours will change. If it's the same folks hunting they are going to hunt the same amount they always do. I think overall the number of hours will go up but I think it's a good thing because in the areas of Mississippi that I hunt it's still easy to get permission and there are a lot of areas with very little hunting pressure until gun season opens. From what I have seen, adding a significant number of bowhunters wouldn't have any effect of hunting pressure. Also, I can't forsee it having any effect on the number of deer being killed in terms of either shortening your season or decreasing your limits. MS ha a liberal bag limit and they don't even have a tag system so they are obviously not overly concerned about the number of deer being taken or they would have a better accounting system in place. I don't think the small percentage of deer that crossbow hunters may or may not kill will have much effect on that either way.

As far as the kids using crossbows go I simply don't think it's up to me or you to decide whether or not someone else's child is prepared to hunt or not. Children mature both physically and mentally at differnt stages and ages and I don't think you can lump them into one broad category that fits all children. I personally feel like I was mature enough at an early age. I hunted everything else and my father had spent COUNTLESS hours with me by the time I was 10 looking over my shoulder and teaching me right from wrong and hunter ethics etc. There's no telling how many hours I spent in the field with my father by the time I was ten but I had several accomplishment under my belt at that age. I personnally see no reason why a kid that has put the time in practicing and learning shot angles etc. wouldn't be capable or ready to make a 15 yards shot on a deer when there is an adult setting over there shoulder making sure they take appropriate shots etc. I just don't think you can put all kids in the same group and then determine for parents when there kids are ready. Futhermore if you are leaving you kid out of the hunting loop for all that time then by the time the state says they are ready you may have lost them to other interests that may not provide the supervision and positive influence that hunting does. Some kids may get bored tagging along and not getting to hunt. It's one thing to say well they'll just have to wait until they get older, but if when they get older they are no longer interested in hunting and more interested in running the streets etc. and wind up getting into some things they shouldn't have and eventually hooked on drugs then was it worth it? Now I am not trying to say that if you don't let kids hunt with crossbows they will get hooked on drugs. But I am saying that you need to take them early and and often as they want to go and if you take your kids hunting then you won't have to hunt for your kids; unfortunately the best parents in the world can't always watch over their children and good kids don't always make good decisions. I think I would rather take the chance on my kid making a bad shot. I have done it and I will probably do it again. No one ever does it on purpose and if my kid does it we will learn from it and move on.

What about the negatives of not having more hunters in your corner to ensure that you keep your hunting rights.

But you are forgetting about those that it would help and trying to impose your own morals on everyone else.

What about woman and kids and guys with shoulder problems that may not qualify for disability? Should they just not have the chance to hunt during the archery season? Not to mention what I have seen more than anything else is guys that have never bowhunted before buying a crossbow and then hunting a couple of years and then "graduating" from the crossbow to a compound.

What I meant by the kids remark was that, typically, if a child is not capable physically to handle a compound, then I personally don't think they are mentally ready to use a crossbow.(with children most physical and mental developments go hand and hand)

Some were saying that kids couldn't use a compound, but the xbow would allow them to hunt. I disagree, for the reasons stated above. Basically my point was that I would not approve xbows just for the sake of letting kids hunt earlier than they are physically/mentally capable of.

I realize that it is not my decision to when who's kid does what, but you have to have some basic guidelines. A 7 year old kid is not mentally prepared to shoot at animals with a xbow, IMO. A rifle? sure, shot placement isn't nearly as crucial.


Also, I'm looking a step further. Ok, dig this........ The argument has been made that more hunters during archery season = more support for archery..... Perhaps, but, my puny mind tells me that the ONLY people that will use a xbow will be gun hunters that do not currently bowhunt. Therefore, IMO, there alliance will be that of the gun and if given the chance would still like to see archery seasons shortened, in order to allow gunners more time, as if 2 1/2 months in MS is not enough[:@]

Do you see what I am saying? IMO, more #'s doesn't necessarily equal more support.

I wouldn't call myself a staunch anti-xbow supporter, but I will not just say ok, if you want to use a weapon that has historically never been called a bow, even though they go back before a bow season ever existed, go ahead, you can use it.... I just will not do that, for whatever reason. And I will support what ever decision the Mississippi Bowhunter Association makes concerning the issue. They, after all or the ones fighting for bowhunting in this state. Who knows, like I said, it will be passed within the next 5 years, so live it up while you can!!!


I was a big kid!!! Not much smaller than I am now.

The difference in the amount of effort put forth shoot compounds and become proficient at it compared to those who shoot xbows is greater than that between recurves and compunds.

I don't see anything wrong with increasing the effectiveness of compounds if it means less deer lost, but a line has to be drawn to keep compounds from becoming less like archery equipment and more like guns.

If the kid can hold 4" groups at 20 yards ........... of course he/she is ready escpecially cinse its very likely the parent will be hunting with the kid too.

Also - are you suggesting those compound shooers who also rifle hunt aren't really bowhunters and don't count towards your states bowhunting numbers ?

Sure it doesn. Arhcery totals are for ARCHERY weapons - that gun hunters do the double season thing is irrelevant in the big picture.

BS. I can shoot your compound, your crossbows in very short time. You, however, cannot shoot my recurve after weeks of pracitce. It takes months, YEARS of practice and dedication to master recurve/longbow shooting (with exceptions of course). The compound and crossbows are designed to be master VERY easily. Thats why people use them !

Really ? Where would you draw the line ? 85% letoff ? Triggered releases ? 400 fps ? 2 pounds mass wieght and 28" ATA ?

Oh, wait, we already HAVE those characteristics, don't we ?
You don't see anything wrong with the high tech stuff because YOU SHOOT IT. And the truth is, you shoot a compound because its vastly more easy than you shooting a recurve, you're more accurate with lots less practice.

That is the truth, isn't it ? Its okay to admit it - I took an easier route last fall to kill my KS deer. I'm not ashamed of it at all, glad I did. But the truth is, the recurve was NOT what I should have been hunting with, I realized it, and switched to a much easier weapon that afforded me a good chance at killing a deer within 30 yards of my stand. A crossbow would have given me almost the same identical advantage.