It's a conspiracy! The longer this thread goes on, the more hard drives you will have to buy to store this! The computer, crossbow, and compound bow manufacturers got together on this one, yessiree!

crossbows suck

MaJay,

I wrote that in response to 121553's silly and elitist post, it was to show him how flawed his argument was.

Well that is your opinion and that's ok with me. However, I propose that the act of holding at full draw vs already cocked is a form of how the weapn is used in a hunting situation (as you and others have said in the past) but that difference has NOTHING to do with the BASIC function of the weapon and that is where I am swayed. Because the basic function of the weapon cannot be described as anything other than a bow, and that is why it is listed in the dictionary as a form of a bow not a form of a firearm.


Again I see your point, but again I must tell you that even with firearms you can have two very different forms but both still firearms and in the same season. For example here in Illinois you can use a slug shot gun, muzzleloader rifle and pistol during gun season. I don't think I need to tell you how different it is in shooting a shoulder mounted scoped slug gun with a 200yd effective range vs a hand held open sighted pistol with a 50yrd effective range. I don't think I need to tell you just how difficult it is and how many hours of practice needed to become proficiant with a pistol, I know, I have probably hunted more game with a pistol than most here on this board have with their bows. Both are firearms, both shoot the same type of projectile with the same type of stored energy yet one is hand held with crude sights and the other is shoulder mounted with a scope.

But in the end they are both still firearms and both share the same season here in Illinois. This is where I think most on this board miss the point. I think more need to expand there hunting to include all of the different and wonderful options we have in the line of weapons that we have at our disposal to hunt with. I think if they did this thread would not be so long.

A crossbow is a bow....a different type of bow, but still a bow.

note to thread, please die already.

No! "Nothing is over until we say it's over......was it over when the Germans bombed Pear Harbor?"

Damn, I should let this go but...

True BigJ, but you can't use a slug shotgun or pistol during your states muzzleloading rifles only season. That is because your state, like mine uses the firearm season as the "catch all" so that hunters are given the freedom to choose any legal weapon they choose. The one difference is that my state has made the choice on crossbows already, and have made them available to anyone who wants to hunt with them during the firearm/catch all season. The fact they are so rarely used is an indicator of their popularity I believe. In many states that do allow crossbows during firearm season they still have a very small following. I wonder why the "true" crossbows hunters aren't out there in their time?

I do think Illinois hunters who choose to hunt with crossbows be allowed.

MA Jay,

I know what you mean and most of the states have different laws about gun hunting as well as archery. Like again, here in Illinois the crossbowers can only hunt during the archery season. Does it make it right or wrong?

My point was more to how I justify my classifying a crossbow a bow and not a firearm. I think just because it's shoulder mounted and fixed cocked does not mean it's not a bow, just a different form of bow.

And like the pistol shooters and slug rifle shooters can get along in the same season even though they are vastly different in how they are used "during the actual hunt" even more than a crossbow vs compound because the range of a shoulder mounted scoped slug shotgun is 4 times further than a hand held open sighted pistol. At least the shoulder mounted scoped crossbow has the same range as the hand held (and fired) compound bow does.

I would have to agree with that statement even though I do not have proof. I can only use my personal opinion to try to explain why that is so (assuming it's true) In my case if I had the choice between a slug shotgun and a crossbow I would pick my gun. I say this because it gives me the best chance to kill a deer. I would also say that during archery season if I had the choice between a crossbow and a compound I would choose my compound because I feel it also gives me the best chance to kill a deer.

I'm not sure what you meant here. Are you saying that you think Illinois crossbow hunters should be allowed to hunt during the archery season, because that is the only season they can hunt in now. (the handicapped that is)

I really don't care what season crossbows are allowed in, what bugs me is that some people do! and for no apparent reason other than selfishness. The only logical way to find out if it will effect your state is to look at the states that do allow them during the archery season. I have seen no ill effects from those states have you?

Here is one fact about crossbows.They give an undo advantage to the hunter.They are pulled back and locked.They stay that way all day long.A hunter using a compound or trad bow has to manualy pull that weapon back hold it while the buck fever kicks in aim and release.Now this is what bowhunting should be.If the deer gets hungup stopping before it steps out of cover then we have to hold the bow at full draw or let down.The crossbow does not.They do not have to worry about sitting all day in cold and then pulling back the string and making it count.They get to sit and just pull up,they still have to aim,and shoot.These things i have said about true bowhunting is what makes the sport so specail to us who love to do it.To get a deer within range mannualy pull the string back hold it aim and release.That is somthing that know unless you have done it will ever know.

wow this thread just wants to keep going,and going,and going.......!

Of course you are right. Those 32" ATA compounds, split limbs, machined risers (carbon risers) with cables and wheels that make the horizonal limbs almost disfunctional, shooting a FAST arrow, off a drop away rest that allows for almost no arrow contact after release which by the way, is a triggered release that allows for maximum accuracy - SIMS all over that makes the soooooooooo quiet, the high tech design themselves making them ultra easy to shoot, fiber sights that glow in the dark, carbon arrows and mechanical heads and weighted vanes to again, maximize accuracy .......... guys shooting 75 yards plus and killing deer ...........

No undo advantage there compared to literally, a stick, a string, drawing the full weight of the bow with your fingers, the limbs actually working like they're suppose to, no sights, just focus, draw and release ....... and rarely anything over 20 yards.

somebody isn't thinking this morning .............. are they ?