RackLuster

Just heard about this new season. it's for all hunters, not just disabled and >65. I'm kind of excited for my kids because they want to archery hunt but aren't ready.

however, i have to say i'm not sure how i feel for this for the general public. i don't know why really. it's weird, i can't nail down why i feel this way. i guess i'm worried there will be more people out in the woods w/ me when i'm hunting public land.

wondering how you all feel about this new season? my understanding is it's only a 3 year trial as of now.

MZS

As a ground hunter, I am all for it. Instead of 20 yds, I can set up at 30 yds. The crossbow I bought from a friend can hit an apple at 30 yds easily - I tried it before buying. Also, I can use a lower, smaller profile blind. For me, weapon dependability is a big issue - if I think my bow might mess up with no good reason, I won't hunt with it. As such, I would not hunt late season with my compound bow this year - it does screwy unexplainable things at cold temps. So this crossbow season came around at just the right time for me as I was going to get a new bow anyway. Also, I have shoulder issues that may hamper my use of a regular bow soon as well. And I ain't gettin' any younger! Michigan has gone through a similar process and the result has not been bad for their deer hunting.

RackLuster

i'm in the same boat. i have shoulder issues too. can't even count the # of surgeries anymore. i still can pull a 50# bow though.

i didn't think about late season at all. i have some small blinds that i cannot bow hunt out of but could xbow hunt out of. that will be nice, sitting in there w/ a heater.

i'm just scared of the woods being full of folks w/ crossbows in october/early november when i normally have the woods essentially to myself. hopefully, it won't be too popular. i'm already reading up on different models myself.

d80hunter

It has been legal in Indiana for a few years. I have not seen as many hunters using them or switching over to them as I thought. Nothing has changed in regards to hunters overflowing the woods during bowseason. I did switch over myself last year and like my crossbow.

Tnhunter444

I lived in Tennessee when they went to "anyone, anytime" for crossbows during ALL archery seasons. I saw no difference in the number of hunters out & about. I also hunt Kentucky and they started a special "anyone" crossbow season about 3 years ago, IIRC. It is not as liberal as Tennessee's new rules, only allowing typical archery equipment in very early & late seasons and allowing crossbow (for all) for a more limited season. Again, I really haven't seen much, if any difference in the number of hunters out in the times the crossbow & regular bow is allowed.

oldsmellhound

I don't think it will make a huge difference in the number of hunters out there. You will probably get a few more hunters out in the woods because of it, but I would expect that you will just see a percentage of the regular bow hunters switch over to x-bow instead. I hunt Ohio, and Ohio has allowed x-bows during regular bow season for a very long time. Yet most of the people I know that bowhunt still use a regular compound. Most of the people I see using xbows are youth or the 60+ crowd that prefer the ease of use.

buckstop515

I think what may happen is that the marginal hunter or wantabe will think that the crossbow will make deer hunting easier and jump for the short cut. Most of these folks will soon find there is more to it than the weapon and give up. Resulting in not much of a change at all.

MZS

I think a lot of the gun-only hunters will stay gun-only. And as you say, many that go out with the crossbow hunting deer like they would hunt grouse will find that at best they will see some white flags waving at them.

craig

I'm a former gun only hunter who now hunts with xbow also.

Mi changed the law a couple years ago & I bought my Xbow fall of 12. I shot 2 doe with it that fall. This year I only went deer hunting once & did not shoot any. A back injury ended my season, both with bow & gun.

I'm also the only gun hunter in my circle of friends who's bought a xbow. The rest don't get why I did as I was always one of the more successful with a gun before. I bought it to give myself one more option when I go hunting & squirrels get old eating wise quick for me, but I'll eat all the grouse, pheasants & bunnies I can get.

I've never shot more than 2 deer per year & don't intend to change.

Consider this, if you lived near me which would be more disruptive of your bow hunting.

1) me with xbow

2) me with rifle or shotgun & often times my GSP.

If you think of it that way, you may find that you'll like having some/few of the gun hunters out with xbows instead of chasing squirrels, grouse & bunnies with guns. I know I'm a vastly less noisy hunter when out with the xbow. Just a thought for you.

Tundra10

It's there to stay...