md_hunter

West Virginia is making it legal for the disabled to hunt with a "modified bow" -- a bow "that has been manufactured or modified to hold the bow at full draw to accommodate a physical impairment of the user."

Does anyone here use a device like "Draw-Lock" that will modify a regular bow so it can be held at full draw?

Note: they are not legalizing crossbows, just "modified bows".

Thanks,

Chris

hoghunter51

md, I know of these draw locks and the one i seen was very good. I have not used one but watched youngins use them and it seems to work very well,but you must remember that an arrow only nocked is a danger when stalking . There is a safty on the draw lock and seems to hold very well.

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GrumpyTom

The draw-loc to me sounds like a silly possibly dangerous way to skirt around the use of the crossbow.

Tom

farm hunter

My father-in-law went to a draw lock two years ago, and its helped him be able to enjoy bow hunting again. He has replaced shoulders, elbows, and a pinned wrist due to very debilitating rhuematiod arthritis. The last few years he hunted with a convential compound bow he had to reduce the poundage to 35 lbs, and limit his shots to 15 yds. Still, when the moment of truth came he found he could not begin to draw his bow, and when he could, he couldn't hold on a deer for a reasonable amount of time to offer a clean shot.

It was hard for all of us, we wanted him to be able to take a deer in the worst way. Even though he rarley complained, he knew he was just going through the motions bowhunting for deer with traditional equipment, and that his odds of actually shooting a deer were extremely low.

The draw loc is a good hunting device that allows you to hunt on a "disabilty licence" without having to go to a crossbow. NY only allows crossbows, if the only way you can realease - is by blowing through a tube. Basically you would have to be a quadropaligic to be able to hunt with a crossbow in NY. The Draw-Loc is by know means a crossbow, and a healthy adult would be much better served with a conventional bow. The draw-loc device makes the bow quite heavy. Also, manuvering with a bow always at full draw limits the type of stand you can hunt in (if you can even climb one). Even with the draw-loc - my father-in-law still has to use a device - that supports his bow arm when he lifts the bow to shoot. He uses a self locking, strap on device, that when he lifts his bow, "locks" his arm into an outstretched position - so he can hold the bow for an extended period of time when waiting for a good shot. If anyone is interested, I can get the name of the product, and its specifics. The other option, would be to make a swiveling, monopod rest that bolts into your bow, to hold it in position. While shooting the bow is easier this way, your options would be extremely limited while hunting, so he has not opted for that route yet. Even still, he is at a substantial disadvantage, compared to healthy bowhunters - and we hope he will be sucessful in year 3 - with a bow.

As a side note: NY Bowhunters association had some really great people that invited him into their houses, to try some of the different options on the market, and offer tips on how to make them work. - That organization has some extremely giving people, that he is very thankful to.

We are all so glad that he can share in bowhunting with us. Also, he can hunt with a realistic expectation of taking a deer. Even if crossbows were legal for his disability, I do not thing he would have, because of the sentiment of people like GRUMPY TOM.

hoghunter51

I have checked out the draw loc as they are no more than an hour drive from me , This is a very good item for anyone that cant draw a bow , it holds the bow in full draw so all you need to do is nock an arrow when you see your game comming in.It has a safty and it works well.There is no danger if you do not knock an arrow until you see the game! Its the same as any thing you draw with, you always have a certian danger if you are takeing off the safty of a gun and dont know whats behind your game or target!!! Its up to the hunter to provide the knowlage for safty no matter what you hunt with. Good hunting!!!

Edited by - hoghunter51 on 07/21/2002 13:25:24

GrumpyTom

farm hunter the draw-loc might be ok for some disabled hunters. But it will not be safe for all to use or shoot. The crossbow is just another tool to be used by a hunter. The crossbow is also a safer tool to hunt with then the draw-loc device. It is a shame that the State of NY discriminates against the disabled like they do. You will also see that some bowhunting groups are also against the DRAW-LOC because they say it is the same thing as the crossbow. They argue that if the bow can be locked in the cocked position, then it is not a real bow ( the crossbow was a real bow before guns were developed). What I do not agree with is if they allow compounds, and the draw-loc, then why do they not allow crossbows for the disabled that do not or can not safely shoot the compound.

Crossbows have some advantages over the longbow & the recurve but so does the compound. Independant experts have stated that the advantages of each the crossbow and the compound are generally equal (although different) over the longbow and the recurve. When you add the draw-loc to the compound, you take the largest advantage away from the crossbow over the compound, being able to be cocked before the game arives.

It is just a shame that people still discriminate against people that are not physically able to shoot with the longbow, recurve or the compound. I guess they feel threatened by a bow that has been around thousands of years before the compound.

Tom

Edited by - GrumpyTom on 07/21/2002 21:10:49

hoghunter51

Gun,Crossbow,Long bow,Recurve,Compound what does it matter? hunting is hunting, if other hunters want to restrick what another hunter uses then i feel this is like helping anti hunting people to ban all hunting. If we as hunters fight and argue within our selves about how someone hunts dont you feel this is devideing hunters? I feel hunters have a right to use what they want to use as long as there isnt any law broken.

Edited by - hoghunter51 on 07/22/2002 10:53:39