RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

this is from a clip on crossbows in ohio,

Since Ohio first legalized crossbows in 1976 through the 2003-04 season: .... Increase in deer harvest with a crossbow + 168.0% ...

That's a big impact

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Ohio News[/align]





Archery Deer Hunting Season Opens Soon
Ohio Department of Natural Resources


Posted on: 09/29/03 [Comments?]


[hr]



Approximately 200,000 bowhunters are expected to participate in the statewide archery deer hunting season, which opens on October 4, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
During last year's four-month archery season, bowhunters took a record 48,904 deer, up 18 percent from the previous season's record harvest of 41,526.
Both longbow and crossbow kill totals set records last year. Crossbow hunters totaled 28,352 deer, and longbow hunters took 20,552 deer. Overall, archers accounted for 24 percent of the 204,652 deer taken during Ohio's combined 2002 archery, primitive and gun seasons.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

There's pros and cons on both sides of this issue.
But with the number of hunters we have in PA and amount of public land it's a pretty good bet the impact on harvest numbers would have to affect season length.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

You neglected to note that the 168% increase in xbow use in Oh took 32 years. Oh is the "crown jewel" of the xbow states. They just had their 7th or 8th consecutive record archery harvest. Your figures show 500,000 deer hunters in Oh, split up about 200,000 archery and 300,000 gun. Of the 200,000 archery, xbow is about 55- 57% of that. Not allowing for crossovers which there are certainly. Also when comparing the two states, be aware Oh has no rifle season, just a short shot gun and m/l, so one would think that would promote more archery as it equals more time and chance to take deer.

Btw: the link I asked for on PGC cutting season length due to xbow use?

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

How did I neglect to note the 32 years when it's right there in front of ya?:eek:

The 168% and deer harvest are a good indicator of the popularity and impact on crossbows.
As for the links I gave you the info to the mag article.
The PGC discussions before go back maybe two years when this topic came up before.Their search engine isn't the greatest so I couldn't find it.
If you really want to prove me wrong feel free to search and show where they said it wouldn't have an impact on the seasons.:D

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Question for ya shucks,do you hunt bow now?
If so were crossbows made legal would you switch?

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Facts from Ohios deer hunting before and after the introduction of CB's in 75 or 76.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Wanted to add that Ohio's deer numbers only continue to rise every year. Last year we could harvest seven deer. Used to be just one, and sometimes buck only. Proof that it takes good DNR to have a great deer hunting state. Ohio controls the deer population with the gun season not Archery season. Our gun season is being tweaked every year based on population and our deer heard only continues to do well and grow. If your numbers drop they could easily shave time off the rifle season, Ohioshortens and extendsit almost every year while our archery season has been getting longer and better. Archers are also allowed to take more deer then gun season in Ohio since the majority of harvest comes from gun season.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I'm 61, started out w/ a stick bow when I was 8, graduated to a recurve later in life, hunted w/ it and did well, injury put me out of that and into xbows. Never did care for compounds. Two things I've noticed, the recurve was a heck of a lot lighter, and the xbow gives me another 10-15 yds range. Didn't see the dates you posted, my bad. More on Ohio:

Contrary to claims by anti-crossbow groups of herd decimation and severe restrictions on hunting opportunity and harvest, Ohio has never modified regulations governing crossbows or adjusted harvest regulations because of the crossbow. Modern firearms have, and will always account for the majority of the harvest and have the greatest impact on Ohio’s deer population. The crossbow has never had a significant statewide impact on the management of the deer herd. Ohio’s experience has shown that the crossbow is
not an unsafe, hyper-effective hunting implement rivaled only by the shotgun. Hunter success rates are no higher than those for vertical bow hunters. Additionally, the crossbow may help retain and recruit new hunters, especially youth and women.
Michael J. Tonkovich, wildlife research biologist, and Patrick Ruble, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I read the hunter success rates are about the same,don't doubt that.
It comes down to the number of hunters getting involved with crossbows and how that will affect the seasons.
The difference between us and Ohio is the deer populations.There's is growing in most areas where as ours is basically growing in populated or low access areas.We just cut back season length in 2G and some other WMU's have cut back in tags.Kinda opposite of Ohio's situation.
In the outdoor news article commissioner Russ Schleiden did admit the possibility of shorter seasons if participation is high enough.
shucks,are you going to switch to a crossbow?
Not trying to be a smart arse just curious why a person would make that move.
I shot one and didn't really care for it.The thing was cocked ahead of time and had a scope.I went bukllseye my first shooting.
Not using this as an arguement because it's just my personal observation.
I'll be 50 and my passion is bowhunting.I need to work out through out the year so I'm able to draw back because of shoulder problems.I imagine when the time comes I can't draw back anymore I'll give it up.
But again this is just my personal opinion and by no means am judging a fellow who wants to use a crossbow.
My issue with the crossbow has to do with the possibilty of shortened seasons which would probably occur during the rut.
With the push for herd reductions I doubt the inpact on anterless deer would matter.
An increased harvest on bucks most definately would.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

On the majority not wanting xbows any properly conducted survey done shows the majority does approve of them. It's a very vocal few that harp no xbows.

VA stats, they were recently approved for all here 3 years ago, show little to no impact on totals. State sold a few more licenses, and a few more deer were taken. Much ado over nothing. And before they became legal for all here we had a comment period. Ran 80% for xbows for all. I can only dream of the day VA becomes like Ohio where we get 4 months and the gun hunters get 2 weeks.

I posted on a VA. site did anyone have and adverse interaction with a xbow hunter after that first year. Zero replies. If I was younger I would still be using my compound but the xbow is easier for older hunters - handicapped or not.

And I too thought that first year I was going to prove all the pro xbow guys wrong with my newly acquired xbow. Ended up the same as I had done with the compound. It may sound convincing to some when it's told but the reality is it's the same as a compound in success rates and kill numbers.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Am I wrong or would a lot of midwestern states show drastic rises in deer harvests over the last 30 years because of drastically rising deer populations. I know that in Illinois deer harvests in the 70s were pretty low and had risen dramatically by the early 2000s. They have since leveled off somewhat with no statistically significant increase since use of the crossbow has been expanded. But then again, considering that deer populations have reached nuisance levels in some areas,I don't necessarily see a downside to drastic increases in deer harvest anyway.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

:D "shucks,are you going to switch to a crossbow?"

Now we are even, lol. Already said in last post injury took me out of vert hunting. What really gets mty goat is "Fine, use them, just not in bow season". Or, "you can already hunt gun or m/l season." How about; "Fine, get your own season". Like we xbow users are red headed step children relegated to the back of the bus due to bow choice. Some don't believe that we scout, prepare, hang stands, pattern deer just like you vert guys do. If in gun seasons, all of this is taking place in the preceeding archery seasons where we belong anyhow, so point is we are already in your woods at the same time you are. We know as well as you guys do once the gun seasons open the patterns change and alot of time the deer go nocturnal.

In 2002, xbows were only legal for all of archery season in 3 states, Wy, Oh, and Ar. Since then the list has grown a BUNCH. We have heard it all before. It hasn't made a pinch of poop's difference anywhere else and reason says it's not going to in your state either. Here's my honest opinion, they are coming to your state whether it be NJ, MI, PA or any of the others. Nothing you can do to stop it, and nothing I can do to speed it up. If your side is right, you will make history and be able to say "I told you so" the rest of your life. If our side is right as history shows, it's much ado about nothing.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Now we are even so I'll now repeat what you said "my bad":D
AS I understand you can use a crossbow with a permit?

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I'm from Illinois originally, used one w/ disabled [temp] permit there two seasons. I moved to Ar in 2002 where they have been legal for all for lose to 30 yrs. Last year, our harvest here was 161,000 deer, 10,600 by vert bow, 4200 by xbow and guns the rest. We can hunt from Oct 1st until last day in Feb and take 4 deer[2 buck only] total by any legal method. I've hunted every bow season since I got here and have never seen another hunter in the woods during archery season. They run dogs in my area in gun season, so that's it for a month or so until the deer settle back down. Ironically, in 2002 xbows were only legal in archery seasons in 3 states, now it's like 14-16 both full season and partial. There are alot of states that allow them during gun seasons. here's the latest state info on xbows, it's new and a tad behind already. http://www.crossbow.com/huntingregulations1 Have a good season!

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

So Arkansas has a very long archery and crossbow deer season with significant overlap with firearms seasons?

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Yes. All of the gun seasons run during archery season. Bear opens 10/1 along w/ deer for bows, but that's all over by about 11/06 or so when M/L bear opens as they go nocturnal. I don't mind any of this a bit. The dog hunters were here long before me and 5 weeks is plenty to gig a bear. If y'all think deer are smart and have a good nose, try and fool a black bear, lol.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Its a done deal no matter what we say and think!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$and Harrisburg Hacks=screwed Hunters! The END IS NEAR!!!!!!!

Hatchet Jack

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

The END IS NEAR!!!!!!! You mean the end of the slurs, false info, out right lies and fear mongering concerning xbows? If so, you are probably right, the data keeps piling up. Various state game depts are seeing this and acting on it, virtually as we "speak".

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Listen......... I think I just heard another crack in the wall. Won't be long till it all comes tumbling down.


Heck it's even got the Amish scared!

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

That statement pretty much makes your point of veiw moot, as in PA we have a million hunters.:eek:

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Can I just ask a simple question on a different subject relating to this topic?.........Seriously without a battle:

Why do guys from Ohio, Virginia, Arkansas, Canada, New England and everywhere else all seem to care more about PA legalizing crossbows than PA itself?

Sorry to single out one guy but ........For example, I just noticed "Awshucks" is a registered member of Huntingpa.com and every post there is about crossbows?
Why? How is this affecting YOUR hunting or YOUR daily life? (generalizing with those questions for the whole group)

I don't get it? I couldn't care less if Arkansas or Virginia or Ohio or Canada legalized howitzers or mustard gas for deer season so why do you guys follow this topic around and the happenings in a another state completely unlike yours, that you have absolutely no knowledge of like your waiting to see the results of the Powerball drawing?

I'm just curious, honestly it seems like such an odd thing for someone from another state or countryto even be concerned about let alone swarm to the threads and topics like it's a war.
Let the guys in PA hash this out, we are unlike ANY other state in the country and absolutely cannot be compared to a place like Arkansas. Good lord there are probably more people living within 50 miles of me than in the entire state of Arkansas. (No offense I'm sure its a beautiful place!)

I just find it almost bizarre.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

We find it just as bizarre that people can be so greedy and mis-informed on xbows. The you don't belong here or it's none of your business it just a way of wishing someone wasn't bringing in facts and information to counter those that want to keep others out of the woods. Sorry but every time I read a "they're not bows" coming from a state that allows compound bows I and others will respond. We're here to give proof that xbows will and do work. You have proof that it won't? Same arguments were given here back when the process for their inclusion began. It's been proven they were wrong.
Maybe you weren't around when the same things were said about compounds or maybe you forgot. Doesn't look like they harmed bow hunting. Neither will the xbow.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Gosh Matt, kind of a "bizarre" statement coming from a Moderator. I thought this was an open discussion board. What do you want folks to do, limit their comments to only those topics directly relevant to their home state. [:o]

Every state has unique qualities, but also shares many similarities with other states. I for one can think of a number of similarities between PA and my home state of Illinois. Furthermore, anyone who follows the often highly entertaining threads on Pensylvania can quickly see that even the PA folks acknkowledge significant diversity throughout the state in terms of availability of public land, deer populations, quality of local game management, etc. in their own area. I've seen plenty of posts of PA people complaining about few deer and too many hunters only to have another person living nearby contradict that assertion. So, why paint the state as some homogenous entitity that is totally unique.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I'm unique.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I know Bawa, and if you show up here on Friday, I will have a T-shirt for you that says "Winner" on it. Kevin already has his.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Bizarre? You have everyone BUT the guys in PA telling us what we need and want and what will work and I'm the bizarre one for wondering WHY?

I wasn't the one telling people to keep their opinions to themselves. Its ok for you guys to have an opinion but because I'm a moderator and a rep for a company I'm not allowed and my opinions are automatically not PC and idiotic and intolerant.
Your opinions are your opinions but somehow yours are right and mine and the rest of PA bowhunters are wrong because a vocal minority tells us they are?

And you know darn well it's more than that. This topic and PA is actively seeked out by the same people time and again.
Its an honest question, why do guys who have no stake in what we do here feel the need to almost stalk this topic and fight it tooth and nail?

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Well, i can can come on this site and consistently see people who aren't from Illinois debating the pros and cons of high Non-Resident deer permit fees there. Ditto for NR Elk permits in western states. Lots of other examples. Everybody has their pet topics that they like to gripe about. Why is this one suddenly such a problem for you?

I wouldnt think that i would have to point this out since it is just good common sense. But since the crossbow issue is only now being debated in Pennsylvania, it stands to reason that one want to hear and consider the perspectives from people who live in other states where this issue has already been addressed. One can learn from the experiences of others.

And based on what i have seen in the various threads on this topic, it is the anti-crossbow folks who are the vocal minority. Even a lot of your fellow trad/compound bow hunters don't seem to have your back on this one. [:@]

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I've tried to stay out of this one but I can't. I am against cross bows in regular archery season in any area, special regs or not.I startedbow hunting back in 1976 with a Browning recurve. Ilost interest after a few years and gun hunted only. The lastthree years thatI did gun I did so with pistol only to make it more challenging and rewarding for me. In 1999 I thought long and hard aboutwhat I wanted in regards to hunting and how Iwasgoing to goabout fulfilling my desirer.I wanted three things:
[ol][*]More time in the woods. [Up till now I got a week up at deer camp.][*]A greater personal challenge.[*]Solitude. I was tired of the orange army.[/ol]
I realized that getting back into bow hunting would fulfillmy needs. And it did. Now to the point of myrambling.I had but one place to huntuntil last year and that was public land. There was just enough room that one couldhunt without be intruded on orwithout intruding on someone else.Then came cross bows into the special regulations area. The parking area went from 4 or5 vehiclesduring bow seasonto 12 to 18. At the end of the daywhen they come back to the parking area 8 out of ten peopleare carrying cross bows.There was no where you could go to get away from being walked on.Am I being selfish? To a degree,yes. But why the huge surge of cross bows hunters. Ifthey wanted more time afield why hadn't they takenupbow hunting? I can only assume that they perceivedthat thecross bow would be easier to use than a bow. I believearchery season shouldbe bow only. Just my opinion. Ken

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Do you have any data or actions that have directly resulted from xbow inclusion? I mean negative issues that were due to their use. I'll save you the trouble of looking, there is none. So that makes all anti-xbow arguments purely opinion doesn't it? The it won't work here is like the not drawing a bow argument - it has no bearing on the real world impact of xbow use.

I bet if someone came on here from another state that had xbows in archery with some negative news they would be welcome with open arms and raised to the level of the second coming.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Good point in terms of your individual experience in your area. But what about the folks who want to hunt with a crossbow on land they own or lease. What about folks who hunt in less crowded public areas and where there may not be any significant increase in hunters? I would imagine that when all the bow hunters starting hitting the woods back in the 60s and 70s, that a lot of small game hunters, etc. felt crowded too.

No offense to you, but folks who must have complete solitude in the woods really need to buy or lease some land. Don't think that public access land was ever intended to give every deer hunter out there hundreds of acres of elbow room.

If hunting pressure is that big of an issue, i would think that folks would want to join forces to try to expand public access hunting ground instead of fighting each other.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

LCC
Because of the crowds I did get the courage up to ask for permission on some local farmsand didgain access to two.One is very promising. I posted last year about the monster I saw on Halloween. The other is so so. I hope to have more this year. Cross bows, on private land I have no problem. For the truly handicap,again no problem. As to their impact on the herd, I do not know. What I do know is that the sudden crowding of the woods in archery seasoncan be directly attributed to them and that is what bothers me the most.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Sounds like knocking on doors has paid off for you. That's the only way I could hunt where i grew up, until i bought some land a few years ago. I'm closing the deal on another small piece this week.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Matt, think BBVA summed it up pretty well, but in my case, I lived in Pa [Lancaster, Mountville] for 5 years in the 80's. Still have friends there and would hunt w/ xbow if/when legal. I also rifle hunted there, way up north, can't recall the names now, but if what I saw there at "deer camp", you guys have nothing to worry about as far as gun hunters w/ xbows. i used to get back there some going to a rendezvous out side of Lancaster, but since I blew a rotator cuff and can't shoot the smokepoles offhand any more I don't get there much. Probably another reason you see me on the xbow forums alot. Speaking of which, I've found over 20 of them so far and the number/names of new guys virtually daily tells me how the xbow movement is rolling like a snowball down hill. Have a good season!

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

In my opinion crossbows would definately add to the amount of hunters during archery . But , in my own experiance , they are no more effective that the current compound bows on the market today . I perfer not to see any added pressure in archery , but it is the muzzel loader guys who already screwed that up !

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

I don't really care if they do, actually I wish they could get there own season. All crossbow hunters can get the first three weeks of archery season. Extend archery season another two weeks past. All crossbow hunters can only hunt that time frame and then again after christmas.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Good deal, didn't realize you spent time in PA.......that's why I ask.

Here's the major problem with this thing and it has been alluded to. Even by yourself in your last post. PA is a very diverse state. We have 1,000,000 licensed hunters and the "Big Woods" or northern counties you remember from the 80's are NOTHING like they are today. The herd dynamic, habitat and people have shifted.

There simply are nowhere near the deer there used to be in the northern counties, the habitat has dictated that for them.
All one needs to do is check the harvest totals country by county since the 70's to present and you can see the unbelievable shift in harvest numbers and where the hunters and deer are.

In 1975 There were something like1000 total deer taken in my country(York) by ALL weapons. but 8,000 taken in a northern county like Potter..........TOday in 2008 they issue something along the lines of 51,000 ANTLERLESS tags just for my county (York)

The numbers have flipped and the deer are now concentrated in the lower counties where most of the development, posting and farmland is. I could get away from crowds in the those northern counties now too if I wanted to drive 4hrs to hike around and hopefully find the 6 deer per square mile where my camp is at $4.00 a gallon for gas.

You CANNOT get away from people here private or public land.

I keep hearing the argument that crossbows haven't negatively impacted any states where they are legal. I'm sorry Arkansas or Virginia or Ohio are NOT PA they cannot be compared.

The weapon is simply too easy to use effectively, it WILL change the harvest dynamic drmatically and we will see an influx of people taking it up. We've also been told that if it's adopted the season length will be reduced in the form of losing our Novemeber rut hunt.

WOuld it probably fit in some counties in PA where deer and hunter numbers are low? Probably.......we have a gigantic state forest system that ironically has the fewest number of deer.
The problem is the way this state works is that they will adopt something blindly because you have "Suits" making the decision and it will be jammed down the throats of guys like me who are in overpopulated areas that can't get away from even normal bowhunters. I do not even go NEAR the woods and farms around here in rifle season.
It is absolutely bananas.

Also many of the farms in the area that will grant you permission to hunt do so because they rifle hunt it only and do not bowhunt or have the time to learn how to shoot a bow. What happens to us now when the family figures out that a crossbow works a heck of a lot like they're favorite single shot rifle and they say "You know what the family and I have decided to hunt the bow season now ourselves since we can use crossbows so I'm sorry I can't allow you to hunt here anymore"

You guys think your fighting some fight you have knowledge of, and you might IN YOUR OWN STATE. You keep transposing that to PA and our available land mass to hunt, the number of hunters and the attitudes of those hunters do not compare.

Thi sisn't fear mongering it's facts:

We have 270,000 bowhunters now in PA, 1,000,000 total.
IF we pick up even 200,000 new crossbow hunters out of the remaining 630,000 hunters we've almost doubled the number of people looking for limited space in what is going to become a shorter season.

WHy would I be in favor of shortening what I already feel is too short of a season?

Listen I shoot all 3 types of weapons being discussed here, traditional, compound and crossbow and I'm speaking from experience (And I'm a national tournament winning archer) a crossbow is so much easier to shoot accurately for any level archer but for a novice or inexperienced archer it's not even funny. The accuracy potential in a short amount of time is simply staggering. There is no advantage to a compound over a crossbow I'm sorry there flat out is not.

The harvest in PA will shoot up like crazy, it's a fact........it will have to. we're not talking a couple guys here who decide ah heck lets give it a try, we're talking potentially hundreds of THOUSANDS of people.

These people will no longer have to wait for just the right chance to draw that bow, or get caught at full draw and have to let down spooking the animal. There's no comparison, they can just wait for an opening and shoot.

The yardages will be extended and the game will be easier to kill. I have over 40 deer killed with a bow to my name. Exactly 3 of them were killed over 30 yards with the furthest being 40. I can guarantee you I could easily and routinely kill deer at 50,60,70 yards or more with today's crossbows with little effort.
That's a fact..........I shoot them.

I keep hearing about how heavy, and comparable they are to today's compounds as far as energy and trajectory go? Hogwash. In a world where everyone wants the fastest and most powerful everything do you really think people aren't going to snatch up these new models doing 375,400fps etc with 400+gr bolts?
They simply shoot farther, easier and with very little inherent skill needed to get them on target.

I know I shoot them! DO you guys who shoot crossbows know what it takes from a compound shooter to shoot even 5" groups at 50 yards? That's UPPER END shooting and that's with target gear......the average guy with hunting gear will be lucky to shoot 8-10" groups at 50 yards.

I can do that at 100 yards with a crossbow simply by resting it on a bench like a rifle. Don't kid yourselves or try to kid us, the modern crossbow is a supremely capabale weapon in even mediocre hards.
The VERY first time I tried one. THE FIRST TIME I robinhooded my first shot with the 2nd at 30 yards offhand. I destroyed that bolt with the 3rd shot. The first time I picked one up I smashed 2 out of 3 bolts by hitting them together.

I don't know how I can say it without you guys hearing what you want and retaliating with the same "It won't make a bit of difference" argument.........PA is a screwed up place. It might work for 49 other states, I have no idea or stake in it so I simply don't care. IF guys in Virginia enjoy them awesome, glad it works.
I simply have ZERo confidence that it will cause nothing but problems here in PA.

We have the wrong population level, dispersal, attitudes and avaialble land mass to hunt. I don't see crossbows as evil, I really don't but I don't see them as being anything but a headache for the archery hunters of PA.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Matt,

We can argue this until we are blue in the face. But the simple fact of the matter is that no matter how unique you may feel PA to be, a few years from now folks will be citingyour stateas just another example of a state where the introduction of the crossbow has not been proven to have any significant adverse consequences. If the opposite happens and the deer hunting is totally ruined, you can come to Illinois and hunt on my land. The damn things are now a nuisance because some folks got their wish for anenormous deer population with only moderate hunting pressure.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Boy if nothing else I sure am longwinded.........:D

Lance seriously I think your gonna be wrong on this one. LOL There's already a reason why I am willing to pay $473 to come out to hunt IL now.

I don't see crossbows as ruining life as we know it here in PA, I see it as screwing it up further than what it already is.
Do you not see shortening the season as an "adverse consequence"? That's what is going to happen to PA if it's adopted statewide. The UBP fought for years and years to get bowseason extended into November so we can see what it's like to see a buck on it's feet in daylight hours.
IF we get crossbows statewide they're gonna take that back.........it's already been stated in black and white because they know the harvest is going to increase and to keep the harvest inline with management goals we'll lose days.
So while Illinois gets to bowhunt right on up to January? with a couple short breaks in between for shotgun season we will be putting our bows away for good before some IL guys even think about getting serious about bowhunting themselves.
Then we'll turn the rest of the deer management over to the 1,000,000 cenetrfire rifle hunters.

That's JUST ONE of the "adverse consequences" that WILL happen..........not MIGHT happen..........WILL happen.

Sorry that doesn't sit well with me.

RE: Crossbows introduced for regular archery season in PA
 

Where do you hunt in Illinois