mhogan

I'm not sure what you're saying, but perhaps it's that the people involved in a particular sport shouldn't have the only say over the equipment used in that sport.

I wonder if their management of hunting areas that only members can hunt and that also have shotgun hunts doesn't cause non-bowhunters to become members and that would throw off the survey results.

http://www.ubnj.org/deer/management.html

CCPaHunter

Hatchet, I just mailed mine back, also with a fight it vote.

Lanse couche couche

I'm pretty much saying that the very small minority of people who actually belong to Bow hunting organizations in any given state shouldn't call all the shots, especially since there is not even a consensus opinion within those organizations. On the other hand, if a clear majority of bow hunters statewide clearly voiced an objection then it would carry some weight. But that is not gonna happen and ya gotta ask yourself why. You also gotta consider that not all folks are "pure" bow hunters. many use a gun or bow depending on the time of the season or their mood. Does the fact that someone uses a gun too, or would like to use a crossbow, disqualify them from having a say in things?

mhogan

So we agree it's unlikely all or even most bowhunters would respond in any way to this. Might be that they are too busy or they expect the state's bowhunting organization to fight the good fight. So to me, it would make sense to go to the state's bowhunting organization to get a reading on what the states bowhunters felt about issues affecting bowhunting. Our game commission does that.

80% of us use guns too. Just not in archery season.

Big John

Yep, me too. No need for me to add anything else, Matt and Mark plus several others are saying it very eloquently.

hatchet jack

Ditto on that Big John!!! And if you want to have a say in the survey then just join the UNITED BOWHUNTER OF PA or attend some of the PGC meetings and voice your opinion. Not to many CROSSBOW HUNTERS at them meetings!!! Just CROSSBOW COMPANY REP$$$$$$$$$. Thats about all see wrote for me on this subject, becuase this is just going in circles! LONG LIVE THE UBP!!!!!!

Hatchet Jack

Big John

I've been a member since the year they started, and in every archery shop I've worked or managed, I had their membership flyers on the wall.

BTBowhunter

First, I am NOT an advocate of the crossbow. I have shot one and killed deer with one and I personally much prefer the compound.

That being said, I hunt a lot in 2B where crossbows have been legal for some time now and I haven't seen any real difference in hunter numbers. This is a very populated area and hunting pressure has always been high including in the bow season. As a nmatter of fact, all hunter numbers in both archery season and gun season have declined slightly in theparts of 2B whereI hunt. I even notice fewer trucks and cars parked in areas that I dont hunt butthat I drive past in hunting season.One mans experiences cant always be expected to represent a whole area but my experience has been that very little difference has been made by the crossbow in 2B.

Again, I don't really care for crossbows but I no longer fear them as the ruination of our bow season. If anything, maybe we ought to use the controversy of this issue to press for mandatory bowhunter ed forall weapons that propell an arrow, bolt, atlatl dart, or whatever.

Mandatory bowhunter ed wouldprevent a swell of miguided hunters looking for a shortcut or the "easy way" which is what many crossbow opponentsseem worried about.

Personally, I dont worry about a few more hunters in archery season no matter what they caryy, but the thought of anything that would encourage the opening day wonder type does worry me.

awshucks

Lol, you can't be serious? Ninja gun hunters invade UBNJ to get easy dumb urban deer skew xbow poll? "A" for effort..."D-" for common sense. The survey results from NJ Dept of Wildlife came back 54% bow hunter only approval for inclusion. Next?

mhogan

Too busy to take a look at the link? Not a problem, I'm here for you. Note the firearms ID card requirement and the shotgun and ML test requirements. So maybe not to skew a poll but to gain access to good hunting lands? Seem far fetched? Really?

"NOTE: A current Firearms Identification Card (FID) is required to sign up for ALL hunts starting in 2008. If you don’t have one, please apply with your local police department to obtain one or do not apply to the program.

Just because you belong to UBNJ organization it does NOT mean that you can just start hunting at one of the identified properties. You must first apply for each hunt individually using the specific application form assigned to that hunt. All hunt applications and the $10.00 non-refundable fee will be sent to the address listed on the application.

At the end of the application process deadline, the UBNJ hunt manager will communicate to the hunters their status. Priority, for most hunts, will be based upon date of application and past performance of hunter contribution. If you are approved you must attend an orientation, pass a proficiency test for each firearm (bow and/or shotgun/ML) and receive written permission from the Hunt Manager. Each hunter must be able to shoot 3 out of 4 arrows with broad heads into a 9 inch pie plate or 3D target vital zone at 20 yards. For the shotgun or muzzleloader test, the hunter must be able to shoot 3 out of 4 slugs or bullets into a 9 inch ring at 50 yards."