crossbow debate aside.... the NYbowhunters claim to represent all the bowhunters in new york state... i highly dought they represent half.....

wow this thread has gotten long winded .... who would have thought....

Best guess I've heard (refuse to release actual numbers as far as I know) is between 1 and 2% of NYS bowhunters are members.

My only concern with crossbows in archery season is it may bring in some less than desirable participants. I don't see a way to control this as they exist in all aspects of the outdoors anyway. It has been my experience that there are a few less undesirables truly involved in archery and it's hunting seasons due to the increased time and dedication involved.

I guess you must have been concerned when compound bows were first made a legal hunting implement.

I guess you do not get around much these days. Give me a break!

"They are 100% hunting fanatics also. BUT...they rightfully so do NOT want to share the woods with crossbow hunters." You almost had some sympathy until you made this statement. Where is it written that anybody has to get permission from any other hunter to be in the woods with a legal weapon? Do the NY bowhunters actually think that the woods should be open only to them during bow season? That statement just goes to prove again how elitest bow hunters really think they are. Come on get a grip on yourself. The entire reason that we are allowed to hunt is to manage the deer population. It is not to let you enjoy yourself or have total control of the assests. It is to mange the deer population by what ever means is determined to be legal by the Game Department and legislature. Bowhunters can show NO proof what so ever that all their claims or that anyone does any harm to the environment or the sport by using a crossbow. If their statements were true then they could show some sort of concrete occurence of their claims in any of the other 48 states that allow crossbows. They can not and will never be able to show proof of their claims. That only leaves the above statement for their reason to not want to ALLOW crossbows in the woods during "THEIR" time. Sorry but bow hunters will lose every time with this kind of argument and reasoning. That statement is proven by 48 other states.

about what I expected

Me too - the truth has a way of not going away.:s2:

having a license to hunt with a bow in NY state does not make you a responsible or better hunter than a guy who heads out with a gun. the amount of less desirables as you call them is equal across the board, you have bad duck hunters, bad rifle hunters, bad fisherman and yes even bad bow hunters...choosing the sport of archery hunting does not in anyway weed out the bad hunters.