I just truly feel compounds are not archery equipment. I've handled them, seen what they can do, and regardless they have a very distinct advantage over recurves/longbows that the season was started for.

I bowhunt with a recurve only. I own several compounds and elect not to use them by choice only. A bowhunter should be able to choose ones type of archery equipment to use during the archery season. My feeeling is that those opposed to crossbows want to limit the amount of archers in the woods for purely selfish reasons.

How can a arrow compete with a shotgun or rifle. You better spine your deer or some gun hunter will finish it off. The bill should of been, for all seasons, period. Rich K.

Regardless Steve compounds are more archery than crossbows. You like to make the compounds a point continously. Thats fine. But how do you think the traditionalists feel about having crossbows on top of compounds? That ever cross your mind!!
Or how do you think the small game hunters would feel about more hunters in the woods during the combined archery, and small game seasons with crossbows. That ever cross your mind too?

Seeing as I hunt with a recurve - yes. Even so, I have no problem with crossbows being in the bow season.

The point of my last post was obvious. There was a time compounds where not thought by many to be archery equipment. Less then 50 years ago, they did not exist. They where invented for one reason only - to make shooting a bow easier. Crossbows did the same thing - but started it 2400 years ago! I believe all archery equipment should be allowed in any bow season - especially one that allows a bow invented less then 50 years ago to make shooting easier.

this argument will go on forever...traditionalists vs technology. As one whos' shot them all, I will say that todays x-bows are NOT the same as 2400 yrs ago. nowhere close. they look the same, but that's where the semblence ends. they had wood and sinew and feathers...we have composite and nylon and carbon... the longbows are very similar, as are the recurves( except the takedown versions). Compounds were indeed created to gain popularity to archery..it was a sick and dying sport that needed a shot in the arm. Compounds gave it that... but even the 1st compounds( Allen/Bear/Martin/Jennings/etc)were nothing more than a recurve with round wheels at each end... they we're of the 40-50% let-off variety( anyone remember those!!) the risers were mostly wooden( or even metal),limbs were too, but became laminated composite material..let-offs reached the 80-90% area, which no traditionalist can ever comprehend holding.
80+ pound bows having that let-off, is soooo easy, that any teenager can hold it for 10 minutes after draw. the argument has been raging for years, and now with the X-bow, it only continues. as for the States who are looking into this issue, they don't care about anything but the $$$...period. if it'll generatew more tax for the state, if it''l add revenue to the DNRs, then they'll be for it..... tradionalism be darned... full speed ahead from the Gov's office!!!

I hunt with a custom takedown recurve, and it doesn't bother me if they allow X-bows/ machine guns/ even mortars in ANY season, as long as they get the azimuths correct... hate those short rounds

"short rounds"- That was funny! The bottom line is "we need more hunters" and if the introduction of crossbows as legal hunting implements encourages more people to hunt, I am all for it! I bowhunt with a recurve by choice and have no problem with the introduction of crossbows into archery season as I never had a problem with compound bows.

Very few people can hold an 80lb compound back for 10 minutes and then shoot it accurately.I'll lay money on that.

Crossbows were legalized in Pa last season and I really could care less.However,to say that crossbows don't have distinct advantages is ridiculous.Yes,they're heavy,bulky and noisy but that's changing.Regardless,it takes very little practice to be proficient and you don't have to draw in the presence of game,wgich is a huge advantage.On top of that,the technology up to now has been slow.Crossbows always suffered from slower speeds do to shorter powere strokes.That's all starting to change and within a few years 400 fps weapons will be the norm.A scoped crossbow shooting in excess of 400 fps has an effective range in excess of 60+ yards and really has no business in the woods during archery season.If performance limits were placed on them now,I really wouldn't have much of a problem with their full inclusion.Last year,I got to play around with a 125lb scorpyd that shot 350 fps.It was quiet and effective to much longer ranges than most compounds without much practice.This year scorpyd came out with a 160+lb weapon that shoots ocer 400 fps.That's simply incredible at that draw weight and it's just the tip of the iceburg.Regardless,there's nothing inherently evil about the weapon.Just don't try to say that they don't offer significant advantages.

In pa,we were warned that increased participation could shorten our archery season due to the possibility of too many pre-rut bucks getting shot.That's yet to be seen but it's way too early to tell.

But even more true of the modern compound (approaching 400fps with up to 99% letoff) over a recurve or longbow.

I don't know anyone who shoots a compound anywhere near 400 fps or uses a bow that has 99% let off.I also don't know a single person that uses magnified optics on a compound.It's not even close to compare the two.

There are a few compounds with IBO speeds advertised at 360 fps.Advertised and the reality of what they really shoot when set up to hunt with are two different things.You'll find very few compounds that shoot anywhere near the IBO speed.First of all,IBO speeds are calculated using an arrow 5 gr/lb at 30 inch draw and 70lbs with nothing on the string.No one hunts that way and most people shoot less than a 30 inch draw.The vast majority of bows that you'll find in the woods are shooting well below 300 fps.The technology for speed has pretty much peaked for compounds.It's just starting for crossbows.

I don't have a problem with crossbows for the most part.However,you can't say a scoped weapon shooting 400+ fps isn't a significant advantage,especially when you don't have to draw it in the presence of game.