Crossbows will be allowed for use by all hunters in the upcoming 2010-2011 season.
This is a major blow to the NC Bowhunters Assoc(NCBA), that opposed the rule change, and had a writing campaign to delay the rules for one year until the legislature could decide on it. When it went before the legislature, they had several senators and reps in their back pockets to introduce bills to disapprove the rule change. However many concerned NC hunters, not swayed by this radical fringe group of less than 1300, contacted their senators and reps and asked that the bills be defeated. They died a slow death in committee, never making it to the senate or house floor.
Congrats to ALL NC hunters!!

Well, I've got mixed feelings on that. Being a smokepole hunter, I was glad to see another week added to our season. Unfortunately, we now have to "share" our two weeks (per zone) with those folks. IMHO, muzzleloaders did not gain anything - we lost our season. The upside is that disabled archers can now legally use a crossbow without going thru the hassle of the old special permit run-around.

Another thing . . . and this is BIG for all NC hunters. Bowhunting ONLY is now allowed on Sundays, but only on private land. I do not believe "open" hunting will ever be allowed - the religious community would never stand for the sound of guns echoing thru the hills and woods during services.

i also have mixed feelings. i personally dont plan on getting a crossbow. IMO they should only be legal during gun season.

but the hunting on sundays are awesome. i do not see why they dont open gun up also. im am a SC hunter so i am used to hunting with a rifle on sundays. church services dont make no difference.

You have to get a pistol permit to buy a crossbow in NC or have a concealed carry permit.

I'm glad to see the changes...First, I don't care how someone else hunts, or what they use on their land, it's none of my business...

I'm glad we got an extra week to use our muzzleloaders, no problem there...It also makes it nice to be able to go sit in the woods on Sunday afternoon and enjoy the woods...I've bow hunted since the 60s, still use a bow...But...with all the stuff that bow hunters think they need nowadays...My next bow will be a cross bow...

Bow hunters actually gained more days than they lost by being able to hunt on Sundays...

You can't even be a felon and hunt on Sunday in N.C. And how dare N.C. allow crossbow hunters. Leonardo Da Vinci only began working on his drawings of a giant crossbow, some five hundred years ago.

Dude, me thinks it may have been the chinese