Don't guess you saw the wink emoticon at the end of the post huh? You've had your chain jerked.Now do ya get it?

Well, that's another side of the same coin. Just like compounds did to bow seasons, the in-lineshave taken over a season that wasn't meant for them. The seasons wereworked for and wonby the buckskinning crowdfor primitive muzzleloaders with round balls and iron sights, that might stretch out to make a kill at 125 yards. Then along came those in-line, scoped muzzleloaders with sabots and jacketed bullets, capable of reaching out 300 yards and more.

I guarantee you, the buckskinners hate those things just as rabidly as hardcore traditionals hate compounds and crossbows. Problem is their numbers are so few in comparison to the high tech in-line shooters now that they have no political clout and nobodybothers to heartheir complaints when they do speak up.

Wouldn't it be something if we got primitive weapons seasons that could actually STAY primitive? Without a bunch of yayhoo wannabees coming along and trying it, finding out it takes more effort than they want to put into it and then, instead ofaccepting the limitations of the weapons and their lack of desire to use them,start whining for 'improved' weapons and accessories to make it easy enough to suit them?

Like I said, I AM an elitist. I'd love to see archery seasons and muzzleloader seasons revert to only allowing the weapons for which they were originally intended. But those battles were lost long ago. Just like compounds and in-lines have done, crossbows are going to win their way in and become the weapon of choice for the majority. It is inevitable.

Lanse couche couche/ Wyvern Crossbow

Matt / PA sees it as an inevtiability ...... I would hazard that MOST bowhunters (being compound shooters BTW) would agree that allowing crossbows equals more bowhunters in bowseason. Thats NOT desired is it ?

Ya really zinged me there Art[8D]

As for the muzzle loaders, my family was in on the whole Hawken rifle craze of the 1970s. To the best of my knowledge, people tended to use those for hunting because those were the only muzzle loaders that were commonly commerically available. However, all of those folks now use centerlines and i've yet to hear a single complaint, but i would assume that such folks are out there. I think that you are always gonna have a small group of hardcore traditionalists when it comes to any hunting style. The big debate is always gonna be who gets to make the rules, that small group or the greater majority that just wants to get out and hunt without turning things into into an episode of Survivor Man.

And Duane, I am always happy to see more hunters getting out and hunting. But that's just me.

That would be a dream come true, but it's not gonna' happen.

What brought up the "jealous" comments? I'm not worried about the "65 year old disabled vet" (like that's what the majority of crossbow shooters are--give me a break) or the 8 year old kid who just learned to place the crosshair and pull the trigger last week. I simply don't consider a crossbow to be a bow. It's ancient and primitive in it's roots, but so is gunpowder--so what?

A crossbow is a bow-plus. A .270 is a muzzleloader-plus. Why isn't anyone arguing that point so folks can use centerfire rifles during muzzleloader season? One makes as much sense as the other to me. What if you have a disability and aren't able to load a muzzleloader, but you can fire a centerfire rifle--let those folks (the 65 year old disabled vet crowd) use regular rifles during muzzleloader season? If not, why not? Easy--that's not what the season was established for--so why is that so hard to accept concerning crossbows?

Why bother with separate seasons period? Will any of you that are pro-crossbow in archery seasonargue that you don't want guns allowed during "your" season? If you will, why?

What makes a weapon the "most efficient"? Take this for example--who would you consider to be the more ethical hunter--a guy with a compound or crossbow taking an 80 yd shot through the woods, or the guy with a longbow who restricts himself to broadside/quartering away shots at 15 yds and in? The weapon doesn't dictate ethics.


That's not exactly the case. Money makes the decisions--manufacturers lobbying/paying politicians to allow this or that--that's what makes the world go 'round, doesn't matter if it's concerning a new mall down-town or changing hunting regs. Ask the hunters in AL who got no say a year or two ago--I believe it was Moultrie whobasically made the decision for everyone. If the "greater majority" is pro-crossbow in archery season, then there'd be more than.....2 (?) states allowing it.

If you love to shoot/hunt with a crossbow, what's the big deal about just waiting for primitive weapons or rifle season? That's what the rifle hunters do--either that, or they learn to use a weapon appropriate for the season.

Chad

I've got news for you. Anything beyond a bent tree branch with deer sinew for string and fire hardened sharpened sticks for arrows is a "bow plus." Next thing you know some people with that philosophy will come out of the woodwork, then some of you compound bow and recurve people can debate them when they say that they dont want you fellas out in the woods at the same time as them.[&o]

And if the majority of people aren't interested in using a particular weapon, then they won't even if it is made legal. So, an economic/politicla argument can only go so far.

I've got news for you as well I still have to pull my recurve/longbow back in the presence of an animal to shoot woods, aluminums, carbons, etc, unlike the crossbow. That animal still has to be with in 15 to 20 yards no matter if I'm using the three arrows I mentioned or If I was using an obsidian head. The distance doesn't change anything much (maybe a tad closer possibly with using the old rocks) thus the challenge is 100% still there though. I would appreciate my animal allot more though if I made my arrows out of a tree and sharpened my own rocks, no dought about it! Bottom line is I still have to pull my 73lb recurve back in the presence of an animal like a bow is suppose to be used!! Use your crossbow, I don't really care! I'm not a big crossbow fan but unfortunately times are changing and I have to except it for what it is, it doesn't mean I gotta like it though.

Well, I'm not a big crossbow or recurve or compound bow fan, but that's because I simply dont want to hunt with any of them. But beyond that I don't give a darn what the guy in the next stand over is using and if he bags a B&C, then more power to him no matter what he is using.

And don't you mean your longbow "plus" since I would imagine it is an improvement over what was used at the battle of Agincourt [8D]

My recurve is a take down that I made myself, not a longbow!! Its carved and glued together, get your facts right!!!!

Then why did you refer to it as a longbow in your previous post[:-]

A longbow/recurve/selfbow. I meant for all trad bows, not just my recurve.