fair enough - tell me how many compounders are there in your states archery season.

then tell me how many attend 3D shoots

theres your answer - I mean, what % of bowhunters go to these 3D shoots.

Archery shops open longer hours, hire additional help, stock shelves etc all in July/August because thats when most bowhunters get their groove back on. Most bowhunters are compounders.


generalize trad hunters, blanket us, go for it. As for me ? I shot almost every day the past few weeks, 15-20 arrows, all stump shooting in the woods. I don't do long shooting sessions anymore, focusing more on quality, one shot shooting.

I do not make my bow, I do make up my own arrows (I don't make my own shafts). Is that what you define committment as ? If so, then true bowhunters are an extreme minority (self bowyers). You could make a semi-argument there, I'll admit

thats a confusing statement. Crossbows and compounds ARE in my states archery season. "better hunting" how do you define that ? Kill stats ? Accuracy ?

BTW trad hunting DOES make you a better hunter. Why ? Because its so much more difficult, you HAVE to be a better hunter.

burniegoeasilyits common knowledge you've got a beef with me anyways, half your responses to me is in a bitter nature, or I feel it is anyway


Matt / PA again fair enough, but answer me why percentage wise so few compounders and crossbowers shoot throughout the year ? We can know they don't , looking at archery sales, the way archery shops handle their "seasons", a look at 3D participations etc.

Right ?

there are 2 views as I see it - 2 views that really hold a good solid reasoning

#1 - allow it all
#2 - restrict the technology BACK to a primitive season


#1 is pretty much what we have, and its not a negative to archery season, never has been anyway. Because of that, how can we, as hunters, possibly want to cut into our own ranks ? There are strength in numbers no doubt.

#2 only has merit if/when we have too many bowhunters or what hunting is, is lost


Its so frickin funny to see a guy with a tricked out, 345 fps, 80 yard accurate Bowtech with parallel limbs and cams the size of a dinner plate, triggered release, 80% letoff saying he doesn't want a crossbow to interfere with his archery season. Thats just assinign, the guy is regurgetating P&Y rhetoric and little else.


I don't know where to fall really, because I DO think we're losing what hunting is, that everything "easy" from compounds to ATV's to high fences etc, thats all a part of losing what hunting IS. I frequent Tradgang a lot, there is where you'll find a much close respect for what archery, bowhunting and the hunt is all about. I really believe that.

No, you tell me. YOU are the one making the claim that MOST don't shoot in the off season. YOU back up YOUR claim. What are you basing this claim that MOST don't shoot in the off season on?

Ill admit to such. i just dont understand your constant need to belittle and talk down to everyone.
Even those who agree with you. I usually dont even respond. I guess ive been in a grumpy mood this last week.

Id wager the opposite. I bet most compound shooter shoot all year. I know very little right now, but when I lived in the city, every compound shooter I knew had a target in the back yard and shot at least 3 times a week. I too would like to see the proof. The burden of Proof would be on you Duane.

I'll respond as secretary of the MS Bowhunters Association, I keep up with stats like this..... We have 50,000 bowhunters in this state... About 150 show up to the state championship shoot. I would guess on any given weekend you may have 1,000 shooters statewide at a 3-D shoot...

Also, after serving 2 years in this position I've learned one thing...90% of bowhunters are only in it for the extra time in the field.. If guns were legal tomorrow during bow season you would loose 90% of your bowhunters over night.

We fight xbows being allowed into archery b/c we feel that it sets a dangerous precedent for other weapons to be introduced. In a state like MSwhere the dept. of gameandfish is telling us we can't kill enough deer, its a very real possibility of having a "pick your weapon" format in order to control the deer herd. We've been told my the legistlature, its not if that will happen, its when.

Look at what was once primitive weapons season... Started with loose powder and no scope... Then they allowed a red dot style scope....then full scopes.....The powder pellets.....Then inlines...now the handi rifles.... The entire spirit of primitive weapons season was lost in little over a decade... I have no doubt that we will see vast changes in our season structure over the next couple of decades.. And it will not be for the benefit of the bowhunter.

I have to dissagree with your estimates. I got the same basic line from the "bowhunter groups" in my area and they are so against crossbows for no good reason that it is written intotheir bylaws. Anti crosbow is brainwashed into every new archery they can get their hands on. It is mostly missinformation and lies. I teach bowhunter ed and the vast majority are getting into it for the "challenge", lengthening the season is part of it, but they would not use a gun over a bow. They are bored with the ease of hunting wiht a gun. What may be happening in your area is one thing, but not everywhere. Is "primitive" getting watered down by tech? Yes, I would like to see a true primitive season, but there is not enough serious interest and as we have seen on this thread, what is primitive to one archer is not to another and the argument on standards alone would be a nightmare, not to mention the additional money the states would need to police that season (could you picture a CO actually having to crawl thru the woods just to see if the archer he came across had wood and not carbon arrows??). Also, if the deer are that plentifull in your area then there should be lots of oppertunity to hunt however you want and not have to worry about crossbows (just like you dont worry about compounds...)

Wyvern

DC is right on the money--at least from what I know(and he's in a different part of MS). I used to work in a local archery shop, now I own/operate the only local archery shop. We used to have gobs of local tournaments, now there's onlyone within 90 mins of me, and it only has4-6 shoots a summer.Most shut down due to lack of participation;in one case the land sold to a timber company.

I know we have gobs of bowhunters in the area--but turnout at shoots is very low, and sales for archery equipment is next to nothing until September (season opens in Oct.). Look at Wal-Mart--they are in it for the money, period--if archery equipment made money year-round, the equipment would be out year round. Good luck trying to findanything archery at your local Wal-Martright now. No doubt whatsoever the vast majority are just looking to extend the season, and most would happily gun hunt.

MS has an exceptional deer population--the problem, like most anywhere else I've heard of, is finding a place to hunt. Not everyone can afford to buy up 50-100+ acres (if you can even find land for sale), not everyone can afford to pay for a lease, and you have to wait for years and/or know the right people to get into a lot of clubs. Pulblic land can be a nightmare, but I've found out about a few spots that, if you don't mind a lot of travelling and a lot of walking, maybe you won't be set up within 50 yds of someone else.

Just like the drive behind the technology, bigmoney controls other aspects of hunting--and hurts it for most of us.

Chad

Gotta wonder how much location is affecting everyones perspective on crossbows. MS seems to have an issue that we dont up in our neck of the woods.
Wyvern