NEW61375

I HUNT IN VA AND THEY RECENTLY CHANGED THE LAW TO ALLOW CROSSBOW HUNTING DURING THE ARCHERY SEASON. WHILE IM NOT INTO CROSSBOWS AND DEFINITELY DONT CONSIDER IT BOWHUNTING I AM CURIOUS WHAT KIND OF HARVEST STATS SOME OTHER STATES HAVE WITH CROSSBOWS. I KNOW THAT IN VA IT WAS A HUGE DEAL WHEN THIS LAW CHANGED AND LOTS OF FOLKS IN THE LOCAL HUNUTING COMMUNITY ANTICIPATED LARGE HARVEST STATS. HOWEVER WHEN I LOOKED IT UP FROM LAST SEASON THE # OF DEER TAKEN WITH CROSSBOWS WAS APPROX 5600, COMPARED TO APPROX 17,500 WITH BOW. THAT # WAS A LITTLE LOWER THAN I HAD EXPECTED BUT IT WAS THE FIRST SEASON AND I IMAGINE IT WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OTHER STATES THAT HAVE HAD CROSSBOW SEASONS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME IF THE HARVEST #'sARE CLOSER TO THE ARCHERY HARVEST #'s. I KNOW SEVERAL GUN HUNTERS THAT RAN OUT AND BOUGHT CROSSBOWS BECAUSE THEY LIKED THE IDEA OF "SHOOTING" AN ARROW LIKE THEIR GUNS BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO MASTER THEIR EQUIPMENT OR EVEN GET PROFICIENT FOR THAT MATTER ANDDIDN'T HAVE MUCH SUCCESS. WHEN I ASKED, A LOT OF THEMWOULD SAY"OH YEAH, I CAN HIT A SODA CAN AT 70 YARDS" OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT WHEN I ASKED THE WEIGHT OF THEIR BOLTS, BROADHEADS, OR QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH ENERGY THEIR EQUIPMENT CARRIED DOWNRANGE AND HOW THEY THOUGHT A DEER MAY REACT AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES TO THE SOUND THEY WERE LIKE "HUH". NOW I KNOW THAT IS NOT INDICITIVE OF HOW EVERY CROSSBOW HUNTER IS BUTI FEEL A LOT OF PEOPLE BOUGHT CROSSBOWS WITH THE WRONG IDEA.EVERY HUNTER I KNOW THAT BOWHUNTS UNDERSTANDS THE HUGE DIFFERENCE IN APPROACHTHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH ARCHERY EQUIPMENT ANDOUT OF RESPECT FOR THE GAME I BELIEVE CROSSBOW HUNTERS SHOULD TOO. BUT THEN AGAIN, WHAT DO I KNOW??

kevin1

They vary from state to state , and somewhat depend on each state's laws regarding them . Indiana has somewhat limited use , and the stats reflect this . Ohio xbow hunters frequently take more deer than their bow hunters , as does Arkansas . Go to a listing of state departments of fish and game , you should have no troublew finding the info you're after . Crossbow oriented forums such as the Excalibur site should be a good bet .

timbercruiser

Crossbows are not compound bows, nor or they long bows, or spears either. They are just another way to hunt that are enjoyed by many hunters. If you don't like them write your wildlife board that makes the laws in your area. Welcome to the board, but ditch the cap lock.

NEW61375

No caps lock for you this time its' just a habit. I never stated I don't like crossbows. I simply did not like some of the things i saw last year in reference to crossbow hunting. I don't personally hunt with one but I do acknowledge that it is a legal method of hunting in VA now and I am sure there are many responsible good crossbow hunters who enjoy it very much. AsI stated in my earlier post I know the things thatI observed are not indicitive of every crossbow hunter but it did raise some concerns. I am a member of a fairly big club and did not enjoy hearing about wounded deer and 50-60 yard shots. I know it is not just some crossbow hunters that enter the woods unprepared, there are gun hunters and bowhunters that do the same thing but with last year being the first year it was legal in my state I had more exposure to crossbows than normal. I have done quite a bit of target shooting with friends crossbows and I know that they areextremely lethal, in the right hands. Mynext to last sentence on the earlier postwas a little broad and could have been worded betterbut the post was really about harvest #'s, no offense was meant.

kevin1

You probably just need to educate yourself about them a little more , most of the crossbow hunters I know won't take a shot over 40 yards , and the majority IME seldom exceed 30 because of bolt drop and energy loss . My own max is 30 . Prowl a few vert bow forums and you'll see plenty of yahoos posting about having muffed 50-60 yard shots and not being able to find the deer they wounded . In either case it has zero to do with the weapon , in every case it's the shooter .

Paul L Mohr

We actually have a crossbow forum here if you want to check it out. It is at the bottom of the archery forums at the top of the page. Two forums above this one. They may be able to answer your questions or point you in the right direction.

It will probably be hard to get real numbers since most states will not seperate what weapon was used if it shares a season. The will only track how many in a year or particular season. Heck MI doesn't even track how many deer we harvest, just how many tags are sold. We don't have to check our deer in when we shoot them, just tag them.

In Ohio crossbows are legal in archery season, have been for a while. I don't think it made a big difference really. Certainly didn't wipe out the deer population that is for sure. They just made it legal to use a crossbow in MI during gun season last year or the year before I think. I haven't actually seen anyone use one yet for that. I am sure they are out there, but I don't know anyone that does it.

Paul

NEW61375

I understand plenty about crossbows, I just got abad impression from the things I observed in my state. A lot of guys were like "Great crossbows are legal, I can go get one and be able to hunt during bow season now." But many of them were not taking into consideration that they still need to become proficient with their x-bows and really understand the ins and out of x-bow hunting. I am aware that in many states it has been allowed for a long time but in VA last season was the first. So, if you can, try to imagine how people handled it. My father hunts with a crossbow and I know how much he prepares and how careful he is about shot selection and I draw a lot of comparisons from him. But like I saidin my earlier post I know entering the woods being less than proficient is not limited to some crossbow hunters, it goes across the board and kevin1 isright to saythat ithas more to do with the individual thanthan the equipmenthe/she hunts with. My statements were based on my last season andI hope thatI will see less and less of that in future seasons. I have been looking at the crossbow forum and enjoy reading those topics as much as any, butI thinkI will alwaysprefermy compound or my recurve when i am in the woods.

cardeer

dont panic,very little effect on the harvest numbers in Pa. Understanding only disabled people can use them and anyone in the special regs areas

kevin1

New , you'll quickly find that those who hunt with a crossbow are no different than those who hunt with any other weapon . They hunt with it because they can , and once the "new" wears off they're no different than any other weapon . Several states have allowed them for 3 decades with no noticeable problems , they aren't the "super weapons" that you may have been lead to believe that they are.Try one for yourself and you'll see what I mean . I love mine , but I wouldn't trade a simple pump shotgun for them . They're just a way to launch an arrow , nothing more .

Kybuckhunter

Ky passed a xbow season this year after much debate. Before we had a 10 day season. Now we have about 2 months although it's a spit season. At first it was to be the same as the bow season which is almost 4 months long but the bow hunters got in such an uproar that it was lowered.

I have never seen so much name calling and bad feelings over anything to dowith hunting. I believe after time goes by the season will be extended to all of bow season once everyone sees that it won't be the end of the world.

I don't ever expect to use a xbow but know several bow hunters that have already bought one just to have a different weapon to hunt with. I also may get one for my daughter one day.

The xbow will still have little effect on the overall harvest numbers.