RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

anyone who wished to hunt should be allowed to do so with any legal means. the next thing is that compounds not be allowed with extras. the next will be recurve only. why do compounders get upset witha crossbow. a crossbow is no different than a compound with all the extras.the last time i looked they both shot arrows with broadheads. if a hunter can shoot better and make a more humane kill,what is the problem?again the compounds leave more wounded deer than any other weapon used.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

Craig, I agree with your idea of a skills test. I have talked with many people for years about this very idea. Here is one major drawback to it. I know many hunters, and you probably do also, that the skill is not what causes them to make less than perfect shots. It is that they have no self restraint. They cannot allow themselves to let a animal walk, when only a marginal shot is offered. I do think that this can be helped, it is just not as easy as a skills test. You have hit on a good idea though!
What I do, respectfully disagree with you on, is this, I do not feel that crossbows should be the vehicle used to introduce younger/more hunters into archery season. If someone without a disability wants to hunt more, they should use a conventional bow, like the vast majority of hunters supports, not just myself and a few others on this thread who disagree with crossbows.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

what is wrong with a youngi wpould gladly debate any hunting assiciation with the facts . like compounds leaving more wounded deer than any other weapon used. hunter being introduced to hunting thru a crossbow? nothing is wrong. you just have your preference and want to push it on others.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

sorry i messed up on last post. what i was asking was what is wrong with introducing ayoung person to hunting thru a crossbow. nothing is wrong. it just boils down to a group wanting to bully around a smaller group and push their ways on to others. i believe that we do have the freedom of chioce.it does not have to be your choice either.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

Why do they allow people with disabilities to use crossbows? Why don't they let them use shotguns? Because crossbows have all the characteristics of other bows (lethal distance, noise etc.) but are easier to use.

Bow hunters help to control deer populations near builtup areas where rifles would never be allowed. They get an extended season because they are not efficient killing weapons when compared to rifles. If hunters don't control the deer poulation alternate means will be used (sterilization etc.). Add antihinting groups getting seasons cut back or areas closed and this discussion means nothing.

People need to focus on the long term not the short term gains. In Canada we'll all be hunting with black powder and bows in the future. The government knows that they aren't weapons of mass destruction but they provide a service in controlling deer etc. while keeping the tourist dollars coming in.

Dan O.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

i also hunt with black powder. i have not tried to kill a deer yet with it cause i do not fully have confidence in it. i do hunt hogs with it because i do not use a scope.i have a little nephew that can not pull back a compound so i guess he can not hunt during bow season if the compounders will it.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

Whoever thinks the crossbow doesn't have all the bells and whisles that a compound bow has is missing the mark. My son hunts w/a crossbow in Ark. where it is legal. His crossbow has silencers and a very accurate scope. It shoots around 315 fps and we sighted it in at 50 yards. It shoots very accuratly. It is easier to hunt w/a crossbow period. But that isn't the issue, the issue is if they should be considered a legal hunting tool. I feel that if you are a hunter, a real hunter, then you respect nature, you love being out there and you respect the game you are hunting. If the former holds true then it matters little what your choice of weapon is, as long as you use your weapon responsibly and humanely. Heck, I believe they even have a spear season in Alabama.

SOTHRDNK

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

besides silencers and a scope there is nothing else you can do to a crossbow. as for it being accurate up to 50 yards, i just have not seen one do that yet. mine is accurate up to 30 yards. the crossbow will move the arrow,or bolt, much further off the target with movement. crossbows are very basic and not made for all the extras. no place to put them. i tried at the dealer.i agree that as long as you are a ethical hunter it should make not difference your choice of weapons such as a compound or crossbow.

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

BuckMagnet, you continue to skirt around the issue is brought up. You continue to focus on the gadets, release, and draw. Tell me truly what is actually hunting in your mind? I can repaste you post off another topic if you like or cant remember. In reality the things mentioned above are only a small fraction of the acutal "hunt" and preparation prior to the hunt that WE, US BOWHUNTERS do.....

RE: The Crossbow Controversy
 

What is hunting to me, all of what I mentioned on my previous post, using a bow to harvest an animal is just a bonus. Lets see, what are all the bells and whistles that can be put on a compound bow? A peep sight, fiber optic pins, stabilizer, limb savers, string leechs, and thats about it. You can get pretty much the exact same stuff to use on your crossbow. See, why should ANY compound bow user listen to you guys, you obviously lie, you can't agree on the performance of the average crossbow. This is the case of every crossbow post that I have seen.

THIS post is going nowhere. MY own OPINION is that a crossbow is nothing like a bow except for it shoots an arrow. I will not be responding back on this.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet
P.S. Only Chuck Adams can sit at home and see deer so get into the woods. =;^)