Crossbows have been legal in Tennessee for a few years now, it has had NO impact on the deer herd or on the bear population. It is not some magical hunting implement. I use traditional long bow, compound bow and crossbow. The crossbow has the advantage of being cocked and not drawn, but the disadvantage is the noise and if you miss your not going to get another bolt loaded without spooking the deer. A bow on the other hand is quiet, and I have serveral times got a follow up shot that I couldn't have got with a crossbow. Long bows are slow as compared to a crossbow and range is IMO limited to under 30 yards, Crossbows and the compound bows can acheive speeds of around 350 fps. However I still limit the range to 40 yards or under with my crossbow or my compound. As I said before, "it's still a stick and a string". It does allow more hunters into the archery season. There is no adverse effects on any deer populations from the introduction of crossbows. Our deer herd continues to grow to carrying capacities in most counties, despite the introduction of the crossbow.
I don't understand the logic behind anti-crossbow regulations
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Jason_W
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I'm inclined to think that those who are going to poach are going to do so regardless of what weapons are legal for hunting.
I once knew an old timer who spoke of poaching deer with a .22 LR because the low report didn't raise eyebrows.
The lack of noise may be a factor in the minds of legislators, but it's a pretty weak argument IMO.
allowing the crossbow in archery season is really the only place it fits in my opinion or maybe a season of there own, with its very limited range similiar to a bow even though you may have to draw a bow its not that much of a disadvantage im sure it might bring some new hunters into the season with archery but if they dont put the effort and time into it they probably wont have much success.
35 Whelen
Member
Punctuation.
ZeroJunk
Member
Better?
CoRoMo
Member
I know a guy who is going to archery hunt whitetail out of state this fall. He's a very experienced bow hunter. He found out that the state where he's hunting allows crossbows during archery season with no extra regs or anything; they are just as acceptable as a compound or long bow. No difference there.
Even though he already is well stocked with all kinds of archery equipment, he told me, "Forget the bows, I'm gonna go buy a crossbow and hunt with one of them!".
The fact that he'd have to go out and spend an additional several hundred dollars to get outfitted with a new crossbow, scope, all the trimmings, didn't phase him. It was worth all that so that he didn't have to hunt with a bow.
That tells me that there are bonafide advantages to using a crossbow. The anti-crossbow regulations are aimed at preventing archery hunters from having those advantages.
Even though he already is well stocked with all kinds of archery equipment, he told me, "Forget the bows, I'm gonna go buy a crossbow and hunt with one of them!".
The fact that he'd have to go out and spend an additional several hundred dollars to get outfitted with a new crossbow, scope, all the trimmings, didn't phase him. It was worth all that so that he didn't have to hunt with a bow.
That tells me that there are bonafide advantages to using a crossbow. The anti-crossbow regulations are aimed at preventing archery hunters from having those advantages.
Where do you hunt that the rut is happening during an archery only season? I'm not meaning to sound facetious. I am genuinely curious. I hunt in Alabama, and archery season starts Oct. 15, and gun season comes in the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Both seasons end on Jan. 31, and the rut normally starts the last week in January, and goes into February.
And by the way, Alabama started allowing crossbows to be used in archery season a few years ago, so maybe it is changing nationally to be more crossbow friendly. I hunt with a compound bow, but the more hunters, the better.
Cousin Mike
Member
In Ohio, archery season is Sept 24, 2011 - Feb 5, 2012.
Gun season is Nov 28, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011, and then again the weekend of Dec 17th and 18th. Inbetween there's a 6-day "Early Muzzleloader" season in late Oct., a 2-day "Youth Gun" season in mid-late Nov., and a 4 day Muzzleloader season in early January.
Archers get several months - which would seem to include the rut - to themselves, while gun hunters get 9 days. In Ohio the crossbow is legal to use during ALL seasons; archery, gun AND muzzleloader. Seems there IS a distinct advantage to using a crossbow, at least here.
Well, now I know what weapon system I'm learning next.
Gun season is Nov 28, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011, and then again the weekend of Dec 17th and 18th. Inbetween there's a 6-day "Early Muzzleloader" season in late Oct., a 2-day "Youth Gun" season in mid-late Nov., and a 4 day Muzzleloader season in early January.
Archers get several months - which would seem to include the rut - to themselves, while gun hunters get 9 days. In Ohio the crossbow is legal to use during ALL seasons; archery, gun AND muzzleloader. Seems there IS a distinct advantage to using a crossbow, at least here.
Well, now I know what weapon system I'm learning next.
CoRoMo
Member
In Colorado for sure. Archery season is taking place right now. The bull elk are going nuts in the rut... right now.
kk0g
Member
35 Whelen
Member
Thank you. The blood has stopped spurting from my eye sockets.
35W
Loyalist Dave
Member
Um the prejudice against crossbows probably did not come from England and the Yeomen. The crossbow to punch through armor had to have a very heavy arrow called a quarrel to maintain inertia at impact plus needed a winding mechanism. That heavy quarrel limited its range. The Longbow in England dominated a long time after crossbows were used on the Continent. Crossbows are great when defending a castle when you have time to wind the thing by hiding behind walls, and the enemy gets bunched up at close range during the assault. In an open battlefield, the reload time is very slow. The longbow wasn't surpassed by the crossbow in England; the firearm did that.
LD
RustHunter87
Member
yea but if you can walk around the woods with a cross bow all you have to do is not get caught with the deer, well and find it and shoot it still
seems like every year someone shoots themselves with one to
a-sheepdog
Member
Texas was a state that did not allow cross bows unless you had a limb disability. It is now legal to use crossbows during archery season and thereafter. I don't actually think it increases the amount of hunters in th field by a large margin, though that is just my opinion and not based on any real evidence. I promote the idea of a crossbow, I think it gives hunters more opportunities to get in the field and hopefully promote it to younger hunters. A 13 year old girl can shoot a cross bow where she may not be able to shoot a long bow. Promote the sport and pass on the hunting tradition.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Loyalist Dave, ideas last long past any utility or reality. Think Karl Marx, for instance.
I doubt if there is anybody alive today who really knows why there was such antipathy toward using crossbows in hunting.
Guessing ain't knowing...
Think Karl Marx, for instance. I doubt if there is anybody alive today who really knows why there was such antipathy toward using crossbows in hunting.
Guessing ain't knowing...
Jason_W
Member
I wonder how they manage to do that.
USAF_Vet
Member
Last year Michigan allowed crossbows for archery season. Prior to that, crossbows were only allowed by disabled hunters, or some such nonsense.
Having a crossbow cocked and locked does offer a distinct advantage over standard bows, but that's the only thing I can think of. Power and range differences are minimal in most respects.
Having a crossbow cocked and locked does offer a distinct advantage over standard bows, but that's the only thing I can think of. Power and range differences are minimal in most respects.
Kachok
Member
In Alabama we legalized crossbows for bow seson, I still use my compound, but have though about making the switch. I think most bow hunters hate crossbows because it is nothing like shooting a regular bow. Then again shooting a compound is not really anything like a shooting an old recurve or longbow either LOL. I am totaly cool with them making crossbows legal, small hunters like myself are at a noticable disadvantage with bows, we loose alot of speed/range with short draw lengths, I loose about 50-60 fps with my tiny 26" draw, that is a huge difference in archery.
stevelyn
Member
You can blame your local and state bowhunter associations for lobbying and having crossbows excluded from archery seasons.
I bowhunted for years since I was a kid and never understood the logic of throwing one group of archers (or any group of hunters for that matter) under the bus in an attempt to play nice with the antis.
Fudds are a strange bunch in that way though. They've tried to do the same thing with handgunners and black rifle owners too.
One of the reasons I love living in Alaska is that I can hunt with anything I choose including a crossbow if I wish. However, the archery associations have managed to lobby ADF&G to exclude them from specific archery only areas, but they aren't prohibited across the board like in most states and the archery only areas are few and small.
I bowhunted for years since I was a kid and never understood the logic of throwing one group of archers (or any group of hunters for that matter) under the bus in an attempt to play nice with the antis.
Fudds are a strange bunch in that way though. They've tried to do the same thing with handgunners and black rifle owners too.
One of the reasons I love living in Alaska is that I can hunt with anything I choose including a crossbow if I wish. However, the archery associations have managed to lobby ADF&G to exclude them from specific archery only areas, but they aren't prohibited across the board like in most states and the archery only areas are few and small.
T.R.
Member
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia had same legislation until recently. I'm not sure what got the ball rolling, but all three states now allow crossbows during regular archery season. No Dr. letters are req'd.
Perhaps you should contact your elected officials for support. The big crossbow companies may be helpful as well. Try Horton, Parker, Excalibur, and Ten Point. They're all based right here in USA employing USA citizenry.
TR
PS take note of my high tech camo shirt
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amd6547
Member
There is no explaination, other than hunting regs are written by people with personal bias and little oversight, and enforced by inertia.
In Ohio, I could hunt deer with a Thompson Center Contender pistol equipped with a 16" 44mag barrel...Put a buttstock on it and make it a carbine, now it is illegal...Doubtful that the deer would be able to see a difference.
We cannot use rifles of any type...but rifled shotguns shooting high tech sabot rounds are fine.
In Ohio, I could hunt deer with a Thompson Center Contender pistol equipped with a 16" 44mag barrel...Put a buttstock on it and make it a carbine, now it is illegal...Doubtful that the deer would be able to see a difference.
We cannot use rifles of any type...but rifled shotguns shooting high tech sabot rounds are fine.
WardenWolf
member
My honest opinion is that crossbows have no place in the normal archery season. I'd go for them in the muzzleloader season, though. Fact is, archery hunting is an art form. Archers have to be absolute ghosts. And it's hard enough for them as it is. Get a bunch of idiots in the woods with crossbows, spooking all the game, and the real archers are going to have a much tougher time.
amd6547
Member
"Waaah, keep the woods just for me...everybody else is idiots and will spoil MY hunt"
The idea is deer population control...not emptying the woods so you can hunt alone.
The idea is deer population control...not emptying the woods so you can hunt alone.
HighExpert
Member
I guess Bullfrog can be forgiven for is lack of knowledge, since he is not a hunter. In 1900 there were 500,000 whitetails in the U.S. Today there are 32 million. We are not running out of deer. Here in VA they are crying for more hunters to take more deer because of yard damage and auto accidents that the deer cause. I shoot a Xbow and do so proudly. It has a little less range than a good compound and is every bit as accurate. You still have to get up close and personal with the deer. I kid my brother all the time about not really hunting deer so much as sniping them at 200yds with his rifle. I have permits to hunt with rifle or shotgun as well as my xbow and usually use it throughout the whole season because I enjoy the challenge.
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