Crossbow use in Minnesota

Are you for or against allowing the use of a crossbow for deer by the general population during the archery season? The law currently says that only hunters 60 and older or ones with a valid permit can use one, otherwise a traditional bow (compound/recurve) must be used. Currently, in Wisconsin and Michigan, they allow the use of a crossbow during the archery season. It has added a significant amount of license revenue to these state budgets and hasn’t seemed to hurt the deer population either.

Let me also indicate that I do not archery hunt in any state. I only hunt with a firearm. So I really have no skin in the game at the moment. However, if they opened up crossbow use to the general population during archery season here, I might consider trying it. So I’m one of those hunters that could generate additional license revenue for the DNR if a change was made.

I have never fired an arrow or bolt from any bow or cross bow so I can’t comment on how difficult or easy each one may be compared to the other. Crossbow technology really seems to be taking off in recent years though.

I’m 100% against it. Leave the regulation as it is today!

Allow it! Generally speaking, MN is a one deer state regardless what you use.

Against. I’ll even go a step further. The archery season should be restricted to the use of stick or recurve, non-mechanical bows. Anthing mechanical in a bow should have to be used during a regular season, not in an archery specific season.

ClownColor wrote:

Allow it! Generally speaking, MN is a one deer state regardless what you use.

Not even close, with the metro zone, the cwd zones and the management and intensive harvest zones a good portion of the state is at least 2 deer.

sticker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
Allow it! Generally speaking, MN is a one deer state regardless what you use.

Not even close, with the metro zone, the cwd zones and the management and intensive harvest zones a good portion of the state is at least 2 deer.

The vast majority is still single deer managed (unless I’m colored blind, brown and blue seem to cover a lot).

Why not crossbow? What are your thought on Tom’s request? I’d argue and side with Tom, no crossbow or compounds…but if you allow compound, then allow crossbow.

I’m all for better technology to get the job done ethically and humanely. Guns and optics are constantly pushing rounds farther and more accurately, why not with archery?

Shorten the bow season if need be for these devices but I’d hardly think it will change deer management…hunter recruitment is down and dropping.

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First of all, you might want to use the current 2019 map.

I don’t necessarily argue Tom’s point either, but I certainly don’t want to go too far the other way.

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There is quite a big difference still between crossbow and compound bow capabilities. Much like a firearm, when you get to your stand, you nock an x-bow bolt, and you’re ready to go. With compound, the archer still needs to draw his bow at the correct time, and HOLD that bow until making a shot; not the case with an x-bow. Further, your AVERAGE Joe compound archer is probably capable of shooting 40 yards, whereas without much practice just about anyone can pick up a decent x-bow and be proficient to 75 yards; big difference.

That being said, I work for a big player in the archery industry, and each year x-bows and x-bow accessories are a growing part of our business. I would be fine with opening up the restrictions on the x-bows, but maybe restrict the season in which you can use them.

Saying we should be using sticks and recurves is fine, say it all you want, will never happen. Should MN allow crossbows, yes. It is about personal accomplishment, doesn’t matter what you use. I choose to use a compound bow and my goal is harvest large bucks with it. I could get more with a crossbow but it wouldn’t feel like much of an accomplishment to me. If others enjoy it then have at it. I’m not for dividing the hunters against each other, use what you choose and is legal. IMO.

I was forced to give up my compound and pick up a crossbow for medical reasons, so I’m one of the few that is relatively young (37) and get to use one in MN. Crossbows today are amazing tech that pretty much anyone can pick up and be shooting small groups at long yardage in no time, but I felt the same about the modern compound bows too, the yardage is just a little shorter.

I think they should open up crossbows to everyone. We need to be doing everything to grow our sports, if we want to continue to enjoy them. I believe increasing access and ease of entry is a big part of that. There’s a mentality among outdoorsmen that anyone else having success or an easier time than I did when I started, means they are taking something away from me, which is just BS.

sticker wrote:

First of all, you might want to use the current 2019 map.

I don’t necessarily argue Tom’s point either, but I certainly don’t want to go too far the other way.

LOL

I figured my map may have been off since Crosby wasn’t CWD but it said 2019…regardless, we can both see how it’s managed????. It’s not as blue and brown as last year but it’s still pretty dominate even with CWD.

I still don’t see a valid reason as to WHY NOT allow. Leave your personal preference at the door.

BigWerm wrote:

I was forced to give up my compound and pick up a crossbow for medical reasons, so I’m one of the few that is relatively young (37) and get to use one in MN. Crossbows today are amazing tech that pretty much anyone can pick up and be shooting small groups at long yardage in no time, but I felt the same about the modern compound bows too, the yardage is just a little shorter.

I think they should open up crossbows to everyone. We need to be doing everything to grow our sports, if we want to continue to enjoy them. I believe increasing access and ease of entry is a big part of that. There’s a mentality among outdoorsmen that anyone else having success or an easier time than I did when I started, means they are taking something away from me, which is just BS.

Well said!

We are always advancing in technology. Even a recurve bow has come a long ways and don’t get me started on muzzle loaders.

MN doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel here…we just need to gather intel from WI.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2019/01/11/crossbow-deer-kill-again-outpaces-vertical-bow-harvest-wisconsin/2538580002/

I haven’t researched it enough but I’m willing to learn. but per the article, crossbow hunting is the only licenses that is growing in popularity in WI, but I also can read between the lines though, deer tags still are dropping.

Leave the crossbows in muzzy and gun seasons. Hunt archery with permit only medical conditions needed.

Against it, 100%.

First off, you CAN already use a crossbow in MN during the archery season under certain conditions. Age, disability, etc.

Look, the whole point of archery is it’s NOT easy. And guys saying, well then why allow even compound bows are missing the point. Even with the most technically advanced bows and gear, it’s STILL not easy.

Also, if you want to hunt archery, then do it! Folks, I got into the archery game at 45. If I can do it… If you’re sitting on the couch because you’re waiting for crossbows to be legalized in MN, why not just get a bow and get in the game?

Also, part of this is a perception issue. There IS a crossbow season in MN, it’s just not named that. They should call the muzzleloader season the “Muzzleloader and Crossbow Season”. You still can hunt with your crossbow at a time of vastly reduced hunting pressure, it’s only the fact that it’s not during a time when some want to do it that is leading people to say there’s “no” crossbow season in MN.

There are plenty of opportunities without changing the law.

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

First off, you CAN already use a crossbow in MN during the archery season under certain conditions. Age, disability, etc.

Hey Grouse, you bring up valid points. I just want to point out that when I originally started this thread, I indicated that they are available for use under certain conditions – just not by the general population during the entirety of archery season like they are in Wisconsin and Michigan.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

They should call the muzzleloader season the “Muzzleloader and Crossbow Season”.

On this subject, why would anyone WANT to use a crossbow when they can use a muzzleloader? Because its more difficult and the range isn’t as good? That’s like saying I should use a shotgun with slugs instead of a scoped rifle if I’m hunting in the legal rifle zone. Just wondering why you would argue that.

Id say legalize it. Just like when muzzy season became a thing everyone was on the bandwagon. Now at least area where I hunt the last few years after gun season pretty much no one around. For the record I can get a dr permit for crossbow but still trying not to.

If it puts the animal down faster because of better shot placement I’m all for it. Not even two weeks into the season now and three different individuals at work have already lost deer to poor shots. What a waste!

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

well then why allow even compound bows are missing the point. Even with the most technically advanced bows and gear, it’s STILL not easy.

It’s a lot easier with that 80% let off, just saying. Compounds are shooting out to 60 yrds+ now.

I could honestly care less, I shoot compound now BUT see no reason why crossbows are not to be considered like archery.

A crossbow doesn’t fix poor shot placement.

I’m actually for it. Having grown up in and having hunting property in MN but living in WI, I’d like as much flexibility as I can for my non-resident license.

WI actually has separate archery and crossbow licenses so they’re not under the same banner. I would probably just buy a crossbow license (pending the details) if MN had one where I could use both archery gear (assuming it is allowed) or crossbow gear depending on what I wanted to do. I could see the crossbow fitting better for some stands or during the firearms overlap.

To be honest I just see it as hunting. You have to make decisions regardless of what you’re using. And… you can make a bad shot or decision whether using a recurve or rifle.

I’m not anti crossbow or compound as I have owned both along with several high end recurves over the years. I just remember when the archery season was meant a recurve and most likely either wood or fiberglass arrows. I still have a couple boxes of microlites with four fletches on them and I do not own a bow any more. I respect everyone’s choices for how they hunt.

I have been nosing around though and am considering buying a metal riser take-down recurve though. A wood riser take-down would probably be ok with me too. Several years ago I had a heavy draw weight compound slip in my hand at full draw and come rifling straight back at my face. The steel cable guard rod went into my holding hand between the second and third fingers, coming out at mid-palm. I was never able to get any confidence back after that and sold it all. Now I’m thinking that starting over at the beginning again might be fun.

onestout wrote:

A crossbow doesn’t fix poor shot placement.

You’d have to be foolish to think that a crossbow wouldn’t increase ones odds.

gimruis wrote:

On this subject, why would anyone WANT to use a crossbow when they can use a muzzleloader? Because its more difficult and the range isn’t as good? That’s like saying I should use a shotgun with slugs instead of a scoped rifle if I’m hunting in the legal rifle zone. Just wondering why you would argue that.

So who would use a “lesser” weapon when a more powerful one is legal? Well, errr, me actually. For almost 20 years I have used only a handgun while hunting in the rifle zone of MN. This dramatically reduced my effective range because a handgun is much more like a shotgun in terms of overall range, but for me, killing deer with a rifle just got too easy so I changed things up.

But what I didn’t do is start arguing that MN needs to allow handguns in the bow season or fence off a separate part of the deer season for handguns only.

If you bought a crossbow, then you accept its limitations and that it is NOT a firearm. But it also has the advantage of being much quieter. Pros and cons, but in MN the bow season is for bows, the point was never to make it easy.

At the end of the day, no matter how spiffy your compound bow is or how much letoff it has, it’s still YOUR strength holding that string back, not a mechanical trigger keeping a crossbow ready to fire at all times. Anyone who has gotten drawn on a deer and then had to hold at full draw knows that a compound bow is nothing like a crossbow where you can just keep the deer in the crosshairs and wait for the right shot.

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

So who would use a “lesser” weapon when a more powerful one is legal? Well, errr, me actually. For almost 20 years I have used only a handgun while hunting in the rifle zone of MN. This dramatically reduced my effective range because a handgun is much more like a shotgun in terms of overall range, but for me, killing deer with a rifle just got too easy so I changed things up.

That’s fair. I think your strategy is the exception though and the vast majority of hunters (and anglers) are going to try and use every legal advantage that they can to have more and better success. I know I am. I need to, otherwise I just set myself up to fail more often than not.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

At the end of the day, no matter how spiffy your compound bow is or how much letoff it has, it’s still YOUR strength holding that string back, not a mechanical trigger keeping a crossbow ready to fire at all times. Anyone who has gotten drawn on a deer and then had to hold at full draw knows that a compound bow is nothing like a crossbow where you can just keep the deer in the crosshairs and wait for the right shot.

Aint that the truth. Biggest buck ive got to date I drew early cause it was running in and then stopped. I had to hold and not blink for at least a minute with a trophy 10 pointer 20yards away. I don’t know if excitement made it easier or worse but I know it would have been easier just looking down a crossbow scope waiting for the deer or the tree to move. That minute or so felt like an eternity.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

But what I didn’t do is start arguing that MN needs to allow handguns in the bow season or fence off a separate part of the deer season for handguns only.

If you bought a crossbow, then you accept its limitations and that it is NOT a firearm.

Grouse, it’s okay. No ones going to the state capital to push this agenda and argue for it. It’s was a simple question on what we thought about crossbows. Some old schoolers want long bow only, some are okay with compound, others would be okay with crossbow.

That’s said, don’t get me started on the ethical use of hand gun hunting big game…I kid I kid. Jk.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

So who would use a “lesser” weapon when a more powerful one is legal? Well, errr, me actually. For almost 20 years I have used only a handgun while hunting in the rifle zone of MN. This dramatically reduced my effective range because a handgun is much more like a shotgun in terms of overall range, but for me, killing deer with a rifle just got too easy so I changed things up.

I use an in-line black powder handgun for much of the deer season but when it is at home I use a black powder in-line. Either way, one shot. I haven’t had to do a second shot for years and like Grouse, I find the concept of a handgun or single shot more challenging than a clip or tube full of follow-up shots.

I have a permanent medical condition which I always knew would allow me to use a crossbow. This year I pulled the trigger and obtained my crossbow permit at the age of 32. I’m all for allowing crossbows for everyone.

Overall I think it supports quality deer management. I believe if people are using a crossbow they will be more selective because they will have more confidence, as well as more shooting lane and yardage options. I also believe it will significantly reduce the amount of unrecovered deer. This was my main reason for making the switch, that and the fact I couldn’t hunt as much due to flare-ups in my medical condition. I’ve lost a couple deer over the last few years and it tears me apart every time. No one likes wounding a large animal.

I suggest following some of the Facebook hunting groups. You’ll quickly realize there are a TON of unrecovered deer during archery season.

outdoorsmn wrote:

I suggest following some of the Facebook hunting groups. You’ll quickly realize there are a TON of unrecovered deer during archery season.

Yeah, that’s a great idea, spread that news around

Crossbows have been around since 500 BC so they are not new. This infighting plays into the anti hunters hand. My way is more pure etc. A deer is killed legally it shouldn’t mater how it was done as long as the method is legal. This argument happened when I first Bow hunted when Compound bows hit the scenes with the Jennings model t etc. Compound bow are not the same skill level as traditional stick and recurve bows. Crossbows out date Compound bows by 2500 years think about that. Be happy with others legal equipment choice. Hunters as a whole need to stick together.

Mwal