Crossbow Hunting

What do you guys think about crossbows being legal for everyone to use during archery season? After watching a few hunting shows, I have decided that I do not like the idea of anyone being able to use them. It is too much like gun hunting because you can have it cocked and ready to go. This requires little to no movement in the treestand which is not at all the same with bowhunting. The one thing I don’t know (and maybe someone can answer it for me) is what the effective range of a crossbow is.

Crossbow Hunting

I go back and forth on this one. For guys like my Dad who can’t draw a compound bow any longer, it would allow him to hunt earlier in the season. Now he has to wait til later November in SD. Which is colder etc… Much harder for him being diabetic.

I also don’t think it’s comparable to “traditional” archery hunting. Of course some of the same arguments can be made from truly traditional bows to today’s high let-off compounds.

It’s my understanding the range is very similar to compound bows.

I’ll be interested to hear other’s opinions.

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What do you guys think about crossbows being legal for everyone to use during archery season? After watching a few hunting shows, I have decided that I do not like the idea of anyone being able to use them. It is too much like gun hunting because you can have it cocked and ready to go. This requires little to no movement in the treestand which is not at all the same with bowhunting. The one thing I don’t know (and maybe someone can answer it for me) is what the effective range of a crossbow is.

Crossbow Hunting

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I have to use a crossbow, due to an illness (MS). I’d throw mine away in a heartbeat if I could shoot a regular bow again. They are heavy, unbelievably loud and a PITA to re-cock in a tree. The noise factor limits their effectiveness to 35-40 yards. They are NOT a replacement for regular bows! They are a good alternative for those with disability, older hunters, very young hunters or perhaps females with limited upper body strength. But for anyone else who is able to shoot a regular bow, they’d be nuts to choose a crossbow over a regular bow.

That being said, I think anything that increases opportunity for more people to hunt is a good thing. It won’t make a marked impact on harvest rates or “disturb” anyone elses hunting. But if I can get my grand daughter in the woods when she’s 10 with a crossbow, I’d like that to b a legal option. JMHO

My thoughts on this subject are like most other guys. I believe that if you are able to get a permit to use one because of a disability or long term illness or if you are age 65 and older then by all means use one if you choose to. but to say that everyone can use one in my opinion is B.S. I am 39 years old and have bow hunted since I was able to. if given the chance to use a crossbow I choose to pass because I believe they have a purpose and that is for the people I stated above. Just my 2 cents

To clarify, I have no problem with it for those who have a handicap that prevents them from drawing a bow. Also no issue with someone over 60 or so.

I didn’t realize that they were so noisy and not terribly efficient past 40 yards. I have a little less objection to them knowing these things. Thanks for the info!

They are a blast to shoot!

We used them hog hunting in texas.

To me I could care less what someone else uses during the bow season. As long as the hunter is being ethical why would it matter. One shot is still one shot.

Everyone has a different quality of hunt. Taking their kids out hunting, harvesting a trophy buck, filling the freezer, etc.. who are we as hunters to judge each other. There is already to much of that going on with people judging the size of deer people are shooting.

To me deer hunting is a way to relax and enjoy the outdoors, not worrying about what method the neighbor is using to harvest an animal.

I have no problem with it for anyone. Myself I will use a compound bow for as long as I can pull it back. To each their own on this topic in my opinion.

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To clarify, I have no problem with it for those who have a handicap that prevents them from drawing a bow. Also no issue with someone over 60 or so.

I didn’t realize that they were so noisy and not terribly efficient past 40 yards. I have a little less objection to them knowing these things. Thanks for the info!

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don’t get me wrong, they are accurate to 50-60 yards. But thats shooting at a target. The noise limits their effectiveness on whitetails to 30-35 yards. Anything past that and they will jump string.

I sure miss my regular bow!

I love your attitude Matt. I think it would do the world good if everyone had a little bit more worry about themselves than what others are doing.

My brother broke his collar bone and switched to cross bow. It was to heavy I agree with 30 to 35 yard range due to string jump. He worked his way back to 45lb compound. All this bickering works right in to the anti’s game plan. Who cares how you harvest the animal as long as it is legal. Remember it was not long ago traditional shooters believed you compound shooter’s were not true archers either. Remember both the long bow and cross bow are traditional weapons hundreds if not a thousands of years old. Compound bows are the modern invention of the last 40 years or so and are not a primitive weapon. We must stick together as hunters and use legal means to pursue our quarry of choice and stop this infighting. No method is better or more pure than another method a dead deer is a dead deer. I use traditional and compound but do not have the Elitist attitude of many archer’s. In this day and age of anti hunting we must band together as hunters as a whole. If you like firearms great, Archery/crossbow,great spears whatever we are all hunters. IMHO

Mwal

Let me start by saying that I would not use a crossbow unless I had to. HOWEVER – It’s all about increasing participation – which we desperately need. Anyone against crossbow use is just simply selfish in thinking that someone else might shoot “their” deer.

Just because crossbows are legal doesn’t mean you have to use them. Why not let everyone choose the tool that suits them best.

There’s no doubt becoming proficient with a crossbow takes less effort than becoming proficient with a compound or recurve/long bow. So what? For those with limited time a crossbow might be an option.

How about the young hunters that might not yet be able to draw a bow with the minimum required draw weight? Should they be penalized by being limitted to only firearms season?

It’s not like a bunch of crossbow hunters are going to go out and shoot every deer in the woods. You still need to scout effectively, hunt smart, play the wind, and get close to your quarry.

The bottom line is that hunters need to get rid of their greed, stop trying to limit one another, and do everything they can to increase participaion. We have enough to deal with coming from the antis and politicians.

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All this bickering works right in to the anti’s game plan.

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I may be reading this wrong, but I don’t see any bickering here. As a matter of fact, it’s a topic like this that could get off track rather easily but this is far from it.

I did not intend to mean this thread was bickering. In fact it is the opposite. Good meaningful dialog about crossbows. At this time I don’t have one. I am not against them or allowing them during archery season. Everybody have a good season.

Mwal

That’s what I like about this place. Even when we “bicker” it’s civil. Now, if you want real bickering, look at the replies to the article.

I couldn’t agree more, we as sportsmen need to stick together no matter if we hunt or fish.

Today’s crossbows shoot further and faster than ever before. My concern is that people who didn’t have the patience for bow hunting before are going to see this as an easy way to get out there and shoot more deer without having to do much work. Just don’t want to see a bunch of shadetree hunters heading out and flinging arrows all over the place, taking shots they shouldn’t b/c they can.

IMHO I firmly believe that this was brought on by the major archery companies trying to sell more bows (crossbows). There isn’t much room for advancement in the modern compound bows so people are keeping them much longer. So a good way to sell more bows is make it legal for everyone to use a crossbow so more people will buy them. That being said I don’t much care what you use to kill a deer as long as its legal and ethical. There will always be the people that wouldn’t normally hunt getting on board with it because its new and thats a good thing for hunters in general. I personally went to a recurve with cedar arrows and traditional 2 blade broadheads just to say I did it. To everyone saying that its not fair to use a crossbow because its not a real bow I am assume you are all using a recurve with cedar arrows and hunting in the original wool clothes RIGHT LOL. I hope everyone has a great deer season.

Do using a cross bow people don’t like even though they are louder heavier, pain to reload, and big and bulkier then a now a day compound bow? Just because people can have the loaded while in tree stand and held to the shoulder like a gun people don’t like them? So lets go back to sticks and strings as all you can use because compound bows are not even close to the to the Traditional ones that used to be used.