I am all for it!!!! The more hunters the better and living in a xbow friendly state i can assure you that the xbow guys won't interfere with your hunt. I even use one a Lil ever yr. I call it my crossgun and use it during firearms season.Or if its just stupid cold and my shoulders are not wanting to play nice.

 

 

I have no problem with crossbows being used during bow season. Compared to a recurve or a long bow, a modern compound bow isn't much different from shooting a rifle. A crossbow is the same deal and makes it more accessible for those unable to use a vertical bow.

 

I pretty much agree except a compound bow is nothing like a riffle or a crossbow

 

Separate season for archery hunting. Crossbows in the firearms seasons. Archery seasons are for archers.

 

Absolutely.
A person can buy a x bow the day before season, have the pro shop sight it in, and he can easily kill a deer the next day, probably out to 50 yards.
There is no comparison to that and any vertical bow.
I’d say put them in the muzzle loader season.

 

I pretty much agree except a compound bow is nothing like a riffle or a crossbow

I started shooting recurve in February. I shoot for about 30 minutes, 5 days a week. At 20 meters I can keep all my arrows on a piece of paper.

I started shooting compound last week. After an hour to get the bow fitted to me, I was shooting at 40 meters at keeping all of my arrows in the yellow. The ease of using a compound is ridiculous.

Separate season for archery hunting. Crossbows in the firearms seasons. Archery seasons are for archers.

It should be recurve or long bow only then. Having wheels makes it too easy

 

I started shooting recurve in February. I shoot for about 30 minutes, 5 days a week. At 20 meters I can keep all my arrows on a piece of paper.

I started shooting compound last week. After an hour to get the bow fitted to me, I was shooting at 40 meters at keeping all of my arrows in the yellow. The ease of using a compound is ridiculous.



It should be recurve or long bow only then. Having wheels makes it too easy

you must not hunt, well I guess you have not archery hunted since you only started shooting a bow 5 months ago.
Just cause you can punch paper, sort of, does not mean anything as to the subject.

you must be doing something wrong, like being over bowed poundage wise with the recurve. Maybe take a class on shooting a recurve, if all you can do is hit a 9inch by 11inch piece of paper after 5 months. Yes, really.

I am all for X-guns for those that are handicapped. Previoulsy I had no opinion but after watching a grp of guys walking some woods with X-guns cocked, loaded and at the ready to let the bolt fly at a deer, I changed my mind.

my brother is 75 years old and shoots his Mathews Halon 32-6 with out issues..last season he said he did not plan on buying a x-gun

 

As long as people are doing it legally I will support someone’s right to hunt, regardless of the method used.

In Minnesota there are many more pressing issues regarding hunting, especially deer hunting… like the wolf population, which has pretty much decimated deer numbers in some parts of the state.

Where I used to own land you are lucky to even see a deer, but you will see wolves, lots of them.

So somebody using a crossbow during archery season is pretty far down the list.

Hunters should not divide themselves and bicker about these issues. This is exactly what the pro wolf, anti hunting crowd wants. Hunters need to present a united front, to save all hunting.

 

Hunters should not divide themselves and bicker about these issues. This is exactly what the pro wolf, anti hunting crowd wants. Hunters need to present a united front, to save all hunting.

AMEN!!!

That said, save your breath. As is already starting to shine through, give this thread a little time and you'll see that the level of disingenuousness is overwhelming. There will be those that try to hide their personal distain for crossbows (and any other type of hunting that differs from their own) under false flags like "preserving archery" or 'the love of archery" or "the greater good of the sport" when in reality, they simply don't like them but don't have the huevos or character to publicly come out and admit it. Some will even go so far as to say people that use crossbows are more of a detriment to the archery/hunting community than those that turn on other law-abiding hunters are. Like every other crossbow related thread on AT, this is about to showcase the narrowminded self-serving disingenuous nature that plagues the entire hunting community.

The laughable part is, some of these disingenuous folks push so hard against crossbows while living in states that legalized crossbows years ago. To go along with that, they can't point to one negative impact on their state's deer herd since crossbows were legalized in their states. They can't tell you why, but they'll scream from the mountain tops that crossbows have ruined archery hunting. That just further proves they're simply bitching for the sake of bitching.

 

I always phrase it this way. Hypothetically, if the state you lived in cut the archery season in half and for one half you could only use traditional equipment and the other half of the season you could use a compound then a good number of bowhunters would start using traditional equipment as well as their compounds. The number of crossbow hunters who would pick up traditional equipment to hunt would literally be zero.

It’s such a disingenuous argument that compounds are so advanced that they’re similar to rifles or shotguns. You don’t need much experience to shoot a rifle well out to 100 yards it takes a lot of skill to do that with a bow.

Also people remember that opportunity to hunt is modeled around the expectation that a certain amount of people are failing and not successful. Crossbows in general archery season somewhat negate that.

Also don’t come at me saying well what about children and disabled? I’m not arguing they shouldn’t be able to. My problem is able bodied adults taking the easy road.

I’ve heard so many excuses about injuries and such. I can literally pull my wife’s bow back at 30 pound with my pinky. Are you really telling me my pinky is stronger than your shoulder?

I will hunt with a vertical bow until I can no longer pull 30 pounds or too decrepit to hold a bow steady.

 

The number of crossbow hunters who would pick up traditional equipment to hunt would literally be zero.

I understand your right to your opinion, but literally zero? I myself would prove you false, as both a compound and crossbow hunter. If half my season was changed to trad only, you better believe I would learn trad now hunting. I might even enjoy it!
You say you have an issue with an able bodied person taking the easy route. Have you considered some people just don't like vertical bows? Maybe they love crossbows. They might not appreciate or enjoy the extra effort of vertical bows, but they love hunting.
We could even take all of your arguments and apply them to bows. After all, bows are much easier to use than, say, a spear or atlatl.
Again, I respect your opinion and your right to have that, and I actually agree to some extent with some of your thoughts. Your broad generalization, however, has zero backing. Maybe pop over on Crossbow Talk and ask that hypothetical there. You might be surprised. After all, literally zero is already wrong. I would be at least one.

 

As someone from NY, I've been watching this. Unless I missed it, I don't think our governor has signed it into law yet, but I'm assume she will. In a state that increasingly looks skeptically at the hunting community and doesn't understand how much hunters provide for all the public lands in our state, I think it's a good thing, assuming it encourages more hunters. I'm not sure how much that will be a reality. Maybe it's a lower bar for younger hunters getting out earlier in the season. As a bow hunter who has hunted a lot of public land, it'll for sure create more competition in those areas. The dedicated guys will adapt and still be successful. Gun hunters will pick up the crossbow and get out earlier in the season. That'll be the biggest impact. It'll be interesting to see how many actually do that. We already have a pretty generous muzzleloader season in the northern part of the state so I doubt it'll impact them that much. Overall, I'm okay with it.

 

I think it's a good thing, assuming it encourages more hunters. I'm not sure how much that will be a reality.

As another NY resident, I'm not sure if it'll change much, if you assume the average hunter intends to comply with regulations. NY's restrictions on crossbows are pretty ridiculous, it's hard or impossible to walk in to an average sporting goods store and buy a crossbow that's actually legal to hunt with. Minimum limb width of 17" and maximum draw weight of 200 lbs rules out nearly all mass market crossbows.

 

Here we go again 🙄 with a poison thread to bring out the worse in people.

 

Been legal in Minnesota for a while and I haven't seen anything negative come from it. I support all legal means of hunting because like vincent said, the anti's oppose all hunting and I won't be on their side of anything, EVER.

 

Same here in Ohio which was one of the first decades ago.

 

Did not pass yet as far as I know

 

Thanks for the info, I was reading an article and they were talking about it, I could have misunderstood it but I honestly thought it was passed. However it seems close to it

 

I’m happy for anyone that takes joy in bow hunting. Trad, compound or xbow. Whatever you’re confident in. Crossbows have been legal in Wisconsin for probably over a decade now. I know a lot of people that use them and I’m happy their enjoying there time outside with them. Zero animosity towards them

 

With the potential loss of public lands, we as hunters need to forget these arbitrary issues and stand together. Feelings and opinions aside. We can argue this at the bar, but at the heart of the matter let's stand united.

 

If you actually love archery and all archery is about you SHOULD oppose crossbows being allowed during regular archery season. Wherever they’ve been allowed they’ve rapidly replaced actual bowhunters. The crossbow kill is more than double actual bow kills now in WI in only a few short years. Bowhunting is dying in WI in favor of crossbow hunting and no it isn’t the same.

Now, it’s anybody’s guess why that might be but my bet is the easy button generation doing what they do. Need a paper written you have ChatGPT to do it. Need to scout for deer season but you don’t have a clue you have AI to analyze the data for ya. Want to go for a bike ride but youre out of shape and lazy you have an Ebike to do the work for ya. Want to bowhunt but don’t want to put in the work and effort required to be a bowhunter you can buy a crossbow the day before the season and zero the scope in 20 minutes in your back yard.

And please for the love of all things archery DO NOT respond to this comment with the “crossbows are just like compounds” argument. No one round here buys that garbage so save it.

 

If you actually love archery and all archery is about you SHOULD oppose crossbows being allowed during regular archery season. Wherever they’ve been allowed they’ve rapidly replaced actual bowhunters. The crossbow kill is more than double actual bow kills now in WI in only a few short years. Bowhunting is dying in WI in favor of crossbow hunting and no it isn’t the same.

Now, it’s anybody’s guess why that might be but my bet is the easy button generation doing what they do. Need a paper written you have ChatGPT to do it. Need to scout for deer season but you don’t have a clue you have AI to analyze the data for ya. Want to go for a bike ride but youre out of shape and lazy you have an Ebike to do the work for ya. Want to bowhunt but don’t want to put in the work and effort required to be a bowhunter you can buy a crossbow the day before the season and zero the scope in 20 minutes in your back yard.

And please for the love of all things archery DO NOT respond to this comment with the “crossbows are just like compounds” argument. No one round here buys that garbage so save it.

There are bigger issues afoot and hunters need to find a common ground. I don't gun hunt and don't own a crossbow, but for the sake of preserving public lands and the future of hunting for our future generations we need to find common ground.

 

Some say real archery hunting is traditional archery hunting, hunting with anything else besides a stickbow, string, and an arrow is a compromise with technology to some degree, it’s just a matter of where you draw the line with technology and to what you believe is acceptable 😉.

 

I have hunted with recurve and compound in the same years. Did that for probably 20 years. Just what ever I was in the mood for that day or what tree/shot opportunity I thought may happen.
Shot Elk with recurve and compound, one was not easier than the other. To be honest the recurve was probably a little more gratifying but not harder. Actually easier, Draw/aim-anchor-release 2.5 seconds
Deer and turkeys pretty much the same.

 

They legalized crossbows for use in archery season here in Indiana a few years ago. The first few seasons I did see an uptick in the amount of hunters in the woods during archery season. It has seemed to dwindle back close to the level it was prior to the rule change. I think alot of gunhunters thought that early bowseason was something it is not and bought in just to abandoned it once reality set in. Had a conversation with a new crossbow hunter that was a converted gunhunter. He said he hated not being able to see due to the foliage and yeah its not cold but the skeeters eat him alive. I turned him on to permathrin but havent seen his truck during early season for 3-4 years now. I personally dont care if crossbows are legal or not. I dont fall under the belief that crossbows are archery or hunting with one is bowhunting.

 

I support it. My dad was a die hard bow hunter but he had to have shoulder surgery so he had to switch to the cross bow to ethically hunt. If it wasn’t for our state allowing crossbows he would have had to give up what he loves to do

 

Most opposed to crossbows during archery season are on board with an exemption for kids, seniors and those with verified medical conditions.

 

It's always interesting to read the various thoughts people have when this topic is brought up. I have my personal beliefs on the matter but I don't care to get into a debate over it. It's legal in my state. If you're following laws there's no issues.

 

Well I would like to thank everyone who commented on this post, as I said previously, I had no idea that the divide on crossbows and vertical bows during archery season was a thing. Here in ontario you can hunt with either.

I can honestly say I think that crossbow hunters are typically rifle hunters who still have a tag left over. I agree with some posters, who have stated that there's not much to crossbow hunting, sight it in and your good to go, fire a few bolts and your good. Put it away untill next season and start hunting. Now for those who say compounds are easy I have to disagre, you have to practice, to keep your muscle memory in tact. As an ethical compound bow hunter I shoot at least a few arrows on a weekly basis during the off season just to keep my skills sharp. That being said I, really like the idea of x-bows for kids and elderly or handicap who have a hard time drawing back a bow. And for everyone else x-bow season during muzzle loader season which is usually during the colder months.

 

The school of thought in terms of regulations for the state I live in, Cross bows are rather limited in terms of under what circumstances they are allowed.

• If you hold a big game license during firearm season, you may use a crossbow in place of a firearm, as long as the crossbow meets certain specs: ≥ 125 lb draw weight and a mechanical safety devicepdffiller.com+2law.justia.com+2law.justia.com+2.
• You may not use a crossbow during the regular archery-only season—unless you have the disabled permit—and you cannot possess firearms while in the field under that permit.

I have no issues with our states big game laws regarding the use of a cross bow.

 

You have EXCELLENT lawmakers in you’re state.

 

I'm old enough to recall the trad bow hunters said the same thing about compound hunters. I do get annoyed when a compound hunter say they hunt with a stick and string!

 

Not allowed everywhere in Canada. In Manitoba you need a special permit to use a Crossbow during archery seasons. Usually because the hunter has an injury and is unable to draw a bow back.

They aren't even allowed during Muzzle season. Only General season which is any weapon.

 

I did not know that, in ontario you can use crossbows during archery season. Thanks for the information

 

Here is a breakdown of the harvest by method last year in NJ (hopefully it uploaded). Crossbows accounted by far for the majority of deer harvested, which did surprise me. I had one and got rid of it. I personally did not like hunting with it as much as I thought and I still enjoy shooting the bow. I have bad shoulders so Im shooting 55# now and eventually I may get to the point I can't do it anymore and switch to a crossbow. As far as them being included in the regular archery seasons I really don't care. Many people have pointed out the same argument was made by Trad guys when compounds came about.
Just a little something to ponder. If you go back far enough in history people were shooting each other with stick bows and crossbows off castle walls long before they were shooting each other with anything that burned gun powder. They have been around a long time.

 

Here is a breakdown of the harvest by method last year in NJ (hopefully it uploaded). Crossbows accounted by far for the majority of deer harvested, which did surprise me. I had one and got rid of it. I personally did not like hunting with it as much as I thought and I still enjoy shooting the bow. I have bad shoulders so Im shooting 55# now and eventually I may get to the point I can't do it anymore and switch to a crossbow. As far as them being included in the regular archery seasons I really don't care. Many people have pointed out the same argument was made by Trad guys when compounds came about.
Just a little something to ponder. If you go back far enough in history people were shooting each other with stick bows and crossbows off castle walls long before they were shooting each other with anything that burned gun powder. They have been around a long time.


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The same thing happens in every state that allows crossbows during the archery season. A whole bunch of non archers buy the things to take advantage of the archery seasons. It’s an easy button and it’s a slap in the face to hunters who put in the time and effort to become an archer and a bowhunter. Special permits for the handi-capped is reasonable but not for kids. Starting a kid out with a crossbow will most likely mean he won’t ever want to learn to shoot a bow and arrow.

 

You’re not a “ real “ bow hunter unless you’re shooting a trad bow! It’s true !