Are Crossbows Hurting Deer Numbers?

Aren't you a redhead? That's about as minority as it gets. BBC says 1-2% of the worldwide population.

 

I bought a new compound one year ago. Much debate about wether to do that or a recurve so yes I would pick up trad equip if it meant more hunting time


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What you hunt with shouldn't matter .... how you hunt should.

As long as you hunt safely and respectfully, nobody should criticize your choice of tools.

If I read between the lines in this thread, it seems a lot of people are just being selfish and don't want competition in the woods.

And one thing I know for absolute certainty ... getting close to a big mature buck is HARD! If you can accomplish that, whether you pull the trigger on a crossbow, a gun, or a compound release seems kind of irrelevant.

 

Is Justin a ginger? I don't think he's a ginger, but he might be and it would definitely explain this whole crossbow thing.

 

My beard has a red tint to it when it gets longer. Does that make me a ginger? I'm not sure I meet the qualification.

 

When I commit the 4 months to growing a beard, mine has a red tint to it too, but I've never considered myself a ginger, so I believe we're safe

 

Loving all the tension. Almost feels s----l!

Here's my take guys... if not crossbows, something else would replace it in order to increase revenue and kills. I think we're kidding ourselves when we think the state is "managing" our deer herds. They are pimping dem hoes...

As a former WI resident who went through the glory of CWD years in the early 2000s, and now a 10 year resident of Il. If it wasn't crossbow hunting it's going to be something else like : added firearm seasons, more tags, earn-a-buck, riffles in areas formally shotgun only. In most cases it will be multiple... End of the day it is about $$. Nobody making the decisions cares about our experiences outdoors. We're a dollar sign.

Also like to added there's not grey area on being a ginger. It's black and white. So a hint/tint/whatever is ginge

 

Kill

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Reading this thread is almost as bad as the dog hunting vs non dog hunting on my local hunting facebook page. If it's legal and it gets more people into hunting then why are we complaining about it? Our sport as the experts say is dwindling in numbers so whatever it takes to get and keep people interested in hunting then I am all for it. And yes I hunt with a crossbow because of a rotator cuff injury.

 

Never met you in person and maybe it's my TV/computer(s); but you've always looked like a ginger on screen. Not just your beard. No offense. One of my sisters and my wife both have auburney-dark red hair and I call them both gingers all the time. So if I am unfortunate enough to slip one past the goalie my offspring would carry the gene on both sides and very possibly be a ginger also.

If this chick is black you are definitely a ginger. Or not. I guess you could be whatever you want.


Even a First American



I wonder if you've ever google image searched yourself. Very hard to find a pic of you w/o a hat.

 

Maybe I'm trying to cover up my ginger hair so I don't get made fun of by mean people on the interweb.

 

I looked up past harvest data for Indiana just on a whim. It appears crossbow harvests are staying consistent.....as well as consistently lower than vertical bows. While vertical bow harvests are trending down, Indiana has been in a reduction mode.


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I agree with this post. just heard last night that PA is discussing adding a second buck tag. they seem to be getting desperate with all the new programs and regulations to make it more of a free for all. none of this is working because hunter participation is continuing to fall. eliminating the age limit to hunt was unbelievable to me. seen 6yr olds in the paper holding bucks with a high power rifle by their side. all about the $$$$$$!

 

Story of my life, always late to the good stuff.

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Spoken like a true spoiled kid, who likely has more access to prime, private land that he could ever handle You will likely never know the struggle first hand, but that's awesome. I'm glad you're amongst the "haves". It's cute when guys like you try to pretend like you know how the other half lives, and particularly when you're more than willing try to dictate the "how" part of it! Lol
Walk a mile in my shoes, dude. Until then, you are 100% dead-nuts correct... your opinion (because without first hand knowledge, that's all you got) is totally null & void to guys like me.
So.. good luck to you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your season in those well managed, unpressured, private areas you likely have exclusive access to (taking Mike or a camera guy along doesn't count against exclusivity )... and I'll keep on doing what I do as well!

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How am I suppose to take your argument seriously when you call other people names because they have worked to put themselves in a better position in life than you? You seem to just like playing the martyr. Public land is for the public. Your going to get all kinds of people there (good and bad) and some of them may be from out of state (the horror). Instead of trying to turn pubic land into your own well managed, unpressured, private area, where everyone conforms to your wishes and plays by your rules. Try finding some of your own private ground to hunt. You think there is something unique about the class of slobs in OH. I have hunted and fished public ground in a few states and its everywhere.

 

I do not mind crossbows one bit, I am all for keeping our hunting numbers strong. I honestly think where some of the gripes come from here in PA where I hunt is that guys are seeing more and more people in the woods. I do believe archery in general has become more popular over the past 10 years or so. I also believe lack of hunting ground is starting to affect hunting more than we realize. I have never owned my own ground to hunt on. I have always relied on permission on private property, public access ground or state game lands. The first 2 on that list (private access and public access) are starting to dwindle in my area. This is forcing a lot more guys onto the ground that is left. Every year more land around my home is being posted for one reason or another. This was one of the toughest years I have had hunting, I dealt with a lot more pressure and I really wasn't prepared for that. I hunt in an area that holds some really good bucks and there is a lot of public access ground around it. You can't blame people for coming to it.. I saw more hunters than ever this year... that being said, I heard many complaints around town relating this to crossbows.. I do not agree with that. Its the lack of hunting ground that is causing the "overcrowding" issue. (if you even want to call it an issue). I feel in PA crossbows are getting the blame for whats occurring on multiple fronts. There is no doubt archery is growing in popularity where I live, there are bigger bucks in the PA woods than ever before and we are losing hunting ground at an alarming rate.. None of this is good for the guy that wants to walk onto public ground and not see anyone else hunting or have someone else screw up "their" spot. Sure, this year there were definitely points where I was frustrated and felt like I could not get away from other hunters, but when I sit back and look at it, I can't blame them for being there, it is a damn good area to hunt out of the few that are left. Is that a crossbows fault, I'm doubting that.. most of the guys I ran into have been hunting for years with many different types of weapons.