Should Crossbows be Allowed During Archery Season?

I thought you said crossbows were shoulder fired?


Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

It's funny where this thread has ended up!

 

That is how the bulk of them are fired but vertical crossbows have since been created (by the act of locking the draw and holding it without human power but in a vertical position) The act of locking and holding at full draw by means other than human effort makes it a crossbow since it cant be a human held bow even if its not shoulder fired. Locking the draw without human power makes it a crossbow.

I look to P&Y and the Professional Bowhunters Society and the premier state regarding bowhunting and crossbowing regulations (Wisconsin). WI was the first state to have a bowhunting license and season and the father of bowhunting and the person that coined the term "Bowhunter" was Roy Case from Racine WI who defined what the term "Bowhunter" means (a term that has never been subject to revision or modification). In the WI statutes I see this.

Bow: Any bow, drawn and held by and through the effort of the person releasing it, but it does not include crossbow. Bows equipped with a drawlock mechanism that is capable of holding the bow at full draw without the aid of a hunter are considered crossbows.

Crossbow: Any device using a bow which, once drawn, is held solely by means other than the effort of the person firing it


http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/wm/WM0431.pdf

 

I know, right? Its been wildly entertaining. I hope its not over just yet, I think there is plenty of humor left in this thread.

 

In the Pope and Young page that you cited, under "B. Exceptions" it says a physically handicapped person shall be excluded from holding and firing the bow with their hands.

Is there a style of bow designed otherwise to aid someone without hands or arms? Just curious. Serious question. Pretty cool if so.


Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

It is time for the moderators to lock this one up. It has become a tired old debate that will not be solved.

 

https://worldarchery.org/news/144239/6-assistive-devices-paralympic-archery-field

 

I think this refers to folks like our soldiers returning from the field with missing limbs having to use their feet or their teeth or prosthetics rather than their lost limbs to hold the bow or the bow string. Bowhunting excludes nobody. Everybody can enjoy the sport of bowhunting.

Matt Stutzman is a good example. No hands or arms and uses his teeth and feet to be a bowhunter.



Or Angel Giuffria



Andi shooting her bow





Many folks show the spirit of the bowhunter. For those that don't, there is crossbowing to fall back on.

After viewing these videos and then hearing of a generally able bodied guy that quits bowhunting and take up the sport of crossbowing because he has a sore shoulder, it makes you think. Bowhunting is not for everybody. Thankfully there is crossbowing for those not up to the challenge of bowhunting.

 

I work with a guy who claims that hunting with a crossbow is harder than a compound.

 

That's what I was inquiring about. Those are some pretty awesome modifications. And as far as up to the challenge... I'm not as seasoned as a lot of guys here but I started hunting with a compound about 18 years ago off and on. I've taken a good number of deer with compound and crossbow both (hunted for 3 years with crossbow because of shattered shoulder). I find hunting with a compound to be less cumbersome. So, as the dude would say.....






Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

If you buy a license to bowhunt and you adhere to the law you are a bowhunter. It is a very simple concept to follow.

Some people use a crossbow, some use a compound, but if you want a real challenge try a recurve.

 

I predicted that repeat fail on your part. I was spot on.

 

The long and short of it is that every state allows bowhunting. Some states however allow disabled crossbowers to buy the licenses that lets them crossbow hunt along side real bowhunters. Other states allow able bodied persons to crossbow hunt along side real bowhunters and other states and provinces do not allow crossbowing at all. Those states only allow bowhunting and exclude crossbow hunting.

Bowhunting is all inclusive and excludes nobody. Everybody that wishes to rise to the challenge of bowhunting can do so. For those that cant or wont there is crossbowing to fall back on.

"Bowhunting" , its like crossbow hunting except for men.

I think we can wrap a nice ribbon around this one and call it solved. There are bowhunters that use real human powered bows they hold back with only human power and there are those other kinds of hunters that are not bowhunters but they are without a doubt, hunters and should be welcomed into the brotherhood of the hunting family.

 

Do you think drawing a bow is hard?


Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

Just saying maybe you should reduce your draw weight


Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

Not sure who you are asking but I will reply. Drawing "A" bow is pretty opened ended question sinced a bow can carry to a variety of draw weights. "Hard" is not a unit I can apply to drawing a bow in a hunting situation. Perhaps yo meant to ask if its "Challenging" or Rewarding" or "satisfying" when done in an attempt to harvest a game animal but im confused by the use of the word "hard" in this application.

If my trad bow or my compound can be drawn by me to its peak weight in the close presence of the game animals I am attempting to kill (with all the related noise and motion that goes with such a bowhunting action), then I have chosen a peak weight that works for me. I dont think people select a peak weight they cannont pull but you did not specifiy if this was in a hunting situation or a target practice situation. you only asked if drawing "A" bow is "hard". I would say it requires a fair amount of motion and related noise to accomplish but the weights the bow is built for . Throw an alert game animal into the mix coupled with cold temps or a long sit and the task can vary in degrees of difficulty.

 

I can see no reason to do so. Ive spent time practicing to build the strength to muster the human powered bow to a comfortable peak draw weight. (that I have to hold only by human effort) For me, thats 65 Lbs and has proven to be very deadly. Practicing our craft builds strength and lets us understand the correct draw weight for each og us.

The motions and actions the bowhunters must engage in to make a killing shot on game with a human powered weapon is unique only to the bowhunter. Those using stored energy, cocked, loaded weapons that can shoot from a rested rail do not take on the same task as well as they are limted in the peak weight or strength of the weapon they use. If one can only muster 30 lbs of draw weight, that limits their harvest potential. Give that same little kid a 225 Lbs draw Excalibur xbow and her killing potial/shot distance/selection increases while her level of effort decreases to accomplish the task. Hence they have more harvest potential while bringing less of themselves to the task at hand.

Thats why I prefer bowhunting and dont think I would care much for crossbowing or crossbow hunting or whatever that sort calls what they do.

 

Yes lack of concealment and poor judgement on when to move can be a challenge for some.


Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums

 

This thread has now become boring. So much dead horse beating.