Man there was a crossbow discussion about allowing them to be used during the archery season and it was heated.

Sure seems like we hunters spend a lot of time argueing instead of working together.

My personal feelings is that it is only a matter of time before the become legal to use in most states.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Here in GA. its legal as of last year, i can't really say wheither it is a good thing or a bad thing, but i do think that if you are able (health wise) to draw and shoot a bow then its just a lazy thing....

I think only time will tell if it is a good thing or bad. I think if it makes sloppy hunters better than it's a good thing. It would mean less wounded deer. If it just brings more "bowhunters" into the woods without practice than it's a bad thing.

If it was legal, I would probably own one. Once in a while it would be nice to hunt with something else. Same reason I have looked at muzzleloaders. I have no intention of giving up my compound bow deer hunting though.

hello i bought my dad one so we could hunt together if you have not ever shoot a crossbow they are very hard to shoot even with a scope they are heavy a hard to aim and very easy to draw them wrong just alittle off center throws them off pretty good . i just hope people learn to shoot them good before they go to the woods .i think every body shood have to take a shooting test with what they hunt with like with driving a car maybe people would work on there shooting more maybe

here in NC you can use one if you have some sort of handycap, If your able to you have to use a bow, i feel that is how it should be.

You are correct Outback. In NC, hunters with disabilities (that make shooting conventional equipment impossible) can get a permit to use a cross bow during the archery season. This is a good thing IMO.

A thing to remember about cross bows. They don't pack the punch a conventional bow does. They make look real sleek and powerful, but the kinetic energy of the bolts are less than that of a long shaft. If I am wrong, someone please correst me.

From what I understand, the cross bow was designed for close range combat. The long bow was the weapon of choice for extended ranges.

I have found that I am more accurate with my compound than I am with a cross bow. But, the cross bow is fun to shoot.

I think the only time that someone should be using a cross bow is if they are over 60 or handicapped.. Bottom Line. They are trying to pass this law of legalizing crossbows in Alabama right now.. I think it is gonna pass but I sure dont want it to. I have been in to many shops and have seen to many people that I know can hunt with a bow, buying a crossbow. It makes me sick! :mad:

Just curious to see if there is a change of opinion on this topic since it's almost 3 years later.

Personnally, I don't see a need for them. But then again, I'm still young and strong enough to be able to pull back a compound. It seems to me (at least in Virginia) that it's just one more license the state can sell. I will admit that it puts more hunters in the woods, which means more people are atleast attempting to learn the sport, but I have to wonder how many of them are learning all the correct concepts of archery, stealth, bow hunting, tracking (the list goes on). And how many are just using it as a means to extend their hunting seasons from general firearms.

My dad has hunted for years with a gun. So he has plenty of hunting experiece but never managed to get a deer with the bow.As he got older he hunted less and less with the bow. We started bow hunting more as a family about 6 years ago so he went and got himself a crossbow. Last year he shot his first deer with a "bow" at age 75.........He also won a Mathews drenalin on a raffle ticket last summer. During the season he would switch back and forth between bows, but ended up getting the buck with his crossbow. He was practicing as much as he could with his drenalin this spring, wanting to go to at least one shoot with us this summer and maybe a deer with it this fall. Unfortunatly he hurt his shoulder starting the weeed eater about a month ago and doesn't know it he will be able to shooot with us..Any way I'm darn glad he was able to get at least one deer with a bow and hopefully many more.

Here are so KE comparisons from another site.

Compound Bows:

Manufacturer ......Model......FPS....... Arrow/Grains...Foot/Lbs.

Bear................Truth ..........314..........350..............77 =Kinetic Energy = 76.64
PSE.................X Force.........350..........350.............95 =Kinetic Energy = 95.23
APA..............Black Mamba...... 345.........350.............92=Kinetic Energy = 92.53
Mathews.........Drenalin..........320.........350. ............79 =Kinetic Energy = 79.6
Hoyt..............Vectrix ...........316.........350.............78 =Kinetic Energy = 77.62

Crossbows:

Manufacturer Model........FPS........Arrow/Grains...........Foot/Lbs.

Horton.....HunterHD175.....320.........406........ .......117 =Kinetic Energy = 117.15
Ten Point..Phantom185......343........420 ...............134 =Kinetic Energy = 109.75
Excalibur..Equinox225........350........350 ................95 =Kinetic Energy = 95.23
Parker.....Saf. Mag.HP175...340........420................132 =Kinetic Energy = 107.84
Bowtech.. Stryker175.........405.........425 ...............155 =Kinetic Energy = 154.83

The edge in KE doesn't seem to translate to any advantage in distance though. I agree they are heavy and a pain to haul around. I don't have a problem allowing them in archery season but I don't have any interest in owning one either. They don't have any advantages unless you can't draw a vertical bow. We have a few Ohio regulars on here, they allowed them in archery season and from what I've read it didn't have that much of an impact; they can give us their experiences. When the day comes I can't handle a compound I'll probably look into one. I really think the fears of allowing them are way overblown. :noidea:

Here it comes:
The goal is a clean humane kill. Most hunters of deer I know usean elevted platform which is more ambush than hunt. So as I see it what's the difference? the outcome is the same. Most have no commitmenmt to the process anyway.

Just curious to see if there is a change of opinion on this topic since it's almost 3 years later.

Personnally, I don't see a need for them. But then again, I'm still young and strong enough to be able to pull back a compound. It seems to me (at least in Virginia) that it's just one more license the state can sell. I will admit that it puts more hunters in the woods, which means more people are atleast attempting to learn the sport, but I have to wonder how many of them are learning all the correct concepts of archery, stealth, bow hunting, tracking (the list goes on). And how many are just using it as a means to extend their hunting seasons from general firearms.

Pred..you are so right
and to add in my opinion
X-bows,pistols,rifles,shotguns,scoped muzzle loaders..should all be classed togeather in 1 season..

compounds.and triditional archery should have there own season
and primitive muzzle loaders should have there own.

but and X-bow...is not bowhunting to me....:frusty:
I cant pull a bow back right now but id pick a rifle over a X-bow any day
and if i have to use and X-bow in bowhunting season
I WONT HUNT...IT AINT RIGHT:censored:
I hate them..sorry

I have never even seen a x-bow in person, so I just don't know. I think I would have to shoot one and learn more about them before I decided what they should be classed as.:noidea:

I have never even seen a x-bow in person, so I just don't know. I think I would have to shoot one and learn more about them before I decided what they should be classed as.:noidea:

God it would be nice if more people considered that b4 making their opinion or posting based on assumption, myself included of course:frusty:

To clarify things, I personnally do not have a problem with people using crossbows to hunt with if they are legal to do so. I just don't see a need for them, which is to say that they are not for me. I also don't see a need for a .338 Laupa rifle (a little :rolleyes: overkill if you ask me), but if its something you want to use, go for it. I will say that I do not think that it should be allowed in archery season. I think that in order to be used during archery season, your bow should have to be drawn in the presence of the animal. If crossbow users were to agree to draw their bows in the presence of the animal, I wouldn't care if they used them during archery season. Deer see movement and alot of hunters are busted during the draw.

fx77, sorry, didn't see where you were from. I don't know about the deer in your area, but where I hunt, they look up all the time. I've seen them follow the jets in the sky as they flew low overhead (yes, I hunt around airports and military landing fields). I've been busted drawing my bow in a treestand. Just a thought.

I just wanted to add a little bit of information to the true archers that read this..

I made this same statement last year and it is 100% FACT..

1:You dont want X-bow's legal to hunt during regular archery season
The reason..there are many.
The main one is, and i hope and pray for you guys, it doesent get passed in your state like it did in our's

before X-bows were legel in archery season..there were 4 to 5 bow shops within 40miles of me and about 6 archery clubs ..so many like turkey shoots every sat and sun, it was awesome.

now after the law being passed..1 bow shop 45miles away..he carries 1/2 bows 1/2 Muzzleloaders and X-bows.and 2 archeryclubs 1, 25mls the other 40mls.

X-bows caused a decline in triditional and compounds sales by atleast 50% or even more.
why do you think that manufactures are trying to get the speed of the compound to get close or equal the X-bow..they wanna sell both.they dont want the compound to die.
X-bow"s are like rifles..onces set thats it...maybe with a yearly checking.
you dont need a pro shop anymore for and X-bow

My best friend owned one of the biggest archery shop and range that went out of bussiness the same october that X-bows were passed
about 1/2 the people that came into his shop dropped there compounds and picked up an X-bow because they were the type that just wanted to kill deer and were to lazy to fine tune the sport of Real Archery compounds and triditional.

I bought out his shop and moved it into a large shed behind my house.
had around 30 archer's that stopped by to shoot and i worked on there bows and made arrows. anything they needed with there tackle i got for them.

after what like 4-5 years of X-bows.

I see about 20 of the 30 that wont pick up a compound or recurve any more and laugh at me because i still shoot a compound.
i have about 5 maybe 6 guys stop by to still work on there bows now.
And they say..I CANT BELIEVE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR SPORT IN VIRGINIA...BOWHUNTING.....
STOP IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO YOU.
No bs....kenny

My opinion is that x-bows should have a season like muzzle-loaders (4 days a year) and/or it should be regulated to the person's age. Like over 65 or something like that.

Illinois changed things last season. It used to be thet you needed a proven medical condition to hunt with an x-bow. Now I believe it's anybody over the age of 65 can use one to hunt. I don't think I have an issue with that but I can tell you that I do NOT want x-bows being the norm out there for any yahoo that wants to just take the easy way out.

As far as ethics are concerned, you need to practice and you need to at least have a bit of a passion for the sport of archery. Either that or go get yourself a rifled barrell shotgun and take your game from 100 yards where the things cannot see or smell you.

That's a different game and a different world. I have friends that come show up all hard and such over a 130 pound doe they shot at 100 yards.

Who gives a crap ? Easy kill and requires little experience or passion to take a deer like that. X-bows fall into a similar category, although not quite the same. You still need to **** them and sight them in... With a relatively high power scope... That's simple stuff and an easy way out.

I hear ya Kenny and I definitely do not disagree with you.

Ron

I don't like them for hunting in archery season. Thats just my opinion. Maybe make them legal in gun season but not archery. They are legal here I believe in the late archery right now though.:peace:

I feel if its legal then use one.I consider a crossbow as i do a black powder rifle,its almost a one shot deal....much harder to reload than a bow.
Also for people who feel no need for a crossbow,what if you were a die hard bow hunter and lost the use of your leggs and you just couldnt use a bow,would you just give it up or latch on to a crossbow and get in them woods...you can talk all you want about how negative you think they are but until sommin happens to you its a different story...we all had to start bowhunting sometime and we either were tought or learned how from good people like this sight has,i see no difference in learning to shoot a crossbow..............:amen:

And yes i have shot them both..........

If I lost my legs, then I guess I have a medical reason to use one, but I have already learned the ethics of hunting with a bow. How to get close enough for an ethical shot, how to judge distance & how to track and recover downed game so I wouldn't feel as though I were getting over on any other "archer" in the woods.

If I lost my legs, then I guess I have a medical reason to use one, but I have already learned the ethics of hunting with a bow. How to get close enough for an ethical shot, how to judge distance & how to track and recover downed game so I wouldn't feel as though I were getting over on any other "archer" in the woods.

My point exactly,crossbows dont apply to untrained hunters only........:rockon:

I wanted to say..i hate what the game commision in Virginia has done,
in our month long archery season....i dont hate the X-bow.

To me the X-bow has a purpose ...to let handicap and seniors hunt during archery season...i had no problem with that.

The problem in our state..is when the rules change made it legal for any one to use and X-bow,the intire archery season..

another problem is this.

The sport of Archery In Virginia Is Dieing..
do you know why....I do...I see it every year..
I am in a hunt club that use to have 15 out of 35 members pick up there bows in october...now theres only 2 me and my son..and they laugh at us.
the rest have X-bows like strykers that throw a bolt at 410fps and they have been taking deer at out to 65yards..


The reason the sport is dieing is because of this...think about it!!!
When i was 16 i wanted to hunt in october to kill more deer and to try archery and i was following my cousin around who i thought was Fred Bear.
The guy Bowhunted everything...thats all he did..
But all i wanted to do is get an extra month in to hunt deer when they were all calmed down and no preasure on ..cause back then not many people bowhunted.

Get the picture. yet.

if X-bows were legal to everyone to hunt archery season back then..
I wouldnt be one of the few left that still has the Passion of true archery,to try to pass on to other people.

i hope you can see the bigger picture now..

If you want to kill deer and thats all fine...your very different than me.
If you want to be a bowhunter..Be one..like me..:amen:

First of all I like the Idea of this thread being brought back up as I enjoy seeing the differences of opinions as long as they are friendly.

Here in Missouri we can only use (during archery season) a cross bow if you are handicapped and have completed a special form and have medical documentation by the doctor. Then a special permit may be issued. But we also have a "primative" weapon season where a crossbow is permitted. We have no special inclusion for age in the crossbow permit process. I have to admit that I agree with their rules on this. Age, in itself, should not be considered a handicap

I just got off the 'phone with the Mo. Dept of Conservation checking my data as so I wouldn't be giving out false info and discovered that we also can get lifetime hunting and fishing permits (which I never knew).

All in all, I am kind of proud of Mo. in their Conservation and gun control rulings. :rockon:

Just this year in the state of Maine "they" made it legal to use a cross bow only during gun season. However, you must take a hunter safety course that is for cross bow only in order to hunt.
Archery season is still reserved for compound and traditional bows. In my opinion I like the set up as it is.

Right now as this thread goes on, Michigan is in the process of legalizing X- bows for archery season......what a shame.

If your 60 years old,or if your handycapped......no problem.


I believe this is going to be a big blow against archery in Michigan. :censored:

my thoughts on crossbows....:

I am using Ohio as my foundation of fundamental thoughts on the suject so relax. :hug:

Bow season starts the first of October for all practical purposes, gun season starts the week after thanksgiving and ends after 7 days. Bow season runs to February. Ban crossbows from the regular archery season and let them start hunting the Monday after gun season is over. Muzzleloader season is not relevant so I won't bring it up.

I would also like to see crossbows banned from IBO events but continued in ASA.

my thoughts on crossbows....:

I am using Ohio as my foundation of fundamental thoughts on the suject so relax. :hug:

Bow season starts the first of October for all practical purposes, gun season starts the week after thanksgiving and ends after 7 days. Bow season runs to February. Ban crossbows from the regular archery season and let them start hunting the Monday after gun season is over. Muzzleloader season is not relevant so I won't bring it up.

I would also like to see crossbows banned from IBO events but continued in ASA.


WOW....I am impressed:rockon:


Michigan's season doesn't run that long but that's a program that will give everybody a season.......I am going to pass it along to my state rep.....
thanks...it might not do any good but it can't hurt.

and in a matter totally unrelated to crossbows, for the love of God, I can't believe that some states actually hold their firearms season during the RUT. :frusty:

Trophy animals taken with a firearm during the RUT should go in the record books with an asterisks.

...and yeah, I would determine the rut for each state. In Ohio, I would make the RUT be 11/1-11/21.

I won't get into deer drives and high fence unless you people make me. :peace:

my thoughts on crossbows....:

I am using Ohio as my foundation of fundamental thoughts on the suject so relax. :hug:

Bow season starts the first of October for all practical purposes, gun season starts the week after thanksgiving and ends after 7 days. Bow season runs to February. Ban crossbows from the regular archery season and let them start hunting the Monday after gun season is over. Muzzleloader season is not relevant so I won't bring it up.

I would also like to see crossbows banned from IBO events but continued in ASA.

:clap2: An intelligent, well thought out answer...................Where did that come from? :noidea: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

:clap2: An intelligent, well thought out answer...................Where did that come from? :noidea: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

must have been one of the "good " voices.......

there are slob hunters using compounds and recurves too. I've worked in sporting goods retail and have sold guys new arrows or broadheads the friday night before hunting season started the next morning. just sayin.....:noidea:

there are slob hunters using compounds and recurves too. I've worked in sporting goods retail and have sold guys new arrows or broadheads the friday night before hunting season started the next morning. just sayin.....:noidea:

I don't believe this thread was an attack on anyone concerning thier thoughts on the usage of crossbows but was only asking our thoughts on the subject. Sure, one can find undesirables in all activities including archery. I've been involved in fishing tournaments that people cheated in and have seen many hunters in both archery and in firearms that have no business in the woods. I've also seen many people knowledgable in archery and in firearm hunting that have trashed thier campsites, left trash in the woods etc. Sad to say, but stupidity is also one of our human traits.

and in a matter totally unrelated to crossbows, for the love of God, I can't believe that some states actually hold their firearms season during the RUT. :frusty:

Trophy animals taken with a firearm during the RUT should go in the record books with an asterisks.

...and yeah, I would determine the rut for each state. In Ohio, I would make the RUT be 11/1-11/21.

I won't get into deer drives and high fence unless you people make me. :peace:


A little off subject but:tape:

Man....your on a roll now!!!

I don't know why oh why Michigan has to have fire arm season in the middle of the rut.
The hunting pressure during that time of year is making the does drop there fawns later and later.....last year during gun season there was a fawn that still had a faint look of spots to it....and yeap, some dip head shot it's mother already......nope, the fawn didn't make it through the winter, I found it dead in the middle of feburary in the middle of a field.:mad:

I don't believe this thread was an attack on anyone concerning thier thoughts on the usage of crossbows but was only asking our thoughts on the subject. Sure, one can find undesirables in all activities including archery. I've been involved in fishing tournaments that people cheated in and have seen many hunters in both archery and in firearms that have no business in the woods. I've also seen many people knowledgable in archery and in firearm hunting that have trashed thier campsites, left trash in the woods etc. Sad to say, but stupidity is also one of our human traits.

Well said Sir, well said.

The intent of bringing this thread back to the top was not to start a fight or cause arguments. The point was to see where peoples thought currently sat on the subject, seeing that crossbows are becoming more mainstream. We see them on TV not only as advertisements, but the hunting personalities are using them to kill game.

Maybe the question should be re-worded to:

Do you see a need for them?

What season should they be allowed in if they were/are legal? Should they have their own season?

Would you ever use one? Why/Why not?

"Where would America be without the "gun totting redneck"? , I belive what you ment to write was the word Toting; not totting as in relating to a small child or tot. Thank you.

Once you go beyond a stick & string the arrow rest, sights, cams, release aids, cross bows, ect. are all improvements to enhance the archery experience. Within that spectrum of options there are many classes of archery from wich to choose. Pick one or pick em all and enjoy.

I think the only time that someone should be using a cross bow is if they are over 60 or handicapped.. Bottom Line. They are trying to pass this law of legalizing crossbows in Alabama right now.. I think it is gonna pass but I sure dont want it to. I have been in to many shops and have seen to many people that I know can hunt with a bow, buying a crossbow. It makes me sick! :mad:

Why you picking on me? LOL. For the record I'm both 61 and temporarily disabled due to a crushed nerve in the neck. Last year I strugglerd to draw 15# and now I'm up to 45#. All my chronies said I should get a crossbow. I couldn't see the point. If I am going to aim something like a gun and pull a trigger like a gun then I'll just forego archery and get my guns back out.

I do agreee that the disabled should be allowed to use them, but they should not be allowed by just anybody who wants to simply put another pile of meat on the table.

I don't know. How do you tell a die hard archery hunter, who's been shooting a converntional bow for years that he can't go out any more because he can't draw a bow any more? It's really a tough call. That being said the whole deal is about money. There is a lot of money to be made by manufacturers and retailers. And who knows how many politicians get the pockets lined to side with those who are Pro-crossbow.

Hunting license sales have been slowly dwindling the last 10 years or so, so the game commissions see a chance to sell more licenses and make more money. Can't blame them in a way. Costs of everything goes up over time and they need to have more money to operate. They have to get it somewhere.

My choice not to use one is a personal one. For the money I could get a good rifle and scope and I already have a bunch of those that I don't use any more. Probably if I got to point of really needing to use a crossbow I would just quit hunting altogether. Besides, the woods would just get to crowded anyway. It's bad enough now around where I hunt.

I have no problems with crossbows being used to hunt..As long as they have their own season just like compound bows,muzzleloaders and rifles/shotguns do.

I live in Ohio where we have had a crossbow season for many years. I don't have a problem with people hunting with crossbows. I used one for a few years after I hurt my shoulder and couldn't pull a compound. Then when my boy's turned 8 years old I took them hunting with a crossbow. They couldn't have went if they couldn't use a crossbow. My one son is going to a compound this year as he can now pull 40# that makes it legal in Ohio. You guys that think crossbow hunting is like gun hunting are totally wrong. You still need to get close to make a good shot (35 or less yards). I don't like rifle hunting because you can kill deer at 300 -400 yards and they can't tell you are present. That is too easy. Don't knock crossbows if you are a rifle hunter. Give them a try and take those young kids hunting with a crossbow they will love it.

I dont have a problem with crossbows. for some people. I have noticed around most using crossbows are the ones that come around about a week before season with a hand full of mixed arrows and couldnt hit a pie plate at 20 yards. these people should not be allowed in the woods. disable, get one and learn to use it. as for age when I get old I might use one.

My opinion all bow hunters and crossbow hunters should have to pass a test proving they can shoot and hit the target. I know more guys hunting with bows that wound animals than I do crossbow hunters. It makes me sick to hear stories about tracking deer for hours. If they aren't capable of making clean shots they shouldn't be in the woods. My boy's (twins) have hunted for 3 years with a crossbow starting at 8 years old and killed deer 3 years in a row. None of them have went over 75 yards. This year the one is going to a compound bow. The other is sticking to the crossbow for another year.

its all what you believe .... i believe if u are physically able to use a bow then you should
my dad 3 years ago suffered eye injury that cost him his right eye since he is right hand/eye dominate this was a problem the state of IL said he had tho option to use a cross bow but instead he practiced and made the transition to L handed because he likes compounds so idk