A point in favor of crossbow use.

[str8shooter_usa]

I'd like to make a point in favor of Crossbow use by the elderly and hunters with disabilities. Sure, most have all heard the arguments for using adaptive equipment on compound bows to help in the drawing back and holding the string until released, few think about the following though. Those of us who don't need to use wheelchairs and so cannot erect a clamping device on them to negate the bow's weight find holding the bow steady just before the shot to be a bit testy. Oh I can draw it back pretty well when all it takes is a quick release for a target shot when practicing. The difficulty comes in drawing it back at the right moment so as not to show movement in the field and then waiting like that until the deer decides to offer me the proper shot. My arms get pretty shaky holding that bow. I figure with a crossbow, I could use some type of shooting rest, much like a gun hunter uses, to alleviate the wavering back and forth. I mean I want to make a good humane shot like everybody else. A good shot may insure that tracking is minimal. That's a good thing when one is tracking on an ATV. To me anyway, it seems that with the big push New York and other states are making to get more hunters in the field, they are shooting themselves in the foot over this issue. Does anybody else feel the same way? Do you agree with my reasoning or no? And, if not, why not?

Rob

[GF.]

I disagree.


The difficulty comes in drawing it back at the right moment so as not to show movement in the field and then waiting like that until the deer decides to offer me the proper shot. My arms get pretty shaky holding that bow.

And your point was....:hmmmm:

I'd suggest that you not raise that complaint when talking bowhunting with a tradshooter..... Being forced to wait until the opportune moment to drawanchorrelease is just part of what bowhunting is all about.

I'm not aware of any state that prohibits crossbow use by disabled hunters during archery season, though the definition of 'disabled' may vary from state to state. JMO, if a guy can draw any bow of reasonable hunting weight to his anchor point, he's not in any way 'disabled' as a bowhunter. The wheelchair piece might get interesting, though; I know of wheelchair athletes who could probably hold a 130-pound tradbow at full draw from now 'til Sunday if they felt a need to do so, and the fact that they have difficulty moving through the woods would - as a stand-alone consideration - by no means (IMO) be any justification for allowing them the use of a crossbow. On the other hand, a guy with a trashed rotator cuff who can't budge a 40 pound bowstring off of his stringstopper clearly qualifies for a crossbow permit even if he's a high-altitude, off-trail ultramarathoner by profession.


But unless I've misunderstood.... You're not wheelchair-bound, and you obviously don't qualify for a crossbow permit under any 'disability'; you just have a limitation when it comes to how long you can hold your bow at full draw. As do we all. BFD. And you're using the old 'humane shot' argument as a basis for dropping the disability requirement for crossbow use. Well..... horsechitt, bro. If it's not going to be a clean kill, then don't shoot. If you don't want to bowhunt - with all that comes with it - then use a freakin' gun. They even have a special season set aside for that.

So by now you probably think I'm just another damn 'elitist' tradshooter who's still pissed off about compounds. Well, yes, no, and what's that got to do with anything? Look - There are plenty of states with whitetail overpopulation issues, and the main thing they all have in common is this: lots and lots of posted, private land. Places like that, the biggest obstacle to adequate herd reduction is the question of who has access to the private land - the problem lies in how many deer those few individuals are willing to take. If crossbows will get the gun-only hunter (with good private land access) to get out and cull a few extra does every season, then crossbows should be allowed by anyone willing to put one to good use. Doesn't matter if it's an otherwise competent bowhunter who can bag a few more by not getting busted on the draw or a guy who never would have even considered hunting with a vertical bow but figures a crossbow is close enough to a firearm to give it a go; the point is to kill more does until the herd is restored to balance with the habitat, and one guy with a crossbow, the willingness to use it on does and tresspass rights beats the snot out of a whole army of compound & trad shooters who can only stand back and drool at the easy opportunities that lie on that locked-up real estate. The 'Real Bowhunters' can P&M all they like, but if the goal is resource management, then you get the job done by whatever tool is most effective.

Just not on hard-hit public land where hunter density is plenty high enough during the bow season already and - in most cases - success rates are pretty low to begin with..

JMO, the ideal solution is this: give September and at least the first half of October over to the trad shooters, free and clear; come November (or mid-October), bring on the compounds, and on December first, crossbow shooters are welcome too, provided that they take two does prior to each and every buck that they tag. Compound & trad shooters, cartridge shooters and MLers alike are allowed 1 buck unless/until they've shot 2 does, at which point they earn a bonus. Stockpiling punched doe tags during earlier seasons would be not only permitted, but encouraged.

Anyway, that's a whole new topic. Main thing here is that there is no restriction on crossbow use for disabled hunters in any state I've ever heard of, so I guess I have no idea what your point is. A cynical guy might think you were bringing this up as a 'disability' issue just to sneak it through the back door under the guise of being high-minded and generous... :hmmmm:

So not only do I disagree, I'm not even convinced that you're being all that 'straight' with anybody, including yourself.

[swamp]

crossbows are noiser and less effiecient than a compound bow... crossbow being about 60% effiicient, compound bow about 85% efficient so I've heard...

[Luke]

I've been hunting from a wheelchair for a long time now since a spinal inhury years ago. I have limited arm movement as well as no hand function. I use a draw-lok setup mounted to the armreswt of the chair, it holds my compound bow. I've taken a bunch of deer with it. I live in NY so I can only target shoot a crossbow. (new regs. to take effect soon but I think archery season is still off limits...why?)
That being said, I know my limitations better than anyone, some hunting situations, like a tight ground blind may be better suited for a crossbow. Whats the big deal? Hunt your own way... Whats next, a special season for spears? Handguns? If it works for hunting, is ethical, legalize it. All this fighting is ridiculous and exhausting. I started archery hunting with a recurve in 1975, each weapon has its own mystique, I understand that . I think we need to hunt the way we want and stop judging other methods as long as they are safe & legal. Crossbows are effective hunting implements, I won't give up my bow but I wish I could choose between the 2, compound or crossbow during archery season depending on the situation. I own a bow and a crossbow and I'm not afraid of either one.

[DaveHawk]

crossbows are noiser and less effiecient than a compound bow... crossbow being about 60% effiicient, compound bow about 85% efficient so I've heard...

Not that way any longer Swamp. The new technology is such that the crossbow is pin point accurate and lightning speeds. Silencers have come along way to quite the bows. You should try one sometime.

[swamp]

most bowhunters dont want to share their season with the crossbow crowd and for good reasons

[DaveHawk]

Swamp, so what is the good reason?
Where I hunt I don't run into other hunters so no one is around and in the back yards I don't have hunter walking up to me in the tree stand telling me I am intruding on there bow season.

The crossbow controversy is all but over. Most guys who can pull a bow will do so. The lazy will not. I confess crossbow made me relax on practicing there just is not the need to once your dialed in. But I have not been able to pull a bow for 30 years.