3 and 5 year licenses and crossbows

[Chas0218]

There was a study in PA it was in outdoor news 3 seasons ago they allowed crossbow hunting during archery first year ~14% of deer were taken, next ~28% the next 46%. There was a growing trend as well as the amount of deer taken but license sales went up Lee's than 10% total over the 3 year period. That tells me it increases the odds of the Hunter. The conservation police copped out and said it wasn't enough time to really tell if crossbows are responsible for fewer gun season harvests after each of the following archery seasons.

I think they just didn't want to admit I they let the bear out of the cage without adding any limitations to it.

My wife pulls and shoots her 2006 bowtech at 52lbs. Without any problems all she does is practices which builds her muscle up where she can pull it. It works the same way with r every person. I can see having surgery and not being able pull back a bow but with the technology out there today you can shoot a bow down to 40 lbs. and still humanely kill a whitetail.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[King Slammin]

I only gun hunt 2 or 3 times a yr. However I bowhunt 20-30 times each season. It's hard. You have to practice, spend time scouting, set your stands just right, be mindful of your scent, read the deers behavior, wait for the right moment to draw back, sometimes hold it for 2-3 minutes, let down and draw again, and make that perfect shot when it arises. That's too much for those that don't want to put the work in and keeps those people out of the woods. Deer move naturally during bow season and aren't running scared or nocturnal like they are after opening day of gun season. A crossbow is a gun. It takes most of the hard work and skill out of archery hunting and will therefore lead to more people pushing deer on drives, and leaving undue scent and pressure on an otherwise undisturbed property. This should never be allowed during archery season unless someone is disabled.

[3feathers]

I didn't think deer were that stupid to just walk up to a crossbow hunter and let hemselves get shot..But the compound hunter has to study, do push ups and get to in shape, then study all the moves the deer makes b4 they get a shot.. Something don't sound right there. ..Maybe the Pa deer aren't as smart as NY deer..Or maybe Pa hunters are just smarter.. 

[Fish Hunter]

When compounds cam to the market, the recurve guys were sayin' the same thing, unfair, cheaters, etc.

You still have to play the wind, stand placement, scouting, and if the crossbow hunters don't do the above, they may as well carry a sharpened stick with them.

I wouldn't sweat it, there will be used crossbows in the local classifieds after they find you still need to know how to hunt.

[King Slammin]

I just know how the guys around here hunt with a gun in their hands. They get 4 or 5 people to push the thickets out to 4 or 5 guys waiting to shoot them as they come barreling out of there. More deer get wounded this way and the actual hunting gets shut down. This will happen if crossbows are allowed during archery.

[Chas0218]

I just know how the guys around here hunt with a gun in their hands. They get 4 or 5 people to push the thickets out to 4 or 5 guys waiting to shoot them as they come barreling out of there. More deer get wounded this way and the actual hunting gets shut down. This will happen if crossbows are allowed during archery.

Sounds like you're hunting down here in Steuben county. I don't own property but now hunt and gun hunt my buddy's property and firing gun good luck seeing any deer on it after they start to push deer. On my family property we never push and see deer the entire gun season. I look at it this way the proof is in the pudding. I have tried different techniques and so far mine seem to pay off better for me.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[3feathers]

I really don't think you'll have to worry about crossbow hunters getting together to form drives. as they are bulky to carry through the woods while on a drive...Also It would be more likely to shoot from a stand, as its killing range isn't much over 30 yds, and be almost impossible to cock it and get a 2nd shot...  Besides NY and Pa have deer herds that actually could use some thinning out so a few extra hunters mite not be so bad...Consider this from what I've heard NY state is going to or already has started steriling the doe population..If thats true then u hunters will have numbers going down next couple years and not because of crossbow hunters.

[King Slammin]

Chas I hunt in niagara county where I live. I have several small wood lots of 30 acres or less that my 14 yr old and I bow hunt. The deer are spooked very easily here with minimum pressure. He saw 10 doe and a buck opening evening of bow. He shot one and missed the other. Saw 2 deer from that stand the rest of the season. Once people start shooting at everything that moves and push deer from one block to the next, it's over. I've had to harvest 4-5 deer each bow season to feed my family and its hard enough. Start pushing these woods in bow season and I'll be buying beef again.

[tbulhead]

Maybe they should just have a primitive recurve bow season for all those purists for the first two weeks of October.  Then the youth hunt.  Then open it up for compounds and crossbows.  End of debate.

[King Slammin]

Or just allow crossbows during reg season. It's a gun after all.

[Dominic100#]

Or we can stop fighting each other... hunting is hunting... we should fight to keep that right... the leftwing would love to take our guns...do you actually think they will stop with that?? Bows will be next ... we need to stick together as outdoors people... hunt how ever you want to... its a choice... just like live bait and artificial baits

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[High Bidder]

This discussion of the use of crossbows is one my group of buddies have each year. As the landowner I set the rules of hunting there. And things change, however I change. When I was younger I didn't  allow 4 wheeler's on my property. I now use one because I can no longer carry my treestand and equipment up the mountain. Is that an unfair advantage? We all use bows,( my rule) but I had to lower my draw weight from 70lbs to 55lbs because my shoulder is wearing out. This year I had trouble drawing the bow even at that weight. At some point I will probably switch to a heavy, cumbersome crossbow and I'll have to change my rules again or give up archery hunting. I don't believe that crossbows increase your odds of getting close to a deer. But they might increase your odds of cleanly killing that deer. But there are a lot of things that increase our odds of getting a deer, such as scopes, better insulated and waterproof clothing, hand warmers, synthetic scent blockers, etc. But most of us don't consider these items as unfair advantages. I am from PA where crossbows are legal.

[Fish Hunter]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Sanitarium]

Maybe instead of bow or archery season it can be re-named non-fire arm season. I think we can all agree a crossbow is not a firearm..right?!

I can see concern for more hunting pressure in some areas when xbow passes thats the only con i see. Dont we all have to deal with hunting pressure anyway even if its self inflicted!

I like to be a successful hunter and put some meat in the freezer. if using an xbow can help me achieve this while saving time off bank for fishing and family time then i look forward to taking advantage of it.

Just my 2 cents.

[wnyfisherman]

I 100% agree with Dominic's statement. Hunting is is what it's all about. I understand we all have our opinions, but we need to stand together. I've spent a lot if years bow hunting and love the sport, but don't want to lose the opportunity all together. The only thing we need to fight are the Liberal bastards that want to take away all of our rights not only as hunters but AMERICANS!

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[Tall Tails]

We do need to stand together I will agree to that.  But mark my words... The rednecks will do deer drives with these crossbows during the Non Gun season...