WHAT ARE OTHERS "OPINIONS" TOWARDS CROSSBOWS?

I have a distinct distain for crossbows! There was a time in our state, when only the severely physically challenged could use one. Then, a lobbist for the crossbow industry sweet talked the Michigan legislature and now crossbows are being used during the archery season (except late season) by anyone who can buy a license.
I have been blasted by other "archery sites" by voicing my opinion. I have no problem with someone who is severely physically challenged to where they cannot draw a bow to be able to use one. I do, however, get extremely perterbed when I see a person capable of drawing amodern compound bow opt out to do it the "easy"way, then call themselves an archer or be proud that they hunt during the archery season with a crossbow.
What are your viewpoints/ opinions?

Well I had wondered how long it would it would take for this topic to come up. I want you all to know that I thought long & hard about if I should/should not allow anything crossbow related into this forum.

As I've said, I'm a trad bow extremist . The ONLY bow I'll shoot is a custom Rick Welch DAKOTA PRO HUNTER. HOWEVER, I truly want OUR forum to be a brotherhood of "ARCHERS". That's why there is a compound & a longbow in the forum pic, at the top of the page. The trad guys here are my brothers, & you wheelie bow guys are my first cousins , We're all family to me.

I will go on public record and I will quote myself, " If a person is physically capable of shooting a recurve or compound, I see no reason for them to shoot a crossbow. HOWEVER, that's his/her business, right, & choice if it's *LEGALLY* available to him/her. It's really none of my business.

I would rather see an able bodied person in the woods hunting responsibly with a crossbow, than see that same person involved in a P.E.T.A. protest in front of a deer processing facility. I WILL NOT JUDGE! TO EACH HIS/HER OWN."- Dave Mullins.

I know this is a "HOT TOPIC". Voice your opinions, but please remember the rules.

I agree Dave. I just want opinions, not too much heat. I just wanted to know how others felt. I spent a considerable amount of time becoming an archer. You being a tradtionalist knows better than anyone how much time it takes to be proficient with your bow. That goes for compound users as well. One does not pick it up and expect to hunt realistically the first time firing it. I feel that they (crossbows) should have their own season or be put in a season reasonably close to the weapon that they resemble. (i.e. they have more in common with a rifle than bow, thus put them into rifle/ muzzleloader season.)

im sort of split with this. I personally do not favor them for anyone other than disabled beings...BUT the times we have with anti hunter we in a way better be glad we have that extra few people out there to help keep hunting going. Now i in no means support them for anyone other than those that can not draw a bow...but i agree that if they are going to have them a season they need to be put within a gun season.

Touchy subject, for older, or handicap, would like to see a seperate tag,or permit, for all archery season use, Than maybe a shorter season for the rest of the x-bow users, I think they are a much easier to kill with,(no drawing ect.) pretty much a slower gun with a long bullet. And gotta be less rewarding to the user than a wheels, or stick. Like stated above tho, if it's legal, it's a personal preference, and adds to the #'s of hunters. I have noticed more ,and more hunters on the public land where i hunt , with the newer, more modern x-bows they have now,

Modern crossbows have morphed into 400fps. 80 yd. accurate killing machines! Heck PSE has one that is built on a AR platform and I've been told by the dealer that it can be as accurate as 110yds consistantly. Sure is a far cry from the recurve crossbows that were first available! I find no skill involved except than to be able to sight the weapon in and shoot. There is no anticipation of when to draw, if busted at full draw, having to hold the bow at full draw until one can fire or at least let down. There is no practice sessions to learn the nuances of your bow, traditional or compound.
I know that I, being a physically challenged archer had to practice alot to be proficient with my equipment. Then I added a recurve into the fray and had to learn over again. I guess it bothers be that some would boast about harvesting an animal with a crossbow and try to claim to be an archer. I feel we true archers have the advantage over a crossbow in many ways. We also earn that title of bowhunter/archer thru our diligence to practice and our passion for the sport.

I don't care for crossbows myself, but to each his own.
If a person is capable of drawing a medieval longbow, should they be allowed to use a 60# compound with 80% letoff?

I'm from Ohio and we have had crossbows legal the longest. I have hunted with a crossbow for one season after I broke my shoulder in a motorcycle accident and could not draw a trad bow. I used to be dead set against the crossbow. I still feel it breeds stupidity but one thing I am finding out is that some xbow guys who start out that way get bored with it and they want to try the compound or traditional archery. These guys turn into bow hunters. The battle to keep them out of archery seasons is all but lost. They have the big bucks backing them and they get heard...just like politics. I am starting to embrace crossbow hunters with the hope that they will get interested in either the compound or traditional in the future. I'm not saying if you can't beat em join em, I'm saying if you can't beat em convert em.

I don't have any probs. with crossbows. I do think that every state should require crossbow hunters to pass an educational program or have a background in archery hunting. Too many ppl think that a x-bow is a rifle that shoot arrows. If you don't understand the concept of harvesting game by means of bloodloss vs trauma then you need some education before taking to the woods with a crossbow. Just my opinion .....................DC

This is a beat the dead horse topic thats been bouncing around on most of the hunting forums long enough for most of us to remain calm about repeating what we`ve already said elsewhere.

I`m not a fan myself,but my wife hunts with a crossbow.She was actually a handicap hunter from back in the permit days due to several hernia surgeries.

That said, I really don`t care what you hunt with.but, but the fact remains they are much easier to use and hunt with than a compound or trad bow. My wife proves this over and over by hunting from the ground like a gun hunter and slaying deer after deer. I think this is where a lot of the tensions are created.

Now I shoot a compound, but I`ll be the first to admit that this is much easier to master that a longbow or recurve. But many times the crossbow hunter won't admit that his weapon of choice is easier than other styles of bows. When bowhunters make statements like "A crossbow is easier" it bruises the ego of a crossbow hunter, and starts conflict.

Anyway, I`d be the first to support their inclusion, in separate seasons. I would also support the adoption of seasons for traditional bows only, and if I wanted to hunt those seasons, I would accept the challenge of mastering that particular weapon. I do not support the inclusions of crossbows during seasons reserved for bow hunting only,unless they are being used by persons who are not able to physically use a compound or traditional bow.

msaskins wrote:I don't care for crossbows myself, but to each his own.
If a person is capable of drawing a medieval longbow, should they be allowed to use a 60# compound with 80% letoff?

I have thru countless hours of P.T. worked to draw my #57 recurve and shoot it instinctively with both hands. On the other hand, I have also worked countless hours to shoot a compound with my teeth as I lack th estrength in my left shoulder to hold, draw and shoot a bow right handed. I draw and shoot a 60% let off 65# cam bow using my neck and teeth also learning to shoot left-handed. At the time I got interested in archery, I wasn't handicapped enough to qualify for a crossbow permit. My choices were to either shoot with my teeth or use a device that held the bow at its let-off so all I had to do was pull it back and shoot. I opted for learning how to shoot with a tooth tab. I got upset about crossbows when I saw perfectly able individuals buying the top o' the line crossbows and bragging about going bowhunting. I feel they should be lumped into rifle or muzzleloader season or making a season for them. Once again, the only thing a crossbow has in common with a bow is the bow itself.

This is a reason why i now hunt big chunks of public land. If I do see hunters way back in there is a good chance they are not lugging in a heavy crossbow.

I am in the same able bodied mentality as many here. No problems with disabled hunters, etc. It is getting tough as many of my friends now have interest crossbows. It is a pill I have to swallow. At the end of the day we are all hunters and trying to provide for our families.

I do cheat though and use a compound but recently acquired a recurve.

Northwoodslayer wrote:

msaskins wrote:I don't care for crossbows myself, but to each his own.
If a person is capable of drawing a medieval longbow, should they be allowed to use a 60# compound with 80% letoff?

I have thru countless hours of P.T. worked to draw my #57 recurve and shoot it instinctively with both hands. On the other hand, I have also worked countless hours to shoot a compound with my teeth as I lack th estrength in my left shoulder to hold, draw and shoot a bow right handed. I draw and shoot a 60% let off 65# cam bow using my neck and teeth also learning to shoot left-handed. At the time I got interested in archery, I wasn't handicapped enough to qualify for a crossbow permit. My choices were to either shoot with my teeth or use a device that held the bow at its let-off so all I had to do was pull it back and shoot. I opted for learning how to shoot with a tooth tab. I got upset about crossbows when I saw perfectly able individuals buying the top o' the line crossbows and bragging about going bowhunting. I feel they should be lumped into rifle or muzzleloader season or making a season for them. Once again, the only thing a crossbow has in common with a bow is the bow itself.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't know where you can draw the line.
To a guy who is strictly traditional, a compound can be seen as a crutch for someone who doesn't want to be proficient with a stickbow (no rest, sights, release, etc).
To the wheelbow guy, he see's the xbow as the same thing.
I just don't see where one hunter can say that what I do is OK, but what you're doing is over the line if both are legally and ethically chasing their game.
Some guys don't care about being a purist.
They see the xbow as an instrument that can help them get more meat on the table during the long archery season without spending countless hours on a 3D range perfecting their skills.
That's what I was getting at . . . Not everyone's dedication to archery is the same as mine or yours.
It's not my cup of tea, but it's just another tool to kill a deer and if someone want's to use it that's their decision.

I see your point. I realize that we must stick together as hunters. I also realize that when we isolate or attack if you will another form or method of hunting it is a slippery slope! One faction will say if you work to stop my method then I'll work to stop your's and before you know it, no one is hunting. I guess I was venting a little as I witnessed an increase in these x-bow sales, with guys who are capable of shooting either recurve or compound taking the easy road. Therein is my problem with x-bows. Like many things in our society, it is the "I want it now no matter what" syndrome.

I normally shy away from these discussions but, I think Dave summed up my feelings. As long as a person is hunting legally and morally, we are all together in preserving our hunting rights and heritage.

I have no problem with them at all. If it gets more people in the woods then I'm all for any legal method of hunting

Ok, Here's where I make enemies... Let the arrows fly and I'll Bleed RED, WHITE AND BLUE

IMOA, there is nothing wrong with xbows, Yes they are bows and rifles to make a very good weapon for hunting. I'm very happy States are starting to let everyone use them and I feel everyone should be able to use them if they wish.

I'm a Trad Archer and love My Bows. I will not talk down on anyone that uses a xbow, compound bow, handgun, shotgun smokepole or any type of rifle. If You don't like them, O-WELL Your bad!!!

To Me it like this... Do any of these hunting tools make You happy? If you don't like a type of music do You change the station? If You don't care for any type of hunting weapon, Why bad mouth it?

We are all in a Brotherhood.. The Brotherhood of hunters. Don't we have a hard time right now with ppl from PETA, USHS ???? So why in Hell do we need to fight with eachother over what type of gear They use...

If You feel You don't like them... DON'T USE THEM. If You must bad mouth someone for using them, Then Your no hunter and should give it up ASAP..and never go hunting again because We don't need You in this sport (Using that term loosely).

Many years ago, All Archers had to fight this same fight. What I mean is.. When Non-Natives started to hunt with bows here in the USA the firearms hunters bad mouth them... Those Bows can't kill a deer, How can You use something like that? Your not a real hunter because Your using a toy to hunt with.. That is very unethical to use them on any type of game animal.

Then the compound bows came out and it was again a fight. This time Trad archers and firearms users doing the fighting. Now we have xbows hit the seen. Back when they first made xbows they found out they are just as good if not better to be used for hunting and Killing of Man and beast.

I have a friend that told me "I don't like bows, but I would try a crossbow" OK, it's like a rifle. You can easily use one if You never shot a bow or firearm before. I can see someone starting out with a xbow and moving to a Hand held bow. I don't mean to rant, But I get made when I see SO CALLED HUNTERS FIGHTING WITH OTHERS THAT WANT TO USE WHAT IS LEGAL HUNTING GEAR.

Hate Me if you want for saying what I said.. I don't care... I'm behind EVERYONE that hunts legally and with any type of weapon They want to Use.. If You feel You must hate anyone for using any type of weapon other then You Use, Then Please don't post in any of My Threads or MP Me, email Me or even talk to Me..

As for crossbows, to each his own. Will I be buying one, not that I can see, but I'm not going to prevent someone else from owning one. Maybe it creates a little more revenue that goes toward keeping our public land nice from people that may not have bought a license otherwise. I own a compound and a longbow. Archers and bowhunters understand the difficulty involved with each type of bow, and have a respect for those individuals' abilities accordingly. I'm not going to criticize someone for hunting with a crossbow, traditional, compound for that matter because a hunter has to be skilled or lucky enough to get an animal in the weapons effective range. Once again I understand the difficulty involved with each weapon and respect each person's abilities accordingly.