A Must Read for All archers

The controversy between crossbows and traditional bows is explained rather nicely in this months addition of Outdoor Life, pg 46. Guys, check it out. It gives a state by state breakdown of when they can be used and what seasons they can be used in. It also shows which state are considering them in the leg. Some good and bad arguments also. 

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

When they say "traditional" bows are they including compounds in that or just recurve?

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

bowman,
compounds are included in the article. It is in the May issues of Outdoor Life, pg 46  They say that anybow drawn and fired by pulling back the string with fingers is considered into the traditional cat.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Controversy or no, I do think crossbows have their place. It does allow folks with injury or handicap to continue to enjoy the sport (read passion) of hunting without a gun. Myself, I have never even held a crossbow. But i just know that if something ever happened to me that wouldn't allow me to draw my bow, I love hunting enough that I certainly would entertain the idea.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

NAHC-L, NRA

I agree with you k. THEY HAVE THEIR PLACE.  The biggest controversy I see and read is that people that can use a reg bow and choose not to would still like to be classified as bowhunters and get the recognition as such. That dog does not hunt in my book. I take pride and pain in what I do as an archer and the sport should not be downgraded by guys that can and won't use the so called "Traditional" methods, meaning drawn by hand and shot by hand.  If someone is at the stage in life that they can no longer use a reg bow or has a handicap preventing them form using one, then by all means, come join me in the woods, but if you have the means and not the drive to do as we do, stay home.     MPO.    I bought my father one for his 65th b-day, so he would be able to hunt with me and got one for my wife due to her badly broken up shoulder and so she could also hunt with me.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I was in Walmart last night getting some provisions for my trip to Canada and I looked through the Outdoor Life that tx mentions. 
 
In the very first paragraph of the article,  it talks about how busy our lives have become -- leaving little or no time for our pastimes -- so able-bodied individuals/so-called "bowhunters" are cutting corners to save time by using crossbows instead of taking the time to practice and become proficient with their recurves, longbows and compounds.  To me this is wrong. 
 
If a person it "too busy" to practice to become proficient with a regular bow how the heck does that person find the time to put up tree stands/ground blinds, scout or to actually hunt?  Saying that there is no time to become proficient with a regular bow is a LAME excuse for choosing to use a crossbow over a regular bow.
 
That is a sign of our times.  Most people today want the easy way out -- the easy money, the easy lifestyle, etc.  The pride that people once had about "doing things the hard way" is gone.  That's pretty sad.  I would have a hard time hunting with anyone who chose a crossbow over a regular bow and used the lame excuse that there simply wasn't enough time to practice with a regular bow.
 
Crossbows do have their place as a viable hunting tool, but not in the same woods or in the same season as true bowhunters, especially if the person using the crossbow is healthy and able-bodied, and uses the LAME, PATHETIC, PITIFUL excuse that there is no time to practice with a regular bow.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve 
 
 

Heard that, Steve

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

NAHC-L, NRA

I agree that there is a place for cross bows but I belive they should be there own weapon for the books have little problem with sharing the woods with them I lived in Colorado and they just passed the cross bow  law allowing them to be used during bow season not just guns season. I now live in Ohio where there are a lot o cross bow hunters my father in law uses one he can't use a reglar bow due to injury...he did use a long bow for over 25 years. I would hate to be in his shoes and not be able to hunt if were injured like that. That being said I wokr night shift and have 3 kids and a wife I still find time to scout and pratice with my Hoyt.  I think if someone is to busy to put in the time to pratice they should stay out of woods or go gun hunting even a cross bow takes some proatcie to get proficent with it.   Don't want to get into a ****ing match because PETA and anti hunters want to divide and concer. so as hunters we need to stick together and agree to dissagree but stand together and keep defending our right to hunt.  Just my 3 cents worth.

elkhuntin:
 
Thanks for the input and we're glad to see you join in on the conversations.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

A good friend and hunting companion has had to resort to using a crossbow, and he only uses it because he can't pull his bow. He is an archery and deer hunting fanatic, but due to shoulder problems he missed the 2007 deer season and had to use a crossbow during the past season. Think I didn't give him a hard time about that, all in good humor. He has recently been released by the doc, but was told it was up to him wether or not he could manage shooting his bow. We have to get on him constantly about overdoing it, he won't slow down and we have concern that he could reinjure his shoulder. He is really trying to get built back up, but can currently only manage a 25# recurve well enough to shoot. If he has it his way he'll be back to his compound this year. Regardless we want him in the woods with us. The doc gave him a lifetime crossbow letter, but that's not the way he wants to go if he can help it. Crossbows are for those with a handicap (at least during the archery season), not those too lazy to become proficient with other archery equipment. I don't want to be in the woods with anyone not proficient in whatever method they are using to hunt.
Steve Albers

Steve:
 
I hope your friend recovers soon!  Tell him not to push it though as I personally learned the hard way that if you push your shoulder when it's injured it can go from bad to worse in a heartbeat.  If he pushes it too far it will take much longer for it to heal or he could mess it up for good. 
 
I sat out last fall because of my shoulder and it was not fun by any means.  It finally got to the point where I had to either rest it or I was going to need surgery to fix it.  I opted for the rest and I'm glad that I did.  He may have to put his pride aside and sit out this year if his shoulder can't take it.  Although, it may seem like an eternity, sitting out one of two years is better than being forced to use a crossbow for the rest of his life because he permanently messed up his shoulder.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve
 
 

I agree with Steve, don't let your friend push it to much. He can do more harm even after he has gotten all fixed up. I had to ease into it slowly and was able to finally get back in form. I would welcome him with me hunting anytime as long as he HAD to use the x-bow. It is like Steve said, those that use it as an excuse are pathetic and should not be considered bowhunters at all. Those that still want to hunt, but are unable to do it with reg archery equip. are welcome in my camp anytime. It is the others I have a hard time with. MPO

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I agree on the "overdo" part of the equation ... when I broke my wrist and the Dr. put in some plates and screws (yeah, I ring the buzzer mostly every time I go thru security checks) and he said, "Don't re-break it by overdoing, before it heals! There's NO WARRANTY on this fix-up deal!" (or words to that effect) ...

It's "fine" now, tho a twinge once in a while will remind me of the injury ... but stressing whut's healing is not a good program of PT, imho ...

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

I work in heavy industry, and I have problems with the cartilage in my shoulders, I have tendonitis in my wrists, and my back has scar tissue that pushes on my sciatic nerve when it's irritated. I miss many days hunting because I can't draw my bow, but I still don't qualify for the crossbow permit in this state. Last year I hunted 5 out of the 14 days I had set aside. I may be biased, but I say they should be allowed during the archery seasons nation wide. I would have loved to hunt more, and I cringe to book an outfitter because I may not be able to hunt at all during the time I book. I don't look for sympathy. I just want to be able to hunt, and I'd like to use whatever means it takes to stay in the woods. Surgery is my next step, but I don't look forward to it. All my doctors say that I won't be 100% after, but then I should qualify for the crossbow permit.

rjr,
Your doctor will not give you the release that you need to keep hunting with a x-bow? If you are that much in pain from all of your problems, man get it taken care of. I waited for yrs to have anything done for me and pay for it these days. Get-er-done man and I'll welcome you into my bowhunting camp anyday. I just get rubbed wrong when healthy individ's take the easy way out and want the same recognition that the rest of us get by doing nothing. We take our sport seroiusly and work hard for ea and every animal we harvest with our bows. The attention to detail is of utmost importance and in my opinion.  The lazy (HEALTHY) x-bow users do not have the same feelings as we do. If you have to use one to keep hunting, then by all means join us. You're welcome to come and hunt with me anyday. 

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

 I would love to hunt the early archery season again , but was injured in 93 tagging calves got flattened by the old cow, been doctors hospitals and pt ever since. currently in indiana one can xbow hunt Dec.6 to Jan 4  thats late bow season. it also overlaps muzzleloader season. Dec.6 to 21 cant see using xbow over my Thompson center encore. I do miss the early archery season. cant really see xbows making that much difference. theres always gonna be some people take advantage of it thats why we call them lazy @sses.   Bill

Agreed..................get better man so you can get back out there with the rest of us enjoying the hunting season, start to finish. 

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Personally I think crossbows make it too easy. I know the traditional shooters will say the same thing about a compound. However, we still have to draw the bow back and hold it. How many times have you guys been busted while drawing your bow back? I don't have a problem with handicapped people or seniors using them during bow season, but I do have a problem with lazy people using them.

I did a hunt this last weekend on a ranch here in Tx and just as I started to draw my bow, I had a blackbuck fawn pop her head up and stare at me in my stand. I just kept praying, "please don't bust me, please don't bust me". It was the slowest draw in my life and I was praying to get it broke over. Once broke over, it was a breeze.  LOL  If I had been using a x-bow, it would have been a no brainer.  I got the shot off on a nice blackbuck antelope.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

They legalized crossbows here in PA this year. It's such a mixed bag of emotion as to whether or not i agree. On one hand it is just another form of archery, don't forget that some traditional archers don't like to share the woods with compounds. It is nice for some people that just can not pull back enough weight to hunt with.
On the other hand, does this put everyone else at a disadvantage? And i hope people don't think they can shoot at animals at far distances because of the high pull weight of crossbows.
Either way u feel you still have to remember to stand united with all ethical hunters!

Love hunting, but love your family more.