Not all that adverse to the bow crew...but my way would be to pick your weapon...You either hunt bow or rifle...but not both. Crossbow???? Well it used to be one had to have a Dr's excuse, but the liers on both sides made the GC give in.. Now half the "bow" hunters are really crossbow hunters...What a joke....
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Have you ever hunted with, or even shot a crossbow? After almost three seasons with one, I can assure you there’s no magic in one. While they are decidedly easier to shoot accurately, there’s no ballistic edge to them, and no range advantage over compounds. Don’t fall for the marketing hype showing them fired from a benchrest at distant targets.The high arc and susceptibility to wind deflection and contact with brush remain, as does the need to wait for a broadside shot and avoid heavy bones in most cases. They’re also noisy, and if anyone ever gets a second shot with one, it’d be a miracle. Check the kill figures from the PGC before you decide on how they’re hurting your hunting.
I talked with a “Professional Bowhunter” from Kentucky once (which apparently meant he paid a fee, and got a wallet card) who was all up in arms about his state allowing rifle hunting during the rut. Said it was going to ruin deer hunting in KY. That was 20 years ago, and KY has a reputation for trophy bucks that rivals some of the better-know states. In reality, he was just being selfish and wanting it all his way, typical of people who hunt or fish one way, and would like to exclude others from access to the land or water they use.
One thing I have noticed on the small public parcel I hunt here is that most hunters put in a few hours in the morning, and then leave. I hunt about a mile back, and when I come out around noon, the parking lot is mostly or entirely empty. A few days into the season I may have the whole 600 plus acres to myself. Same thing goes during the archery season, except there are far fewer hunters to begin with. Not going to kill many deer hunting that way. I put in 12 half-days with my xbow before I killed a small buck, and only saw three other deer total, one of which offered a poor shot, which I declined. Saw some deer on the rifle opener, including three bucks, but had no shot. Been back about 5 times since, and haven’t seen a hair. I strongly suspect they’ve gone to heavy cover, and/or private land, and also become nocturnal, so if I really want more deer, I believe I’m gonna have to hit the bushes instead of sitting and waiting for one to come by.
