Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting New York Bowhunter Poll.

I've recently read that there has been talk in Albany about allowing the use of Crossbows in our State. Are you for or against this Idea and Why?

I'm for the idea. I hunt with some older guys who can't pull the bow anymore and it galls me that they have to sit out our pathetic little bow season up north and wait for mzload. I grew up in Ohio and the use of crossbow there has not adversely effeted deer hunting. Ofcourse, Ohio has common sense game laws, bag limits unlike NYS.

I have zero experience with xbows. My question for the guys that are too old or in poor health and can't pull a vertical bow is how do they cock the xbow and hold it steady enough for the shot? Also, do they use them in tree stands, seems kind of difficult.

I have a feeling most of the people using the xbow will be the ones that are too lazy to practice with the vertical bow and will go into the woods with no knowledge of the capabilities of the weapon or themselves resulting in more wounded and lost game.

In the end, I would bet NYS will allow it at some point in all archery seasons for the increased license revenue.

I am not against crossbows however they have no place in the archery season. if the state wants to open a crossbow season that is ok as long as it isn't part of the archery season.

+1

I am against it

For the handicapped it would be fine or during general firearm season...

I for one wish we could use Cross Bows. I injured my shoulder and had to give up bow hunting 6 years ago.

A crossbow is no more a bow than a 30-06 is a muzzleloader. No place for them during archery season in my opinion. Florida's trying to push the same bunch of crap. If your handicapped you can use a crossbow in Florida during archery season.

what would an original american indian say???? most likely hunger would be the motivation. but thats not the issue. we live in a land of opportunity and 'rights". lets all believe that we have to respect others viewpoints and needs. a compound is nomore a "bow" than the original long "stick", than is the recurve, than is an xbow. but that is also not the issue. apples to apples, the compound will outperform an xbow(physics) in the total hunting perspective (distance, draw wt, speed, shaft wt, broadhead design, expertise,) does it really matter if the hunter in the next woodlot is using "your" legal weapon of choice. not your decision only your opinion. so what if he "misses" the fun,commitment,satisfaction,challenge, of practice. so what if he just takes it off the rack and harvests aan animal it wasnt your animal and it wasnt your hunt just be thankful that a fellow sporstman involved himself (her)in our activity and contributed to the future of what we all hope to preserve. the choice to hunt or not. leave the how to the individual .its also their land of opportunty!

dcd
Good stuff.
I favor the use of the xbow.
Jim

This is for you NY guys to decide.
I still prefer my Hoyt bow, but didn't hesitate to buy a crossbow when PA made them legal last year. Many myths were dispelled, as those from Ohio were telling us.
--The woods didn't get overcrowded, the archery success rate went up only slightly and our overall deer kill went DOWN for 2009. The deer herd didn't get "devastated" as many feared.
Many young kids were able to harvest their 1st deer ever with the crossbow and I saw more than a few photos of kids hunting with their grandparents. Who wouldn't like that?

I could pull a 100 LB bow back if I had to and cocked my 200 LB crossbow by hand a few times, but so what? He-man stength doesn't mean I should be hunting with a recurve only. lol
Crossbows a fun. Not as fun as a bow, but enjoyable.

Around my area, gun hunters wound more deer by far, season after season.

the more we have hunting the more money is spent for support.not everyone who buys a crossbow will stay with it.there as heavy or heavier than some guns.the speed is what sells them.but to shoot 300 fps a 70 lb. bow verses a175 lb cross bow plus noisey most people will have to buy a cocking device .but lets not gripe and welcome all who want to keep hunting .

Hawken.., What have you been reading, and what exactly is being said ? I would like to know what is being said there in Albany, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this interest.

I do like to hunt with my compound, and would also like to shoot instintively with a long bow and be proficient enough to hunt with one.

Yet, I also have an interest in the Crossbow.

In the end, it is the broadhead that does the actual blood letting, so it matters not as to how it is propelled to me.

I would support the use of the Crossbow for hunting.

I been hunting (bow) for more then 40 plus years and now at 63 years old I may only have a few years left:the shoulders are almost gone .I like bow hunting started with a long bow and then upgraded to the first allen and so on.I have nothing against a cross bow hunter in the regular bow season.I wish n.y. would start a M/l season early like most states the black powder late in n.y. is ruff weather is cold not many hunter pushing the deer
in late season or on the other hands after the opening day not many hunters left in the woods.

i am definitely for a crossbow/archery combination season. i'm still pretty efficient with my browning but it gets tougher as you get older. i would only imagine that most of the people who are against crossbows are of the younger set. i've been bowin' most all my life and do not relish the idea of not being in the woods early fall because i am unable to draw anymore.

-ken

ken take a close look at who is against crossbows! do they use longbows (traditional). what is (was) their position on compounds when mr allen arrived on the scene. why does an organization that "claims" its membership is against crossbows (never asked my opinion when i was a member)have so much "political" leverage? this minority strength is a sad and dangerous situation! last i checked i still lived in a country that protects "reasonable" choices. take ontario county, just because rifles are likely now legal i dont have to use one. same for crossbow. if yhou dont like them dont use one. your privledge to choose is being fought and died for this very moment. in the scheme of life is this crossbow issue that important. do you really care and more importantly should you care what "weapon of choice" the person in the next woodlot uses (legally)? in my simple minded world the only time the weapon of choice issue was worth "discussing" was when General Custer was feeling a little overwhelmed on the little big horn. hopefully the "exclusion" individuals and organizations will unite with the concepts of this countrys values and realize that a united fraternity can develop intelligent choices for all!

200,000 bowhunters in ny, an organization of 2000 (?), which never to my or a life members knowledge ever polled its membership pertaining to xbows is referenced in a ny outdoors newspaper stating "its membership is anti xbow" and credits its organization aqs being the tip of the spear in albany that blocks the legislation. the organization can, due to apathy or non involvement of the majority, i suppose can make "questionable" claims till the majority awakens! please wake up majority. there are many who need the support to engage in a wonderful past time at with no documented ill affect to any other participants. its a big woods out there and we need to be united to protect all our interests not just the personal agendas!

I do not have a problem with +bow if you are disabled or some other legitimate affliction to be used in regular season .how about used in muzzle loading season .We have so many different things special use equipment hunts dates seasons it is kind of a mess Would not like to split it up even more .here in mo.

at the very least get some kind of season in place so that those who need to/want to can get into the woods and become positive,contributing participants

X2!!! Couldn't have said it better!

thanks not against any one organization just believe that choices and options are critical to the survival of our cherished past time and heritage. a coomon ground must be the objective of all involved otherwise 'if you are not part of the solution you ARE THE PROBLEM!" i will reiterate my strongest argument for xbows. just because others are allowed to use it legally doesnt mean you have to! pay attention! YOU HAVE A CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Separate seasons. If not just keep lowering the standards like in every other aspect of our culture. Just ask our current Prez and ask how he became president with no skill sets for leadership.

Affirmative action for deer season

Or have one deer season and allow any weapon including nets, lasers etc.

C'mon everyone is entitled to get their deer aren't they? Every kid deserves a trophy whether they win or lose the game or the letter grade of "A" when they get 50% of the answers correct on an exam?

Come to think of it I guess they should build "hunting escalators" for back country elk and mule deer hunts too. I mean it was really tough for me to hike in shoot and pack out my animal having two hip replacements last year. I want the whole hunting process to be easier!!!! You know like a video game

BTW I could easily qualify for am handicapped tag if I so choose from injuries sustained in the military and at my current job. My friend, who is in a wheel chair and missing his left arm, shoots a bow using his teeth. I help him get out to his stand but otherwise he is very independent.

i dont disagree its just i have trouble rationalizing the concept,requirement,necessity of a seperate season for xbow. it injects a component of competitiveness that is degrading to the sport. does it really matter if someone is using a 20ga, a 243, a 357 pistol or a 7mm, a longbow, compond or an xbow. i think we can all agree that each weapon of choice has its own merits and detractions. "you use what you use because you like it and nobodys going to keep that choice from you!" OR ARE THEY? what someone else uses to harvest THEIR animal should make no difference to anyone. its thier hunt. its their memory. as long as all is legal WTF..........

i don't understand why such an emphasis on a seperate and distinct season. crossbow should be able to be used during regular bow imo. this would enable many people, especially the older hunters as i previously stated, to be in the woods hunting in early fall as they were always accustomed.

-ken

why is the overwhelming response seems to be supportive of xbow use yet NYB with only 2-4000{?}members is "recognized" by albany to be the proclaimed representative voice of the bowhunting population. the legislators should or must demand a polling of the NYB membership to validate the claim or shut the lobbying effort of that organization down for making misleadindg statements. i say put the truth out there or go away!

well, i guess progress has been achieved. the future will tell!

I'm against the crossbow in the archery season. I also feel the modern muzzleloader has no place in a "primitive season". Archery and muzzleloader seasons were put in place long before the advent of the compound bow or modern muzzleloaders. It was supposed to be more difficult but technology has made everything so easy we've lost all sense of where this all started. To clarify I have no problem with the compound bow, without it we may have lost our seasons long ago.
You can knock NYB all you want but they are the ONLY voice defending bowhunting in NY. There is no other organization. Might be best if you joined and let your voice be heard and do something about it.

Suppose 50 years ago all folks started shootin crossbows and they became popular instead of compounds Where would you stand then Just a thought

i live in pa., but also hunt new york, so here is my 2cents. unless you are physcially handicaped, crossbows have no bussiness being in the woods durning archery season. amen....

I don't know why Bow hunters are so worried about the Xbow.Maybe it's the purest attitude that, my way is the best way. Maybe a few more deer will be taken, Maybe someone will kill a deer a little farther out. It's high time we as hunters band togther and protect the sport of hunting reguardless of what you hunt with. I hunted the late seasons ML this year as usual but what was different this year was no other hunters Northern or southern zone. Two weeks off Hunted every day did'nt see another hunter in the woods. Hunting is dying, If we are fighting the anti's are winning. JMO

+1

I'm in favor for the reason above.

rchery59 First off I don't use either version. But with the latest compound and 85% let off I don't see much difference
between the two and today I believe there are people shooting
the compound more accurately at greater ranges than most crossbow
shooters. So I really don't see a problem! Just my 2cents
worth. YMMV Cheers NC

I don't have a problem with crossbows being in archery season at all. My personal preference is still to use a regular compound bow. We go to Ohio every year for archery season and I still only take a regular bow. Some guys look at me like I'm nuts for not using a crossbow. Some see it the same way I do. I think it should be a choice. My neighbor is a muzzleloading purist and doesn't give me a hard time for using a modern centerfire rifle. You have to hand it to whoever in the NYB organization is pushing for not allowing crossbows though. They're persistent...

Against it. Guys can use xbow during ml or modern firearms.

Archery season was intended to be hunted with primitive weapons.

I like long archery seasons and if you allow any weapon season lengths will be reduced. Archery requires at least some practice and dedication. Can buy a cross gun and be proficient out to 80 yds in 15 minutes. Shot my friend's and deadly accurate. X bow is cocked and ready to go.Most have scopes. Big difference between xbow and compound.

I guess more of the dumbing down of America. Everyone gets a trophy, an "A" grade. If you require some( not much) work it is considered "elitism" and unfair. Keep on lowering the standards. I have had 2 shoulder surgeries and was able to come back with heavy duty rehab. I know I guy I grew up with that has one arm ( lost it in Vietnam) and shoots with his mouth. He never complains. Now have healthy young kids do not want to practice because it is too hard.

Why not just allow people to hunt archery with modern rifles then? Why have any standards? We hunters should all ban together and allow any weapon during any season

Just curious. When did a compound bow become a primitive weapon?

respect an individuals right to choose. because legislation allows use it does not madate an individual must utilize a weapon he or she is not comfortable [read excited or challenged] using. join a club and shoot a compound,a muzzleloader,a recurve,a handgun,a longbow,throw a spear! then go to australia or england and tell of your right to posess and or handle all those weapons. then come home and thank a veteran for a privledge like most people in this world cannot comprehend! we all must protect each others right to choose. a house divided....................

the right to choose!! hey, i am all about it. i hunt with a bow for the challenge.i use traditional gear. i have no problems hunting with archers that do it with wheels. it just dont make sense hunting with a crossbow durning archery season. whats the challenge ?????? glad that the season is drawn out. ITS TOUGH HUNTING WITH A BOW, AS IT SHOULD BE..... i am a resident of pa. and xbows are legal here. it makes me sad it got that way. just my view.

A cross gun is not even close to a bow. But human beings are lazy by nature and take the easiset and most simple route.

If we as hunters do not want a house divided let's have a one week season in NY where you can use any weapon. Let's not divide our hunting rights

Seasons will get shorter and shorter with the advent of technology but people want to dumb down seasons so why not allow any weapon. We are heading in that direction anyway.

So can I sue my .257 weatherby during archery season? Afterall It is my choice and my right!!! I served in the military and I fought for my right to choose.

ribka why not have ml(a real ml) and long bow archery at same
time as they are both primative weapons (no in line) and just
# 11 or musket caps that is how we do it. YMMV. Cheers NC

New York bowhunters as a group are the most selfish bunch of cry babies I've ever seen. I'd like to see them end up with a muzzleloader AND a crossbow shoved right up their a$$ ! If I had anything to say about it, muzzleloader {traditional} and crossbow season would run concurrently from mid October to mid November and bow season would be 1 week in the middle of January.

Been bow hunting for over 30 years and I agree. I have used self bows, recurves, long bows, compounds to take deer, bear, moose elk, cariboo. I agree should be primitive weapons. Compounds today have made it so much more easy to take game. Now the lazy idiots want to make it easier by allowing crossguns? Reflection of our indolent immediate gratification culture now in the US.

Same with ml. Now can use 209 primers, sabots and scopes. Can shoot out to 300 yds. I am for real ml and #11 primers

The cross bow industry have epople that come on bow hunting web sites and push their agenda. Guys are getting kicked off bowsite.com all of the time for doing this.

You can't introduce crossguns into archery season and expect to have the longer seasons. More and more people are getting into archery and out west elk and deer populations are down overall.

If people want to shoot a cross gun can do it during ml and modern firearms in most states

ribka-why not use a flintlock instead of that modern #11?

I have hunted with a flintlock, roundball in PA. Lot of fun. Would say a crossgun is more accurate, dependable than a flintlock though and should not be allowed during regular archery season

Yes sir flintlocks are fun. In-lines should only be allowed during the rifle season. Muzzle loader season should be traditional cap and ball and flintlock only. Archery should be stick and string to compound. IF there should even be a crossbow season it should be during the regular firearms season.

I started bow hunting with a recurve in NYS many years ago. Eventually got a conpoung. Thought they were to heavy and noisy..went back to a recurve. The product got much better over the years and I went back to a compound. Much debate raged in the early years over the use of compound bows during archery season..many thought they should only be allowed during gun season(sound familiar) but they became legal and popular..not much has changed in the current debate, I have tried both. I find the compound easier to shoot well as the xbows are too heavy and clumsey and I see no advantage to them in terms of killing power or accuracy and distance uasge. In fact I don't think they have anything over a good compound as a deer killing machine. When I was injured I was given an exemption to hunt archery season with a xbow but I just could not shoot it well and needed some sort of rest in the stand to make it work at all. Too much troble in a tree stand for me. I had an old hunting friend that used his successfully however I always had better penetration with my compound than he did with the xbow. Personally I have no issues with their use in archery season as I do not see any large advantage to them in terms of killing power or distance and find more disadvantages to them. Second shots are acomplished much easier and faster with recurve and compounds than xbows and accuracy is not improved to any degree so as to give the xbow an advantage. YMMV

99% correct lonerider. it appears that many opponents of xbow have limited or no practical experience with xbow. put a compound and xbow on the range. make them as similar as possible. shoot,shoot more then shoot again. i believe that the proof will make itself apparent. the xbow is not a more efficient tool for harvesting game. it really is cumbersome in a treestand.. difficult to shoot accurately without rest. try shooting a contender in a tree stand without rest! so let choice be the most important issue. allow others the freedom we each demand for ourself. focus on a united organization to protect all our rights not just the ones that are of personal or self serving.. IMO respectfully.

I have shot a cross bow quite a bit and I was able to shoot consistently out to 80 yds off hand with a scope. From a rest out to 100 yds. and it is always ready.Shooting heavier bolts and penetration was no problem . I have missed so many shot opportunities on game with a bow because they were looking at me and could not draw. If I had a cross gun I would have easily harvested them

If you want to use the United We stand/choice argument then allow any weapon during archery to include 270's 30-06's 300's etc.

If X guns are so ineffective why are so many people x gun manufactures touting 10 plus yard shots
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gly3bafUhcU


Ny is such a screwed up state anyway might as well allow them there

ribka I have a question 4 you. When did crossbows enter the
world I believe they precede every thing but the long bow there
fore I would think they should be considered as a primitive
weapon.what say you to that. Just my observation and 2cents worth. Have a great day. Cheers NC

Northcountry
You have a good point there about the history of the cross bow. Ribka points out that he can shoot 80 yards with a xbow..I and lots of my chronies have shot at that distance with stick bows and compounds for many years. The shootin ain't all there is to this deal. What happens when the arrow or bolt hits a deer is the telling tale. Xbows are not much faster than the newer compounds and work no more efficently at long distance than a compound. other than the sighting systems they offer no advantage in killing I have shot against several xbow shooters and standing up in a tree they can make no better or longer hits than I. As mentioned some advantage may exist when you are caught with a animal looking at you and you do not have the motion of drawing a compound to spook game..slight advantage though it may be. Other than those with scope sights, which may promote better shooting or shot placement. xbows are no more a mechanical advantage than many other things in the archery world including releases and lighted nocks and all that other stuff we used to argue about in past years. Hell I remember arguments about rifle scopes being outlawed as an unfair advantage in the game fields...old time hunters used to argue of similar differences in comparing lever action to bolt guns. And then it was the semi-auto screech fest of the past. How about the NEVER shoot a doe argument..all have gone up in smoke..and we have all come to a better understanding. If ya don't like one option..choose another and let the other guy use what he prefers..We are stiiiiilllll argueing about caliber choices in rifles and handguns amoungst ourselves...choose what ya like and use it your opinion is gonna be different at some point than anothers opinion. neither is wrong just different..the damn squabblin ain't worth it. YMMV

I stick with my argument.Allow xbows and all technolgy into archery seasons and might as well allow firearms too. I do not 5 day archery seasons. I am well aware of the history of the xbow too.

Ml used to be a primitive weapon too. Look on Youtube guys bragging on 500 yd shots.


All maufacturers of x bows now tout the 100 yd shot.

Try this with a compound on a windy day

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gly3bafUhcU]

Take a look at the anti-hunting web sites like PETA. The big argument against hunting now is that animals stand no chance because of technology.

I give hunting seasons 10 more years before severe restrictions and draw onlyin all hunting seasons on the current path. Heading that way in some Western states. As long as we can dumb down life in the US make every task super easy and make a quick buck at the same time.

I'll stick with my argument that squabblin ain't worth it
But think of it this way. I am old enough to remember my dad and grandfather arguing about horses vs automobile. and mules vs tractor, where would we be today if my grandfather and those that thought like him had prevailed. You be willin to ride a mule to work every day EH? I bet you are all ate up with the new technology regarding cars and phones and electronics. I think tha damn things should be outlawed...how bout that pard. That stuff just pollutes the air and the youngins minds and....and...and OH WELL I guess we best go back to stick bows and make everybody happy..ya reckon..that'll stop alla dis squabblin fer sure

I saw a guy kill an elk from 80 yards with a compound on TV just the other day. Howard Hill shot a duck off a pond from 220 yards with a longbow on a bet and in front of witnesses. Howard Hill, Saxton Pope and Fred Bear all killed deer and elk well beyond 100 yards with recurve and longbows. Just because they could do it doesn't mean your average archer could or has any business even trying to. Same for 100 yard shots with crossbows. The fastest crossbows on the market today launch bolts at 325-375 fps. Exactly the same velocity range as the fastest compounds. To say they are in the same realm from a ballistics/accuracy/trajectory standpoint as even a flintlock, which will launch a patched ball at 2000 fps, is absolutely ludicrous.

Crossbows have a fundemental advantage in that they are drawn well before game is spotted.

The second aspect of crossbows is that true or not, people perceive that anyone can be effective with a crossbow without the lengthy practice (and tuning) that bows require. It matters not that this is true in practice or not.

Frankly its up to the state and a few lobbing groups as whether they become permanente fixtures in the bow season in NYS. Frankly the problem of insufficent deer harvests in suburban areas, coupled with a chance for increased DEC revenue pretty much garrantee its going to happen.

In lines and optical sights radically changed the muzzleloading season in NYS. 30 years ago muzzleloading hunters where few and far between, now they are common, Infact I know folks who once took off work the opening week of the regular season.. now take off the week of muzzleloading up north.

Yeah, those inline muzzleloaders with optical sights are just devastating the NY deer herd. There were 18,000 deer killed statewide by muzzleloaders in 2009 VS 34,000 killed by bowhunters. Get real.

where did I say it affected the herd? I said it increased the number of hunters using muzzleloaders.

Maybe in the Northern zone but I hunt the Southern zone MZ season every year and have NEVER run into another hunter. In contrast, you can't swing a dead cat in the woods during the southern zone bow season without knocking a bowhunter out of a tree. And if the legalization of inlines and optical sights hasn't caused muzzleloaders to devastate the deer herd, what makes you think crossbows would ?

It depends on a few factors down south. The late season cuts hunter numbers down quite a bit. The other consideration is that many of the serious hunters are out of useful tags by then. Its rare that I have buck tags left that late in the year and usually have enough venison I am not looking to bust a doe in the late season. I may go out for a walk around but Its maybe 1 or 2 years in a decade that I seriously hunt the southern ML season. Of the 4 guys that I know that seriously hunt, its mostly the same story.

We have land in the Southern Tier, but I don't hunt it till the gun season opens, so I do my southern bow season hunting on state land and its no where as crowded at the opening weekend of North ML.

If the muzzleloader season ran the 7 days before rifle south I think it would be wall to wall muzzleloader hunters.

So what you're saying is that MORE guys are getting to enjoy MORE TIME IN THE FIELD without any adverse effect on the herd ? Sorry but that seems like a win-win situation to me and I'm having a hard time seeing the downside.

Offering more hunters more opportunities and getting more people in the field enjoying the passion we all share ain't never a bad thing

absolutely.

-ken

So because I may wish to try something different, I would be a lazy idiot? It would appear that you don't have any valid argument against crossbows, so you've taken to stomping your feet and name calling. This has been my experience with most of the members of NYB, that I've spoken with.

Why does it bother you so much, that someone would choose to use a different tool than you would, on their own property?

I have a feeling a few on here are lobbying for the cross gun industry. Have seen it on other archery sites

Because it will shorten the archery season that is why. With todays bows and a few hours of practice can shoot out to 50 yds. Now why do you need a weapon that can easily shoot out to 100 yds with a scope during a primitive weapons season?You can use crossbows in ml and modern firearms.

Introduce crossguns and we will have a 5 day archery season in a few years. If more people get into hunting will have a lottery only hunting season like they do in many Western states. I always see more crowds every year when i hunt and it is getting worse with growing populations. I do not want our archery seasons shortened.

Same argument why can't I then use a 30-06 during archery season? If we let people use firearms during archery we would introduce more people to hunting. Same flawed argument.

Again you can use cross gun during other seasons. No one is denying you anything

I'll fight to keep archery seasons as they are.

Good point. When they moved the ml season in MD before the firearm seasons the ml numbers increased over 500% in a few years. Guys that want to legalize cross guns in archery season are rifle hunters that do not want to practice with a bow. Keep em out of archery season

You can use xbows during gun season..so what you can use a stick bow or compound during that season as well. I do so regularly ain't the issue at all. You sir are just narrow minded and short sighted. Adding extra oportunity to any season may change nothin and may not even get anyone new in the sport. I do not use a xbow..don't like them. Am I handicapped with a compound? HELL no..see my above post mentioning that I and several friends regularly out shoot people we know that shoot x bows. They perhaps will benefit somewhat in that if people shoot them better and more accuratly there may be fewer lost animals. You are making a big deal of nothin of importance to the hunters in your area..certainly you can find somthing better to do with your time than bitch and whine about such a simple thing.

Bowhunting should require drawing and holding the bow.
Crossbows should only be allowed for those with a documented physical handicap or disability.

Opinion only.

Can't argue with that at all.

it is my assumption that most people arguing against cross bows are younger people.

i've been bowin' ny for almost 40 yrs now & still have plenty of strength left to continue. however, one day down the road i'd certainly like to be able to remain in the woods in the early fall season hunting with a broadhead. crossbow may be the only option left at that time.

i know plenty of guys who'd love to be out during bow but are unable because of their age.

everyone gets old.

-ken

If you can lug around a crossbow, climb a stand, or drag a deer out then you can carry a light long bow/recurve/compound bow too. Who says you have to pull a heavy draw weight?

[/quote] Introduce crossguns and we will have a 5 day archery season in a few years. [/quote]

It seems to be ok in Ohio. The bow seasons are quite long. The gun seasons are shorter though...which is a whole different debate.

I don't think it will be the inability to draw and hold a bow that will hinder me in my future years. Heck, I've already dropped poundage twice over the last ten years because of elbow issues. It will be the simple inability to be mobile and to keep warm.

But that will not stop me from going bowhunting, giving tips to others, stoking a campfire and telling stories.
The entire outdoors adventure is what I crave, not just the shot.
Using a crossbow simply would not give me the same enjoyment. I do understand it does for others, and I'm not actively trying to take that away from them. For me, I don't ever want one.

I will gladly assist and help any disabled or handicapped person to get a deer/bear with theirs.

accrash said it best why do you care what someone else does as long as it does no harm to you

Because the truth to the whole crossbow hunting thing is that the vast majority of people that want the crossbow seasons are unexperianced hunters. So it does do a lot of harm to the whole "BIG PICTURE" of hunting. Out west is sorta a little different story however in the east and other high populated areas it is just another bad name for hunting. The last thing we need is more yahoo's running around in the woods.

The crossbow existed long before the compound bow.....

It's slower, weaker, and more "archaic" to load. It's also more traditional than a compound bow. That's just history. They are older than our Country, that's for sure.

I'd support the crossbow in NYS during archery season. Makes sense to me. I mean when you called for "archers" in the middle ages, crossbowmen were a part of them.....

There ya go !

Lets see Bow season this year Oct 16- Nov 19 ,, Dec 13- Dec21 Thats 6 weeks of bow hunting Why no room for crossbows?

lenty of room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that was plenty

With growing populations and the rush of rifle hunters entering archery season with cross guns, season will be reduced to 2 weeks or less. Archery harvests will go up and ml and rifles hunters will complain and demand a shortening of archery season. All due to the fact rifle hunters are too lazy to practice shooting a bow. I love our entitlement culture.

I guess that is why NY is a bankrupt state

ribka you have it pretty much right. However wouldn't have added that Ny is a bankrupt state. There are many states that fall into that catagory. Plus many more that would be if the Fed's stopped the handouts.

For handicap in NH it's the Xbow. If I want to use a Xbow I pay a fee for a Xbow tag and get to use it during the regular rifle season. But ! If I shoot a deer with the Xbow I must use my gun tag as the Xbow has a trigger. I've carried for 2 seasons. It's a pain in the azz. You can't walk around all day with it cocked. Spot & stalk forget it as the deer watches you trying to cock the darn thing. I'll stick with my regular archery equipment.

Ken

Does anybody have supportive, research based information that crossbows have an adverse impact on deer populations..? I hunted with a crossbow for the first time last year. At 65 I can pull back any production bow... I was just interested. I did hunt with a bow 40 years in NY. I did not shoot a deer with a crossbow, because I did not have one come within 30 yards.... Same as a bow! I do feel that when a close shot presents itself, I can make a consistantly more accurate shot, because I can stabilize the crossbow better. I don't feel crossbows have more knock down power. The arrows from a crossbow don't penetrate as far as my compound arrows, in my target! I think that the problem with crossbows in NY, is that bowhunter orgs. have a large listening base in the DEC. Just look at how quickly they were able to shoot down the DEC proposal for an early muzzleloader season!

I say, if you rule out the crossbow, rule out the compound bow. I just don't see how one is ok and the other isn't.

one has a mechanical locking device the other does not.

The "other" just has mechanical advantage and mechanical release.

J

None of that happened in other states that legalized crossbows so there's no reason to believe it would happen in NY.

Not all compound hunters use a release. The mechanical advantage of a compound is not a locking device. Look up archery reg's for many states and you will find that a legal bow may not have a locking device.

I don't have a problem with crossbows or having a season for them. I have a problem having crossbows being used for the archery season. Crossbows are very different then compound, long, and recurve bows. Just as a muzzle loader is different then a centerfire or rimfire rifle.

Crossbows have more in common with "traditional" archery than compounds do.....

Just sayin...

No they really don't. How long something has been around has nothing to do with how one is used.

Again, where is the research indicating crossbows have an adverse impact on deer populations, and ruin compound bow seasons? When I return home to NY, to enjoy a few days deer hunting, I notice a dramatic decline of folks afield, with each passing year... You would think Sportsmen, would like to get current and future hunters, interested with more options, including a crossbow in archery season, as well as the proposed DEC early muzzleloader season, than hanging out in malls!

True, but crossbows have been used to hunt with since their inception....

Where did I say that it had any impact or not on deer???????????

In CT you can use a bow in the rifle season, but not a rifle in the bow season. Common sense says lesser weapon can step up in season, greater weapon can not step down. As it should be.

No personally I don't want more yahoo's in the woods specially with crossbows. The problem with them is everyone thinks they can just pick one up and go out hunting. Crossbows to most are a novality. Were bows are taken serious by those that use them. There are a select few that my statement doesn't pertain to. Those select few agree that crossbows should either have their own season, or step up into rifle/shotgun/muzzle loader.

Really? What are you like 12 or something? How long something has been around means nothing. Slaves were used to build a lot of America and farm crops, I am thinking you will have a really hard time selling that slavery was around for a long time so it is ok.

Wow! That analogy isn't even close to accurate! Don't get your panties in a wad just because I stated a simple fact. Yes, crossbows HAVE been used to hunt with since their inception. They have also been used for warfare. Kind of like rifles today. They get used in both aspects.

In this case how long it has been around AND the fact it has been used to hunt with for it's entire history, DOES mean something. Maybe you're too slow to put 2 and 2 together, so I'll do it for you.

You argue that crossbows and bows are analogous to rifles and bows. That you can use bows during rifle season but not the other way around. You can take the "lower" into the "higher" but not the other way around. It's a fair argument but it doesn't hold water with talking about bows and crossbows. The reason is, the compound bow is a more lethal, complex, advanced platform than crossbows are. Your stance doesn't hold up in this argument.

Most arguments over this, have had to do with traditional archery vs non-traditional. Many have tried (and on this thread) to say that crossbows are not traditional archery tools. That's just simply not true. They are, and have been long before the compound bow came to be. That too means something.

"Crossbows to most are a novelty" was your quote. Really!? How can you possibly know this? That's like saying that guys that hunt with an AR platform rifle are not true sportsmen and have no business hunting with them during rifle season. I'd challenge that stance and say that most sportsmen aren't redneck, hillbilly, irresponsible morons, like you are painting them to be. They take their tools seriously, as well as their sport.

No State where crossbows are legal has had any problems with overcrowding during archery season due to crossbow encroachment. The States where legal, you really don't get very many that even hunt with them, though they are allowed to. Why? The glorious compound bow is just much more bang for your buck. Faster "reloads" more power, easier to use.

Crossbows kill ethically and are safe to use, and that should be the primary concern in the woods. Other than that, as a Sportsman, I'd think the freedom to use ethical equipment should be something to be championed, not chastised. It's about freedom. But, that's NY for you.

You have got to be kidding me!!!! Hunting seasons(other then migatory birds and some have gotten longer) have been getting longer and that is a fact. no season has been shortened in a lifetime,I live in the adirondacks and by the time the southern tier opens the woods are nearly empty.I don't hunt soutern till the 3rd week, haven't seen anyone in 3 years especially during the week. Most Bow hunting in the southern tier happens on private land. If the landowners don't want the xbow the people will regulate it. As far as public land let the state decide. Thats what we pay them for.I'm for more oppertunities.