Why Anti Crossbow?

[Swedishbowhunter]

I feel there is a ton of misconceptions about the Pope and Young club on this thread, I wont hijack this thread to go into to details but I would encourage anyone who does not know what P&Y is really all about to check into them.

[brancher147]

I'm curious why you think that a compound is much easier than crossbow? Easier in what way?

I can’t speak for new crossbows, they’ve changed quite a bit from my days of toting around my Horton Supermag but they were just very cumbersome and heavy to pack thru the woods, even with a gun sling and it hanging on your back. Constantly banging and clanging against brush. Mobile hunting with them was tougher for me, especially when going in deep. As for being in the tree with a crossbow, to me it was harder to get it off the hook and get into position for a shot versus a compound. And I feel far more concealed in a tree getting into position with a compound than I ever did with a crossbow.

Again, I’m sure there’s people out there that think I’m crazy but everyone’s wired differently. There’s a million things out there that might be hard for me and easy for others and vice versa.

Interesting stuff, thanks for that. I've never hunted with a crossbow so I personally can't say how hard or easy it is in that aspect. I have however shot a crossbow once. I took one shot at an aspirin sized dot at 30 yards and drilled it perfect the one and only time I shot a crossbow. I thought that the actual shooting of one was easy, no different than a gun in my mind. The one nuance that differs shooting a crossbow vs a gun in a real life hunting situation is that the bolt is still traveling at archery speeds and the noise of the crossbow going off is going to reach the animals ears before the bolt finds it's mark. To me that is the most important difference from a gun and similarity to other archery tackle that I find seems to be overlooked by many people on both sides of the argument.

I haven’t read this thread but do agree with split g2. Having used both compound and xbow for multiple years I don’t find one really a great deal easier than the other. They both have advantages and disadvantages like anything. I think for a mobile elevated hunter advantage goes to compound. For a ground hunter advantage goes to xbow. Either one I wouldn’t shoot past 40 yards except under very specific conditions especially a loud xbow.
Anybody can pick up an xbow and nail a target first try but carry it around the woods for a season or two and I guarantee you have a different opinion of it.

[Cvanheel]

I live and hunt in Minnesota. I am not against crossbows by any means, but think they should have there own season not related to archery season. I think Minnesota might have actually gotten there regulations correct for once by opening up crossbow hunting to folks, but only making it legal to hunt with one during the firearm season. I will give our department of natural resources a win on that one.

[Swedishbowhunter]

I wish Wisconsin would have made them legal for people up to 16years old and over 60. I think most everyone would have been fine with them being legal for all during gun and muzzleloader season. This would have helped with there new hunter recruitment and also hunter retention, the archery buck kill / archery success rate would probably have stayed relatively close to what it was and wouldn't have gotten the gun only crowd up in arms. I think we all could have lived with this, and now that things have been shaken up combined with a poor gun season, now you have people in an unnecessary panic.

[RookieBeast2019]

I just wish they weren’t part of archery season.

Other than that I’m good with it.

[Hookslinger]

I just wish they weren’t part of archery season.

Other than that I’m good with it.

This is how I feel also. Have no problem with people hunting with a crossbow, but I would prefer it if they were not allowed during archery season, besides for disabled hunters. Before they legalized them here, "archery" season was a little different, had more of a special feel to it. But thats water under the bridge I suppose. Now that they are legal for everyone to use, I wouldn't hate a 1 buck tag per hunter rule here in MI to be honest... but thats a whole other discussion.

[Swedishbowhunter]

I just wish they weren’t part of archery season.

Other than that I’m good with it.

This is how I feel also. Have no problem with people hunting with a crossbow, but I would prefer it if they were not allowed during archery season, besides for disabled hunters. Before they legalized them here, "archery" season was a little different, had more of a special feel to it. But thats water under the bridge I suppose. Now that they are legal for everyone to use, I wouldn't hate a 1 buck tag per hunter rule here in MI to be honest... but thats a whole other discussion.

I agree, I believe when Wisconsin allowed xbows to be used during the archery season there was a clause added to the statutes saying "Last in first out", meaning that the archery season could never be shortened, or further limited with out first eliminating the use of xbow during archery season. Now that there have been some serious discussions happening in Madison it will be interesting to see what shakes out of it all. Wisconsin has a group bagging law during gun season which allows a hunter to keep shooting bucks as long as people hunting with them have open buck tags. Because of this it would be hard for us to every be a 1 buck per hunter state without eliminating group bagging during gun season.

[ihookem]

The original poster answered his own question. " I shot 3 bucks and 6 does and only been hunting 2 yrs. I think that is what he wrote. Now lets say every traditional and compound bow hunter takes up a crossbow. We would have to shorten the season in a hurry. There is no way the deer number would stay the same. We would have to shorten the bow season to one month. That is what I dont like about crossbows. It is twice the weapon and gets the same season as a bow. I have been an archer for 42 years now. The first 4 yrs I had a 10 dollar recurve with 20 arrows and at least 15 arrows were different. I shot that bow surprisingly well till it broke trying to string it. My 1st compound was next. I shot the compound a little better than my recurve. Now, I have a $1007 Mathews Avail , I can shoot 4" groups with an flier here and there at 20yds. I shoot thousands of rounds a yr. My cousin, decides to get a crossbow. The shoot sighted it in for her @ 25 yds. The first 3 shots were a 2" group. No practice , just a hand rail off the deck. Bow hunting is really going to hurt if this keeps up and not fair to the guy who practices 12 months a year . I'm 56 yrs old, and my shoulders a WASTED !! I shoot 52 lbs . and 5'3 " tall. I go and see 30 yr olds , 6' tall 250 lbs and arms as big as my leg and they have a crossbow? They are cheating me. as far as I am concerned. They dont want to practice. Many days on the stand, I have to pull back every half our or I will get so stiff I wont be able to pull back the bow. I stay with compound cause I know it is the only way the deer population can afford a 3 1/2 month long season.

[john1984]

I was pro crossbow , probably still am. I wonder which weapon wounded more deer in 2019

[buttonbuck]

The original poster answered his own question. " I shot 3 bucks and 6 does and only been hunting 2 yrs. I think that is what he wrote. Now lets say every traditional and compound bow hunter takes up a crossbow. We would have to shorten the season in a hurry. There is no way the deer number would stay the same. We would have to shorten the bow season to one month. That is what I dont like about crossbows. It is twice the weapon and gets the same season as a bow. I have been an archer for 42 years now. The first 4 yrs I had a 10 dollar recurve with 20 arrows and at least 15 arrows were different. I shot that bow surprisingly well till it broke trying to string it. My 1st compound was next. I shot the compound a little better than my recurve. Now, I have a $1007 Mathews Avail , I can shoot 4" groups with an flier here and there at 20yds. I shoot thousands of rounds a yr. My cousin, decides to get a crossbow. The shoot sighted it in for her @ 25 yds. The first 3 shots were a 2" group. No practice , just a hand rail off the deck. Bow hunting is really going to hurt if this keeps up and not fair to the guy who practices 12 months a year . I'm 56 yrs old, and my shoulders a WASTED !! I shoot 52 lbs . and 5'3 " tall. I go and see 30 yr olds , 6' tall 250 lbs and arms as big as my leg and they have a crossbow? They are cheating me. as far as I am concerned. They dont want to practice. Many days on the stand, I have to pull back every half our or I will get so stiff I wont be able to pull back the bow. I stay with compound cause I know it is the only way the deer population can afford a 3 1/2 month long season.

The Crossbow didn't get 3 bucks and 6 doe underneath my stand. I did.

Crossbows dont help get any deer under your stand.

Im glad here in SC im not subject to your thinking. The “not fair” “I gotta work super hard, so should he” B.S.

By the way... I shoot bolts next to each other at 30 yards and. First time I picked up a compound I was shooting arrows next to each other at 20.

Practice more.

[Jonny]

I was pro crossbow , probably still am. I wonder which weapon wounded more deer in 2019

Did the weapon wound the deer or did the hunter pulling the trigger?

[mipubbucks24]

If I had my way it would be bow only, the season would start on September 1st, end on feb 1st, and only be 1 buck. Good thing I don’t have my way because it would limit a lot of guys from going into the woods and hunting.

Hunters need to stop infighting. We need more opportunity not less. While crossbows do give a small advantage over a compound, it is nothing compared to a rifle. To me it’s like the baiting issue, should it be legal Yes, am I going to hunt that way no. Most guys using crossbows are not going to be hardcore beast mode. They are going to be weekend warriors that have a limited time and want to maximize their opportunity.

I for one am thankful for the crossbow law in Michigan, my Dad did not bow hunt for about a decade before they passed the crossbow law. He has only killed 2 bucks since it passed, but I now get to hunt with him every bow season, and that time together has been priceless, is that not what it’s about?

[Boogieman1]

Just saying.....



Don’t believe adds like this show the weapon as archery equipment. Pretty clear what audience they are catering to for sells.

[Josh_S]

Just saying.....



Don’t believe adds like this show the weapon as archery equipment. Pretty clear what audience they are catering to for sells.

Haha yeah their motives are obvious. The way crossbows are portrayed by manufacturers is my biggest issue with crossbows. They are trying to develop this narrative that you can go out and hunt with a "rifle" during archery season. It sure seems they are highlighting shot distance (without actually saying it) rather than shot accuracy as the most advantageous selling point to hunting with a crossbow.

The ad might as well say "80 yards in October, no problem." They are encouraging unethical shots.

[mike_mc]

https://dnr.wi.gov/About/NRB/2019/octob ... 0Final.pdf

I skimmed through this, it's interesting. On page 61 they have a chart comparing crossbow success to compound success. About 8% percent higher for crossbows. Wounding rates were similar.

This is on page 69.
Another area of interest is the inclusion of air bows in the crossbow season. Air bows are currently legal in Wisconsin for small game, but not for wild turkeys, deer, black bear, or elk. Inclusion of air bows for deer in the crossbow season could be considered and warrants further discussion.