Your Voice

BOB VANDRISH · Post by **BOB VANDRISH** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:16 pm

I am surprised somebody from PA on this site has not brought up the impending legislation on the possible legalization of crossbows during archery season in their state.
I am not from there,but have a vested interest in what passes as I have a cabin in their lovely state and have hunted there for more than thirty years.
Over those years,I have hunted with recurves,compounds,and now crossbows,as well as a rifle.
I cannot for the life of me understand why there is such divisiveness about vertical versus horizontal bows.
Read through the United Bow Hunters of Pennsylvania web site if you want to make yourself sick with such bias against the horizontal bowhunters.
It's like we are all from another planet!
The best part is,if this does go through as planned,the concession being considered to appease the vertical bow hunters is to force all crossbow hunters to revert to open sights,or scopes with no magnification.
How stupid can an obsession get before someone comes to their senses?
Are we not all bow hunters?
If they want to make a distinction between an archer,and any other form of firing an arrow,then archers should be restricted to using long bows only,as purists,and the rest can be grouped in a separate category and a separate season if it has to go that far.
I read in one newspaper article that a scope may be an "oh no" altogether.
Why don't they ban anything but open sights for rifles too-let's really make it a level playing field!
Mike,if someone is not already planning to write on this topic,this would be my suggestion on a subject that needs to be put to bed,once and for all!
Bob.

theoldarcher · Post by **theoldarcher** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:48 pm

I agree, the limitations of the xbow and … the hype we have to endure about hunting with an xbow. The people that I know who hunt with a crossbow (including me) hold themselves to a higher standard when hunting simply because if we screw up and cripple or loose a deer with our crossbow then they use that as an excuse why we shouldn't be in the woods with a crossbow in the first place. Of course they think that it is acceptable with a vertical bow but still there are those who think we are infringing on their traditional style of archery and no matter what we do we won’t be accepted.

vixenmaster · Post by **vixenmaster** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:27 pm

i am on several other forums and you should have read all of their i stuck the deer but he or she got away to be cripped or die somewhere. thats sick and they post it like its some badge of Honor!

theoldarcher · Post by **theoldarcher** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:47 pm

If it had not been for a friend and neighbor who already hunted with a crossbow I would have had to sit the rest of the 2008 season out due to injuries falling 20 feet from my treestand a week or so prior to borrowing a PSE Rattler from him. He had no problem letting me use the crossbow and made it a point to make me understand that just because it might look like a rifle it wasn't. He made me promise not to take a shot over twenty yards simply because he didn't want me to cripple a deer if it walked up. Based on the promise that I made to him I had to sit and watch a big doe play "do I want to come in or not" for about 20 minutes before she closed the twenty yard mark. It was the most exciting hunt I had ever been on. I think from the photo you can see how proud I was of that doe. She might as well have been a 150 class buck I couldn't have been more excited. My friend helped me drag her out and took this picture for me. I think he was as excited about me shooting it as if he had done it himself. Friends like him is what makes this sport great. But he also holds himself to a higher standard simply because he chooses to hunt with a crossbow. That hunt and my friend was the deciding factor in me buying my Phoenix.

Now I'm hooked for life.

Golden Eagle · Post by **Golden Eagle** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:38 pm

wabi wrote:Mike,
How about crossbow limitations?
I frequently hear people saying that crossbows are long range hunting equipment and hear comments about their power (they will destroy our targetsd if we allow them on the 3-D range).
A lot of newcomers to the sport of crossbow hunting think ethical hunting range is far more than it really is.

I agree.

MPSNIPER · Post by **MPSNIPER** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:05 pm

Mike: Just an idea, but I'm often questioned by some of my non-hunting peers at work on why in the world I would want to sit in a tree all day waiting to kill something? I try to explain the personal benefits of solitude / the mental relaxation of getting away from cell phones / laptops / on how it is part of who I am, my culture, my heritage etc.. but from following your stories - you sir can put ink to paper far more gracefully than I can try to explain how this is something that I think about every day of the year. Constantly planning new hunts / purchasing new gizmos / consuming my thoughts on this life of trying to outwit an animal to successfully harvest it with archery equipment?
-Just a thought....Michael.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:13 pm

MPSNIPER wrote: -Just a thought....Michael.

And a very good one it is!

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:47 pm

I agree with mpsniper. Nothing compares to the beauty of sneaking out before first light, sitting in a tree, and watching the woods slowly come to life. A great way to observe nature without disturbing it too much. Taking a deer is actually one of the things I am there to do, but not seeing a deer is ok too. Interacting with nature is what keeps me as a hunter. The most memorable times I have of being in the woods is observing the deer, but not taking one. Truely magnificent creatures. Unfortunately for the deer i also enjoy the taste of venison.

Another thing to write about.. and I dont know how may others this has happened to.. is crossbow hunting is not "real bow hunting" WHAT? Sometimes I am made to feel as if I am somehow cheating by using a croosbow instead of compound. Its funny because I started out as a compound hunter. I enjoy the compound alot, but I found I was taking too many bad shots. I switched to excal to become more humane. Thats what it is all about. If your going to take an animals life, try to be humane." You think my use of a scope or crossbow is cheating? Less suffering is ALWAYS better.

cdup · Post by **cdup** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:43 pm

What about the disadvantage of hunting with the crossbow? Securing the bow ( atv, boat, road trips,etc.), and trying to get to your favorite stand without hitting every branch. Disadvantage of not being able to take a shot at your long awaited trophey buck as he passes right behind you.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:13 pm

You know what I'm going to say.... How the xbow makes it so much easier for us gals to get out, especially in cold weather.

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:25 pm

AND------It needs to be told that even if you are hunting a public area....It is first come first serve.. and if you show up and someone is hunting the area you are in you need to politely bow out to another tree.Ive done it...I had a guy come right into 75 yds from my tree on public land. I didnt see it but he had a ladder stand just out of view. He saw me, but climbed his stand anyway. I hollered at him and asked what he was doing?. He said it was his area even though it was public..his view was since he had a stand out there and corn and a camera it was his self proclaimed hunting area..It was obvious that I or he wasnt going to see any deer with the conversation we were having so I left..

Am I wrong or is it first come first serve..?

wheelie · Post by **wheelie** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:33 pm

Don't think either one of you were wrong. He had no problem with you there. He climbed up his stand. You could have stayed also if you wanted to. Public land is public land. May not be eathical thing to do but in the eyes of the law.

taureau noir · Post by **taureau noir** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:02 pm

Talking about vertical versus Horizontal bows
1)Nowaday bows are shooting 325/335 IBO.
2)It is true that saying that a crossbow can shoot 50yards is a misintrepertation.With deer ,we are limited by reaction time and and speed.30yards is the longest distance we should humanly and ethical shoot.Shooting moose you can go up to 40 yards.

An other thing i do not like on the forum, is Sex joke and vulgarity.Like that one"Re: what position will cause you to pass the shot .. ?

Missionary."

I'm a christian like many here and I don't like that my God be swear at .
For the other comment ,I would give a8/10 on the articles on this forum.
Taureau noir

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:45 pm

taureau noir wrote:Talking about vertical versus Horizontal bows
1)Nowaday bows are shooting 325/335 IBO.
2)It is true that saying that a crossbow can shoot 50yards is a misintrepertation.With deer ,we are limited by reaction time and and speed.30yards is the longest distance we should humanly and ethical shoot.Shooting moose you can go up to 40 yards.

An other thing i do not like on the forum, is Sex joke and vulgarity.Like that one"Re: what position will cause you to pass the shot .. ?

Missionary."

I'm a christian like many here and I don't like that my God be swear at .
For the other comment ,I would give a8/10 on the articles on this forum.
Taureau noir

where is God swore at in that statement

taureau noir · Post by **taureau noir** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:58 pm

God swear is not in that statement but sex&vulgarity is.
Taureau noir