Update on Virginia Crossbowing..

[Woody Williams]

Crossbow hunting could be on target for 2005

By Mark Taylor
981-3341
The Roanoke Times

The legislative proposal that opened the door for the regulation met with little opposition as it moved through the General Assembly this winter.
As it was written the bill would have allowed the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to start the process of implementing a crossbow license in time for the 2006 hunting season. But at the end of the session the crossbow bill got an extra push, receiving an "emergency" amendment that will allow the game department to accelerate the process and could lead to crossbow hunting in Virginia as early as the 2005 fall hunting seasons.

The department's staff will present a proposed crossbow regulation to its board of directors at a meeting in Richmond on Thursday.

Should the board approve the proposal for advertisement, the public will have its say over the next few months. Comments will be taken by phone, e-mail, mail and at six public meetings to be held throughout the state.
The board will then vote on the proposal at its next meeting, in late June. If the regulation passes, Virginians will be able to hunt with crossbows this coming fall.

Currently, only authorized disabled hunters are allowed to use crossbows in Virginia.

Bob Duncan, chief of the department's wildlife division, says the proposal will establish a special crossbow license that will allow hunters to use the weapons during established archery seasons.

Like archery and muzzleloader speciality licenses, the crossboW license would be used in combination with a big-game hunting license.

The license will cost $12.50, the same as the other speciality licenses.
A hunter who chooses to use only a crossbow during archery season would not be required to purchase a regular archery license. That provision should appease disabled hunters, some of whom worried that a crossbow regulation would require them to purchase an additional license.

In addition to establishing the new crossbow license, the department will also seek to remove certain prohibitions on crossbows during other hunting seasons.

For example, hunters who so desire will be able to hunt with crossbows during the general firearms and muzzleloader seasons, just as bowhunters are currently allowed to continue using those weapons during deer gun seasons.
Rushing the crossbow proposal will create a couple of challenges for the game department.

The final vote on the proposal will come after the deadline for the department's 2005-06 hunting digest. Duncan said the digest will likely include a passage reporting that a crossbow regulation was being considered at press time and that hunters can refer to the game department's Web site for the regulation's status.

Crossbow approval, should that happen, will also come after the deadline for Virginia's traditional preprinted paper licenses. That means crossbow licenses will be available only through limited venues, such as through the department's Internet and telephone license sales programs. That may be inconvenient for some hunters, but those who want to hunt with a crossbow probably won't mind going to a little extra trouble to get the license.

A growing number of states have approved crossbow hunting regulations in recent years and the proposals have not come without controversy.
Crossbow supporters point out that the weapon is essentially just a modern bow attached to a rifle stock, with capabilities and an effective range little different than the compound bows most archers use. They also say that the weapons help attract new hunters to the exciting, close-range sport of bowhunting.

The second argument is supported by statistics from states that have seen bowhunter numbers increase after crossbow seasons were established.
Opponents argue, among other things, that crossbows violate the primitive spirit of archery hunting because they are easier to learn to shoot effectively than bows, and don't require a hunter to draw while while game is approaching. Some also fear that new crossbow hunters will take to the woods without a full understanding of the limitations of the weapons.

In addition to the crossbow regulation, the department also plans to announce other potential changes to hunting, fishing and boating regulations. Those ideas, which could include hunting and fishing license fee increases, will be presented only informally. The official proposals will be made in August and voted on later in the fall. Those changes would then take effect in 2006.

http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors%5C20547.html

[BOB VANDRISH]

That's great news Woody!
Nice to see that the march continues!
When can we expect to hear the same news about Pennsylvania?
I have been hunting down there for 28 years,and they always seem to be behind the progress being made in the more progressive states about a level playing field for crossbow hunters
It's time they came to their senses,and made the archery regulations the same for all archers,regardless of the type of equipment being used!!
Would like to hear from anyone who may have some info on this topic.
Thanks,
Bob.

[Woody Williams]

BOB,

About the only thing keeping the crossbows out of a lot of states are the organized state bowhunting groups.

They are a minority, but are very vocal.

They can get a mob to any DNR meeting and make it look like they are a majority.

The progressive states are starting to realize these guys are only out to protect "their season" and it is unwarranted.

As more and more states get on the crossbow express the other states will see what they are missing out on.