Alabama Crossbow Hunters

Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:22 am

Hi All,

Thought I would give all of you an update on the situation in Alabama since I just returned from the Birmingham Deer show (a non stop 15 hour drive I may add

)

Well, we have alot of new Excalibur owners after the show which is good news! But many people are still holding off buying crossbows until the bill is finalized.

I had the opportunity to talk with Archie Phillips who was invovled in the voting procedure regarding crossbows and he assured me that the bill will be passed within the month in Alabama. I also heard through dealers who had the opportunity to talk with the commissioner Barnett Lawley that he wants to put crossbows in the gun season although his advisors still want it in the archery season. The crossbow usage is becoming a political hot potato in Alabama and the commissioner is considering placing it in gun season to keep the Alabama Bow hunters quite.

It seems that the Alabama Bow Hunter group are a loud bunch and crossbow enthusiasts will need make sure thier voice is heard as well. Here is the contact information for commissioner Lawley:

Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources

64 N. Union Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36130

COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE
(334) 242-3486

M. Barnett Lawley
Commissioner of Conservation

Those of you who would like to make your thoughts heard can call him directly on this phone number.

It was great to meet some of you at the show and I look forward to seeing more of you in Atlanta and Perry GA. Bill & Kath will be at the Montgomery AL show so those of you in that area should make sure to say hi to them.

Talk to you all soon!

Peter Balfour
Excalibur Crossbow

Marmot · Post by **Marmot** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 1:15 pm

There is no doubt in my mind that the Professional Bow Hunters (PBS) Organization is behind the scenes pulling strings for your local elitist bow hunting group as they did here in Maryland. Please do not let a small, but very vocal, group of hunters limit your privileges by getting the crossbow classified as a non-archery device. The hunters of Maryland let a five hundred-person group; namely, the Maryland Bow hunters Society (MBS), call the shots for the entire community.

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 2:09 pm

August 5th is the drop dead date.

They will make a decision then.

I can not see the CAB reversing this as they were unanimous in the decision. If I was on the board I wouldn't backpedal and change my vote no matter how loud and whiney the bowhunters got. In fact I would dig my heels in more..

If the commissioner caved in I see this about as bad as the Filipinos withdrawing their troops when the insurgents took a hostage. IOW- Blackmail..