CROSSBOW DEBATE

While I do not have a problem with those that want to hunt with crossbows, I think the PGC has it right by limiting them to muzzleloader and rifle season except in the SRA's.

Crossbow use during our regular archery season would significantly increase the harvest IMO.  We have 300,00 archers in this state and many of our not so dedicated brothers would go out purchase them if they became legal.  Why?  They are easy to shoot accurately with minimal practice.

In Pa. that many archers using crossbows may result in shorter archery seasons to compensate for increased effeciency in the weapon.  I for one don't want to see my season shortened to appease the crossbow crowd.

In other states where they need deer harvested beacause hunter numbers don't compare to ours crossbows in archery don't matter because they need deer killed period.    

sounds like many of the same arguements used a while back to get compounbd bows to be legal ???

And done of the same "doom and gloom" forecasted if compoiunds became legal happened...

and I believe it would be the same.. not that much iincrease in harvest and for sure the PGC is not going to shorten ANY season... I believe they would like to make them even longer than they are now.. but with hunters complaininng about "no deer" that would spell a major battle...

No reason for not allowing crossbows...

just the current "greed" of the compund bow hunters IMHO...


PLUS the archery harvest figures NEED to increase.. not enough antlerless are being removed prior to the rut...

I can't remember the last time I saw as many does without fawns as I have this year .. so it's obvious (in my area)  there are still too many does that are NOT getting bred..

I do agree that more does need removed prior to the rut, you will not  kill enough to matter without a rifle season to do so.  

You will kill many more bucks during a six week archery season with crossbows legal, especially during the rut, to matter.

I think that Pa would actually see a increase in archers if crossbows were legalized.  Many don't have the discipline to be effective archers and may pick up a crossbow because it takes minimal practice to be a great shot.

I know how rumors get started, but through a reliable source, Carl Roe has stated that the PGC is looking seriously at the increased effectiveness of crossbows in the SRA's.  Also a statement was made that a shoortened archery season would be a real possibility, for bucks, if crossbows were legalized statewide.

Maybe Doc could shed some light on this??

Again, I have no problem with the crossbow if you want to use it.  You have plenty of time to do so legally now.  You have six weeks to do so now if my math is right statewide, except the SRA's.  

Just don't mess up my season because you want 12 weeks to hunt with a crossbow.  

Okay. I am ready.

One thing I like about Director Roe is he is open to discuss any and all "possiblities" resulting from ANY change in weapons, seasons, baits,etc,,etc...

with the "mean" age of our archery hunters increasing just as with rifle hunters more and more "older" guys are finding it harder to pull and hold even a good compound bow. Now if their "pride" will allow them to think of themselves as "dis-abled" they can get a permit to use a crossbow and continue archery hunting in the good weather of early fall. Myself... this well probably be my last year archery hunting unless I can be "older" without the tag of "dis-abled" and be allowed to use a crossbow in GOOD weather and with less fearful deer as the target..the MAJOR advantage ALL archery hunters have ..PERIOD

I am not sure where you get the idea I can use a crossbow to harvest a buck except in rifle season or the late winter muzzy season.. personally.. I think I would have to be "NUTS" to take a crossbow in quest of a big buck in rifle season... common sense tells me I'll have a better chance with a rifle... and at my age late muzzy is just to damn cold

Remember the PGC once considered a doe rifle season in OCTOBER... would you rather see that than to allow some to use crossbows ??

If the current trend of not enough harvested antlerless deer continues during archery season and with fewer and fewer archery license sales as a result of an aging population of archery hunters I can easily see that idea coming to the fore-front again.

And given a choice between a crossbow for a doe or a rifle in October.. I think you know which one I would support 100%...

AND I would only have to buy a regular license and a doe tag... Not bad for someone on a fixed income heh ???

Folks have to remember.. NOT EVERYONE is hell-bent on shooting bucks...  Most..certainly.. BUT NOT ALL.....

I would rather allow for MANY extra bucks harvested by crossbow hunters (IF THAT EVEN HAPPENED) than have rifles suddenly appear in October.. scaring every deer in the woods...that would DESTROY "the rut" period for ALL ARCHERS...

TIL LATER  

One more thing..

Where are all these extra buck harvests going to come from with legal crossbows.....

according to many  - there are not many bucks left at all....

plus the compound loving archers need to remember -- there are already TONS of rifle hunters complaining  because "all the good bucks" are shot by archers in October because they are not as leary of hunters and are therefore not around for the rut and to increase the deer population.

THOSE are the ones that archers should be fearful of... not us older guys or the "lazy" ones who want to use crossbows.

Penn,

No problem with seperate crossbow season as long as managed as such.

No problem if doe only.

I don't think the issue of tradtional vs compound is as big an issue now as before.  There is a huge difference between any "bow" and a crossbow.  

--Last edited by dpms on 2007-08-01 17:32:14 --

Doc,

 I was wrong. There are 5 weeks to harvest a buck with a crossbow as the seasons are currently set up.  Including archery would be a total of 11 weeks.  

 As far as the october doe harvest, I don't know where I stand on that question.  Crossbows vs October rifle antlerless season.  I would have to see the details to make a decision on that one.  

Archery season, even with crossbows will never harvest enough does to matter.  If the PGC truly wants does harvested before the rut they would have to do the rifle thing.  But, I don't see any support for that in the future. They haved messed with tradition enough.

If antlerless harvests are dropping in archery than an increase in allocations will handle that.

I know alot are crying that the archers are killing all of the bucks.  These are the same people that say there are no deer and the average age of the herd is not increasing.

These same people cry about us killing the bucks but don't go buy a bow and try to get one for themselves.  Why??  Because it is difficult and takes dedication.  That what archery is supposed to be.

I use a compound. I see nothing wrong with anyone using a longbow, recurve, compound or a crossbow in any archery season. Just so they practice. There is enough room for everyone. To each their own.

if a weapon is a weapon then open the season to all weapons.  why not allow rifle hunter the opportunity to hunt during the rut

I believe there are MANY states that have a rifle season during the rut... just another example of Pa not being in touch with the 21st century

riz,

I agree, open deer season starting early Oct thru mid Jan for all hunters. It's fair for everyone. I'll bet there would still be bitching because someone didn't see any deer...