Sad day for bow hunters .... :(

[45 ACP]

Im am sure opinions will vary on this, but I just learned that the bill proposed to allow crossbows during archery season was passed. I think it happened a week or two ago, and Im sorry if its old news but I just learned of it.

I am an avid bowhunter, and for years I have cherished October as a time when die hard hunters could get out and have the woods to ourselves. Bowhunters, at least the majority of us, seem to have an unmatched respect for the animals we hunt. It consumes us. I think about it when I eat, sleep, work, drink, drive, ect. ect.

Anyways, just wanted to hear yalls thoughts. I practice with my bow pretty much year round. You have many things to consider such as arrow spine, grip, anchor points, follow through, release, torque ect. ect. To me, this only opens the door to many people that wont practice and can just pick up a crossbow and go to the woods without the same bleeding desire and respect I share with my father and friends and other hard core bow hunters.

It makes me wonder what is in store for us next, a couple of years down the road. Again, this is just my opinion.

[bountyhunter]

Yes a sad day that I don't want to get into again.

Here is a link to where I get down and dirty about this subject.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=209327

[45 ACP]

Ahhh. I looked here and didnt see the topic. Guess I shoulda looked there too.

[bountyhunter]

Yes it is hard for me to even think about the subject any more as it makes my blood boil. Reading the posts in that thread is a fine example of the kind of folks they will be turning loose in the woods this fall during bowseason. I'm just glad I now my own property where I don't have to worry about them like I did when I hunted public land. Never could bring myself to spend money on a lease, never paid to hunt in my life. Where and when I was growing up you didn't have to pay to hunt someone's land you just asked and they said yes or no. Most of the time in my case it was yes and I had a reputation for leaving everything just like I found it and if I did make a kill, I always offered the land owner some of my meat. All I can say is there will likely not be an archery season much longer, but I hope I'm wrong.

Next spring we may just have to have an FWE Bow Hog Hunt up at my place. Those that don't bow hunt, can just come up camp and party!

[45 ACP]

Wow, I couldnt even read that thread. I tried, but couldnt. Bunch of rambling.

[Moonpie]

I'm curious. Why exactly is this a "bad" thing?

Gonna play devils' advocate here for a minute..............

1.) It allows folks who perhaps can not use a bow to hunt.

2.) It might bring in more folks to the sport.

3.) All the lip flapping about undisicplined people showing up in the woods with a crossbow is a bunch of snobbish B.S.
What it amounts to is the same claptrap some people whine about on busy holiday weekends out on the bay. Not everyone is a dumbarse.
I read it as essentially as, "no one is worthy to hunt except me because I shoot a regular bow". What a load.
How do you know some fellow doesn't just like crossbows and takes the time to learn to use it properly?
The stereotyping is wrong.

4.) People get old and some have health issues. They may still want to achery hunt. A crossbow allows folks to do this. Don't hate on them.
You'll be there one day yourself.

Asbestos suit on.

[bountyhunter]

I'm curious. Why exactly is this a "bad" thing?

Gonna play devils' advocate here for a minute..............

1.) It allows folks who perhaps can not use a bow to hunt.

2.) It might bring in more folks to the sport.

3.) All the lip flapping about undisicplined people showing up in the woods with a crossbow is a bunch of snobbish B.S.
What it amounts to is the same claptrap some people whine about on busy holiday weekends out on the bay. Not everyone is a dumbarse.
I read it as essentially as, "no one is worthy to hunt except me because I shoot a regular bow". What a load.
How do you know some fellow doesn't just like crossbows and takes the time to learn to use it properly?
The stereotyping is wrong.

4.) People get old and some have health issues. They may still want to achery hunt. A crossbow allows folks to do this. Don't hate on them.
You'll be there one day yourself.

Asbestos suit on.

I'm not going to get into it over here again but I'll anwers your questions.

1. Not sure what you mean here, but anyone can use a modern bow if they are willing to take the time and effort it requires to practice year around. As far as not being physically able, well they were already able to use a crossbow if they had a doctor's letter. Read the archery section in the 08-09 regs.

2. Bowhunting is more than a sport, it is a way of life. If people were willing to spend the time required they wouldn't go get a crossbow.

3. Undisicplined people isn't any lip flapping. All you have to do is listen to the people that are planning on getting crossbows. They think they are just like guns which is the pure BS. A crossbow is really not much more affective than a compound bow, but I can just see some of these folks shooting at deer 50 to 60 yards and maybe further. It is going to happen because these people are not going to take the necesssary time to know their weapon. If they were going to put the required time in, then they should have just gone with a compound bow. I'm sure there will be some that do it right, but I know that for the most part there will be a lot of hacks in the woods come this Oct.

4. See answer No. 1 - they could have used them before this new law took affect. You see that I the number one problem, very few people took the time to read the archery rules and laws. Anyone that was physically unable to draw a bow and had a doctor's letter could hunt during archery only season with a crossbow.

Reply if you want, but I will not get into another arguement over this subject!

[Moonpie]

I don't want to argue either but I do want to discuss.

But I still don't understand why its "bad" to allow crossbows?

Are crossbows not effective? Do these wound/lose deer excessively? Inaccurate?
Not the ones I've seen.

As far as undisiciplined people thats not going to wash.
There are undisiciplined yahoos in EVERY sport! Hunting, fishing, golf, hell I bet there are even cheaters at Solitaire. There are doofusses in every area of life as well as people who do it right.
To paint every person who decides to do it differently than you is wrong. There is no way you can convince me that each and every bowhunter is some kind of Zen Warrior of the Bow who spends his days in the perfection of the Draw. Thats a bunch of hooey and you know it.
And I also refuse to believe each and every crossbowman would be a total and complete dipshit who won't take the time to learn his craft.


Could it be that some people just don't want the competition?

[JT]

sounds like a bunch of bowsheet to me.

[bountyhunter]

I don't want to argue either but I do want to discuss.

But I still don't understand why its "bad" to allow crossbows?

Are crossbows not effective? Do these wound/lose deer excessively? Inaccurate?
Not the ones I've seen.

As far as undisiciplined people thats not going to wash.
There are undisiciplined yahoos in EVERY sport! Hunting, fishing, golf, hell I bet there are even cheaters at Solitaire. There are doofusses in every area of life as well as people who do it right.
To paint every person who decides to do it differently than you is wrong. There is no way you can convince me that each and every bowhunter is some kind of Zen Warrior of the Bow who spends his days in the perfection of the Draw. Thats a bunch of hooey and you know it.
And I also refuse to believe each and every crossbowman would be a total and complete dipshit who won't take the time to learn his craft.


Could it be that some people just don't want the competition?

Read my last post slower, and listen to what I'm saying. I said there would be some that would do everything right, that is not lumping all of them in one group. Just like I'll never say all bowhunter do it right but for the most part true diehard bowhunters that hunt with their bows even during gun season do, do it right and are the most displined hunters you will ever find. It is really hard for a non-bowhunter to understand this unless they know a true bowhunter. It is a passion, not a season extension.

Top of the line crossbows ($750-1000+) are effective on deer and hogs out to 50 yards if the person using them practices and practices a lot. I know a few guys that hunt with them due to medical reason and they practice just as much as I do with my bow. You will never convince me that even 50% of the new folks that will hit the woods this fall with crossbows in hand will put in the necessary amount of practice. I would be willing to bet the wounded/lost deer count doubles if not triples this coming October.

There are two seasons each year that really make some one hunt that is Archery Only and Muzzleloader, though Muzzleloader is getting bad with all the new chit folks are allowed to do with their weapons. Up until the time a few years ago when I started having shoulder problems I hunted only with a longbow, I have since moved to a compound, though I could have gotten a medical excuse to use a crossbow I didn't.

Bottom line is the crossbow is an easy way out. Anyone that wanted to hunt during Archery Only could if they put the necessary time in. With a crossbow most of them figure all they need to do is get one, sight it in and the are ready to hunt just like a rifle, well if even rifle hunters spent half the time real bowhunters spent practicing and making sure everything was right, there would be less deer lost during gun season as well. You can call all this BS if you want, but if you really stopped and thought about, even if you don't want to admit to it you know I'm right.

[GHSmacker]

I didn't like to see that law passed either, and i have several friends who were equally upset about it.

Here's what they need to do with the crossbows...allow people to use them ONLY if they have some sort of physical ability which disables them to properly use a bow. That's it...someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe that's what originally was the law on them.

Hey Moonpie...i bet you voted for Obama too.

Look...why do you think some states in the lower 48 banned robo ducks during waterfowl season. One of the MANY reasons is that it allows people who are not skilled in the sport to go out and kill ducks without knowing the many facets of the sports...IE: calling, decoy placement, concealment, working ducks, flight indentification, solid shooting skills, etc.

I'm not the most knowledgable when it comes to bow hunting, because i don't participate in deer hunting, but i'm fairly sure that crossbows can reach out and kill deer(with proper shot placement) at a greater distance than your average bow.

This bill passing shouldn't be a big suprise to anyone in this state though...deer hunting in this state is a MULTI MILLION DOLLAR industry. It's ridiculous...with all of the high fenced ranchs, $20,000 trophy hunts to kill a single animal, the selling of buck straws for AI on does, feeder usage, fence hunting, canned hunts, television shows, food plots, and whatever else, this is just another way for TPWD to get more people in the woods chasing bambi, and more money in their pocket.

One of the many reasons why i let deer hunting go and switched to waterfowling...you can't fence in the skies.

[JT]

I dont know if moonpie voted for obama but he does look a little like him.

You're right ghsmaker, neither is ANY bill passing that will raise mo dough. but its only been like that for the last 6,000 years or so.

Again, this sounds like another round of bowsheet on an issue most people dont give a rats ***** about to begin with, and wont have a whole lot of impact one way or another on wildlife resourses.

[bountyhunter]

Again, this sounds like another round of bowsheet on an issue most people dont give a rats ***** about to begin with, and wont have a whole lot of impact one way or another on wildlife resourses.

Not really sure what you mean about another round of bowsheet, when was the first round?

Also there are a lot of people that do give a rats arse about this even if you don't. That is the deal, if you don't bowhunt it really isn't going to affect you so you don't care about it. That doesn't mean most people don't care about it, there are a lot more bowhunters out there than you must think there are.

The Lone Star Bowhunters Asso. was fromed to give bowhunters in this state a special season just like a lot of other states in the lower 48. Part of this group (yes I'm a member) protects the rights of the bowhunter in the same manner as the NRA and TSRA protect your gun rights. The LSBA hasn't ever stood up against any form of hunting that didn't affect bowhunting and the Archery Only season. So to make a statement that most don't give a rats arse about this, really means that most non-bowhunter don't give a rats arse, which may be true.

The whole deal is our state is following the way of the rest of the Big Money hunting states. This is all about money it doesn't matter what the people think.

[JT]

Not really sure what you mean about another round of bowsheet, when was the first round?

Bowsheet = Bullsheet. Did that help out?



The whole deal is our state is following the way of the rest of the Big Money hunting states. This is all about money it doesn't matter what the people think.

Ya Think? And its been like that on every hunting, fishing, labor, cattle, oil, gas, auto, land, educational, housing etc... issue in any state, province, region, country since the beggining of time.

And I did see moonpie driving around in Muslim attire last time i was down.

[bountyhunter]

OH, I took you for mean bowsheet meaning bow bs, if that isn't what you meant I'm sorry.