Bill proposed for Crossbow Hunting

[Kurtr]

In the states were legal have they made a huge dent in deer population?

 

[pluckem]

Going to a one tag system is not increasing opportunity. Quite the opposite.

And forcing people into choosing 1 season is also decreasing everyone opportunity.

The ONLY way a 1 tag scenario makes ANY sort of sense (and I hate the idea)....is that you get a deer tag and you get to pursue with any weapon, during any season of your choice. When you harvest an animal you are done. But dont make a person pick before season. I may hunt with a bow unsuccessfully, and a rifle, and choose to shoot one with my muzzleloader.

That way I get to hunt as much as I want with whatever weapon I want.

Making a guy choose one season to apply for is going to piss off alot of hunters.

I can't disagree with anything you said, besides the 1 tag system decreasing EVERYONES opportunity. It would decrease mine and yours. I use all weapons and any open season to get out deer hunting. I am looking at the bigger picture of the hunting community and how to increase or keep participation during these coming years that are shaping up to have even lower populations and tag numbers.

Think about the big picture and future of the sport, not just how it would effect you. I hunt public land 95% of the time so when I am out hunting I wish I was the only deer hunter in the state. I wish everyone else would quit and then I would have it all to myself.

However this dream would only last for so long. No one else hunting means no one is really going to care when public lands are auctioned off to the highest bidder. No one is going to care when the State Legislature or Governor decides we don't need to manage the herd and its open season to kill whatever you want because the insurance companies want accidents to go to zero and corporate farming wants all habitat gone and crop losses from depredation to go to zero.

I also understand the opportunity is available for anyone to pick up the sport of bowhunting if they get denied a rifle tag.
However you also have to realize that people on this site are dedicated and passionate about the sport so they would and do take advantage of any open season/unit/tag. We are also the people who don't plan to ever give up the sport.

BUT there is a large group of deer hunters in this state that only rifle hunt and only hunt during the open rifle season. It might only be for 2-4 days a year. These are the people that will and have lost interest in the sport when they can only get a gun doe tag every 2-3 years or gun buck tag every 3-5 years.

Part of me thinks "oh-well" deer hunting wasn't a big priority in these people lives. They had the option to pick up archery equipment and they chose not to...their loss. But then there is the reality that these people will move on to other hobbies that have more opportunity. This also means they probably wont introduce any of there kids to the sport. Losing numbers is not good for the future.

All I am trying to get at is, IMO, you have to think about other people and other people's situation. How can we make the best out of a bad situation? How can we keep people involved or introduce new people in the sport?

- - - Updated - - -

for a few seasons and you will sing a different tune. Like I said, there are benefits and DRAWBACKS to both.
You are wrong about many of your xbow assumptions. Hunt with one

Can you elaborate on what the wrong assumptions are?

 

[PrairieGhost]

My brother has been hunting with a crossbow for years. My best friend got a permit after rotator cuff surgery. After one year he couldn't wait to get away from that heavy awkward best and back to a compound on 45 pounds. I much prefer my compound or longbow, but it sure would be nice for some other old guys I know who have given up.
If we must limit ourselves lets make the rifle season nine days long which would give us two week-ends. The opportunity would still be there for each type of hunting. You could limit bow season for a couple of years also.

 

[Howler]

I would have much rather saw a bill introduced that allows youth to use an xbow at age 6-10.
Get them out early and let them hunt. Lots of kids can't pull back 35 pounds before age ten. There some that can but n my opinion the youth would be the better option here.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

In the states were legal have they made a huge dent in deer population?

Not in Ohio, and most archery hunters still use compounds, recurves, etc... but that may be an apples to oranges comparison. Tons of food and habitat compared to out here.

 

[PrairieGhost]

In the states were legal have they made a huge dent in deer population?

I would like to read the references and data on that if you please.

 

[drayweb]

I think they should make the age 55 or above. Some of us guys with arthritis are having a hard time pulling even a 55 pound bow back. I looked at one of the forms to get a doctors permission and it says you pretty much have to have lost the use of one or both arms. I know my regular physician won't give me one.