archer

Upstater - well said, and I am with you on this. But I don't agree that nobody else has spoken as to the "whys" of keeping the crossbow out of the archery season. There are many good reasons, and yours is another. The simple fact is that the crossbow is a "cocked" weapon that does not require the hunter to draw, hold, and shoot like a traditional or even a compound does. And yes, it will attract so many people to the archery season that it has to affect the season lengths. I agree. But, at the root of all this is the simple fact that it is not a bow for the reasons mentioned; draw, hold, shoot. It is cocked like a rifle or shotgun. It belongs in the gun season.

Thanks for the info Doc every forum has a couple of them. As a moderator myself in a different forum we would at times ban someone like that if the flaming got to severe. Everyone should be able to express an opinion without being attacked. But yeah now that I know I don't lend crediblity to anyone like that....so no problem.

I merely posted why I don't want crossbow, "sits in trees"....I'm sure you read the entire post. You really need to grow up some.....the harsh comments indicate that perhaps you're the type I fear coming to the woods.......in fact, I'm sure of it. Thats the problem with forums like this, you got little puppies acting like big dogs behind a computer when in fact in public they stand with their tail between their legs. Some men are men, some...well,, they sit in trees.

I shoot traditional and I shoot all summer, every couple days. Starting in Sept I try to shoot every day. I shoot from different angles in the yard, from my roof, etc. Try to mix it up so you don't get bored helps. I also live on acreage bordered by 2000 acres of state land, so I stump shoot alot also. When I fatique I'll take a break, then shoot some more. I'll target shoot right on thru the hunting season.

Reading this thread has become mass confusion...........it has gone from writing a letter in support of crossguns to opposition to it and then on to shortening and lengthening season to crossgun accuracy to compound accuracy to my bow is bigger and badder than your bow. If someone doesn't agree with your point then name calling, on and on and on.......one even said.."I haven't read a good reason yet not to allow crossbows during archery"........translate: you don't agree with anyone....you certainly aren't judge and jury here, so get off the pedestal. I shoot traditional archery gear, my effective killing range is probably 17-18 yards, I am good at 20 yards, anything over that and I enjoy the scenery. I love to hunt from the ground, I enjoy studying the deer each season, trying to put together their routine, then putting myself within 15 yards or less from them in a ground blind or a treestand if that is the best way for that situation. A good day is walking 5 miles and almost getting a shot, and enjoying a lunch somewhere sitting on a stump in the woods in autumn without pressure from hordes of hunters. I don't want more hunters in the woods, I've hunted this season for 35 years and I like it just the way it is. And I want it to stay that way, quiet, unpressured deer, challenging, a time for real hunting. And I will fight to protect that heritage so that my kids and my grandkids can enjoy the same. I think including the "crossgun" during the archery season will severly effect the primitive nature of the hunt, I am fearful for the type of hunter that this contraption will draw to the archery season, I am fearful that I will see a hunter on every stump like we do during gun season (the reason I do not hunt gun season), I am fearful that deer hunting will continue to slide towards nothing more than a harvest of wildlife, people losing the ability to hunt and understand why they hunt, while the state draws more money into slush funds at our expense in the name of "getting more sportsman into our folds". Yes, if I had it my way we'd all be shooting stickows with wooden arrows we vaned ourselves with glued on fixed blade broadheads and trying to take an animal down at 10 yards. But it has already supassed that with the compound, and I for one don't want to see it continue to deteriorate. That's my reason, you can choose to disagree or agree, but respect my take on it and I'll respect your take on it. My reason is good enough in my eyes, perhaps not others. My reasoning is based upon limiting myself with the hunting tool I choose to use, putting myself closer to the animals terms, meeting him there on close to even odds, and hoping that if I have worked hard and spent my time in the woods effectively and have practiced relentessly my shooting, and that the stars are aligned right, well then just maybe I'll get lucky and take an animal. I like it that way, I want it to stay that way.

Shoot traditional here, have a few recurves and longbows, but mainly shoot a Thunderhorn Heart Stopper 56# - my main bow.

First of all...CNYLungbuster....great post, nice to hear from a young one who seems to have his head in the right place. Slowhand - I think that yes, in many instances many people have lost sight of the real reason for going there. Maybe not some of us "oldfogies" who still prefer to do it the hard way and shun all gadgetry and technology. But I think the media with it's deer hunting shows showing great trophies by using this bow or gun, these camo clothes, this call or scent, this treestand or blind, this ATV or SUV, this food plot or that, get this DVD or that, try this secret method or that one, use this trail camera or that GPS, wash your clothes in this and your body in that, this sight or scope, this arrow or load, this release or rest, etc., etc., drive thru mentaility....yeah, I think people are mislead into thinking that they can buy their success. This leads to a loss of the ability to hunt using your wits and woodsmanship, and success cannot be as sweet. Yeah, we can all still wax poetic; "I just love the sunrise from my treestand, that's why I go"...when in fact we go to take an animal. But it is how we take that animal that determines the quality of the hunt IMO. By fair chase, by putting yourself on the animals terms, and getting back to the roots of hunting and woodsmanship. But that's just me.

The push is on from a certain outdoor sports writer in Niagara County, who is and is known to be associated with crossbow manufacturer interests. It was then a democrat from the same county (a liberal pushing for hunting rights?...think about that one!) who introduced the legislation that is the same sitting on the Gov.'s desk. They hide behind what is referred to as the New York Crossbow Association, which in fact there is no such group that anyone can seem to find. Doesn't take a detective to look at that picture and see what is happening. "Knotheads".......when people revert to name calling it tells a lot about the person doing the name calling. Food for thought.

The compounds have evolved far greater than anyone ever thought they would I believe....the first ones were rudimentary at best, with about a 25% letoff. They were allowed as there was no advantage other than let-off. But, they morphed into beasts. Polls won't matter, money talks. This bill that the Gov will sign for allowing crossbows during the regular season in 2011 is not a victory for the crossbow manufacturers, nobody is going to put down their rifles and shotguns and go buy a crossbow. But put that crossbow during the archery season, and watch the sales take off. That's what they want, that's what they'll eventually get with their deep pockets.

To be read together, "our wildlife, seasons, and heritage". We pay for conservation here in this state, let's not let private companies (manufacturers) decide our fate. It is ours to decide, not their money in the pockets of crooked politicians and outdoor sport writers.

I think the reason that the crossbow is opposed during the archery only season by many (myself included) is because there is a heritage there to protect, a season that was started with the premise of keeping the hunt primitive and challenging. I think that todays compounds have crossed that line ten-fold already, and the crossbow would just be the final straw that sends a "primitive" season headed towards a "use anything" hunt. There were some guys back in the day that worked hard to get this primitive season when they were told that it would fail, and I'd like to see what is left of "primitive" preserved for future generations. Nobody likes NY Bowhunters, only for the reason that they have the cajones to take a stand for something they believe in and are willing to stick their necks out for it, and probably at the expense of increasing membership. Anyone who takes a stand is a target for those who feel opposed to their cause. The crossbow is being pushed here in NY by the crossbow manufacturers, they are putting money in politicians pockets as well as a few others, all at the expense of OUR wildlife and our seasons and our heritage. And then they brainwash us with "we hunters should all stick together"....meaning......follow like sheep. Even the NRA has joined the crossbow push, money talks. Sad reality of the times.

I think that NYSlowhand is on to something, and although I do agree that the reason we go there is for simliar scenes as he described, we also go to hunt. And I question if the gadgetry of the sport has gotten in the way of true hunting, that is: are we so dependant on our gear that we've forgotten how to hunt? Do we spend the time required for a successful hunt by scouting, learning the woods where seek them, honing our archer skills and being prepared physically and mentally to deal with the animal after the shot? Have we lost sight on how to hunt? Are we so caught up in the cable TV hunting shows with their ads and promotion for success which are manufacturer driven that we've lost the natural instinct to hunt? Is it becoming a video game? These are the thoughts that scare me as I see the direction that bowhunting is headed with the continual push for arrow speed and kinetics and crossbows and lazer sights and on and on add naseum. Can we grab a stickbow and head into the woods with wooden arrows made by our hands and still be successful? Can you?