New York Crossbow Hunters..

[ncountry]

it will be quicker than you think. LIke this coming fall or the year after.

Yeap .... That is what I have been hearing also.

[ncountry]

Sorry for the tangent,Obviously I do not agree but back to the regular scheduled program.

New York had it's first Crossbow hunting season last fall, the problem is we are limited to gun season only. We are working on changing the law to have crossbows classified as legal hunting implements for all seasons. We are looking for support of all New Yorker's that share this position. There is a new Facebook Page, New York Crossbow Coalition. Please check it out, we need to address this with numbers and support to make this happen.

Together we will make this happen, https://www.facebook...289931664402757

Thanks

[WNYBuckHunter]

True....But on that note why do we not start hunting season oct 1st. We can hunt with any weapon of our choice... How many people are not going to carry a gun?

Besides the fact fact that the state wants more $ for each season why divide the season up? New hunters ,young hunters just learning our sport are goin to miss out on more tradional hunting methods.... I know I am kinda laying it on thick... but imo this is where our sport is headed like it , or not.

I started hunting with a rifle for the 1st few years..Someone said I could start hunting 2 weeks earlier so I took up archery..If not for that I probably would not have ever started my favorite method to hunt deer.

I can read the writing on the wall. it is just a matter of time and crossbows will be in archery season...Maybe my kid or her kids will at least take my old bow off the wall and shoot a target or maybe a deer with it. lol.

Oct 1, that's most likely going to happen this year. If you honestly think that the only reason the archery and gun seasons are separate, is because of money, then I would have to say you are using some very cloudy judgement. The state splits them up based on how efficient they are at taking deer. Archery equipment is less efficient, so it gets a longer season. Muzzleloaders are less efficient, so they get some extra time. It's pretty simple really.

I have no fear that crossbows will take over archery season, they will play their part.

[landtracdeerhunter]

The only reason why crossbows are not in archery season right now, because the DEC will introduce an early muzzleloader season in the Southern zone. It is already hidden in the " 5 year deer management plan on page 39. They could care less about xbow . Their objective is to remove deer in those WMU's that need thinning, with a more efficient weapon. Far higher numbers in muzzleloader hunters, than xbow. I am outragged at this and will be commenting on the 45 comment period comimg up soon, for the management plan.

Edited February 12, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[Elmo]

Honestly, if they allow xbows during archery season, I'll buy a xbow. I'll still shoot the compound here and there for fun but I'll never carry the compound afield again. It'll be the xbow all the time.

[bubba]

it cant be too hidden if it was found. It has been in the works for a while.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I think an xbow has it's place. it sure is a challange ,cocking them " true " in a tree stand. Can't say I would use one all the time, but it's sure nice having weapons of choice.

[rag742]

Since the legislation was approved 2 years ago on crossbow use in New York, the more hunters that I speak to, seem to accept its use in all seasons than those who do not. At least in my area that is. I left my Muzzleloader in the house this year and took out my crossbow, I had the same results with my crossbow this year as I had with my Muzzleloader last year. That is, the Buck I shot was just as dead. Next year I would like to take my crossbow out in Archery Season and use my Muzzleloader in the later season. In either case, our time is now in New York. Please show your support to facebook if you are a member.

[ncountry]

Oct 1, that's most likely going to happen this year. If you honestly think that the only reason the archery and gun seasons are separate, is because of money, then I would have to say you are using some very cloudy judgement. The state splits them up based on how efficient they are at taking deer. Archery equipment is less efficient, so it gets a longer season. Muzzleloaders are less efficient, so they get some extra time. It's pretty simple really.

I have no fear that crossbows will take over archery season, they will play their part.

No cloudy judgement here.lol. I am quite aware of how and why the state divides the season...I was just trying to make a point( maybe poorly done).I am glad you are confident that Xbows will not take over archery season.I am not.(give it time)

Yes, I talked to some state people the other day and they said I could schedule my vacatation this fall around an oct 1st date with 99% certainty.

[skyhunter]

New hunters ,young hunters just learning our sport are goin to miss out on more tradional hunting methods.... I know I am kinda laying it on thick... but imo this is where our sport is headed like it , or not.

Sorry to cut your quote but this the part I would like to discuss.

I haven't met many young people interested in getting into bowhunting that were also interested in shooting old technology over the modern line of archery equipemnent. Kids like new technology to the point where it's just about all they do nowadays. The mindset that we must promote the old traditional methods of delivering an arrow to a target is way off the mark. The young generation rejects this and will aviod getting involved in activities that are not high tech gadget oriented.

So your notion of "young hunters missing out" would only be true if you influenced their entry into the sport through traditional means. Yes, there would be less of them.

Therefore, more hunters will be gained young and old by offerring a higher tech more efficient means of delivering an accurate shot to the vitals of game animals.

[ncountry]

Sorry to cut your quote but this the part I would like to discuss.

I haven't met many young people interested in getting into bowhunting that were also interested in shooting old technology over the modern line of archery equipemnent. Kids like new technology to the point where it's just about all they do nowadays. The mindset that we must promote the old traditional methods of delivering an arrow to a target is way off the mark. The young generation rejects this and will aviod getting involved in activities that are not high tech gadget oriented.

So your notion of "young hunters missing out" would only be true if you influenced their entry into the sport through traditional means. Yes, there would be less of them.

Therefore, more hunters will be gained young and old by offerring a higher tech more efficient means of delivering an accurate shot to the vitals of game animals.

All good points..Although I feel that we can accomplish both. I am guilty of this myself..When the next season with a superior weapon opens I am all over it.By that time, I am tired of watching deer at 40+ yards walk by. My game has not quite risen to the level where i can feel confident in harvesting a deer with my bow when I have a more efficient choice.

On the other hand I am normaly dead set against the government mandating my choices even for my own benefit.Like everything else there is no perfect anwser.

[WNYBuckHunter]

No cloudy judgement here.lol. I am quite aware of how and why the state divides the season...I was just trying to make a point( maybe poorly done).I am glad you are confident that Xbows will not take over archery season.I am not.(give it time)

Yes, I talked to some state people the other day and they said I could schedule my vacatation this fall around an oct 1st date with 99% certainty.

Gottcha. Thats why I said if lol. The way I look at it is that even Ohio, the state that has had them the longest, still has a 50/50 mix of vertical bows vs crossbows, which is a heck of alot better that the ratio of compounds vs recurves/longbows in NY since the introduction of compounds.

Personally, Ill get one eventually, but its not on my must have list right now. When I do, it will most likely be a recurve version. I like to challenge myself with deer hunting though, so Ill most likely use my vertical bow more than any crossbow Id own.

[ncountry]

Personally, Ill get one eventually, but its not on my must have list right now. When I do, it will most likely be a recurve version. I like to challenge myself with deer hunting though, so Ill most likely use my vertical bow more than any crossbow Id own.

Yes, I have been shooting spots at the local bow shop, and he is getting more and more crossbows in. Gotta admit they are pretty cool and look like fun.I will have one also, to play eventually.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I am just wondering how long this civil crossbow discussion can last

[growalot]

Could you imagine trying to cock a crossbow in a treestand?

I really don't know about them...so serious ? here...If all you have to do is stand on a bar and pull up...why would that be so difficult in a tree stand?

[XCAL1]

I really enjoyed hunting with a xbow this year, even if it was just the gun season. I missed a big doe when the limb of the x bow hit my bow hangar. The deer was in back of my ladder stand. Never had a problem with my vertical compound bow....hitting things. Also my arrows from my vbow didn't drop as fast as the crossbow. Why the xbow? couple of reasons.....where I hunt is 500 feet from any house, but I won't shoot,, a firearm, don't want to even chance a errent shot. I had a problem with my right eye and loss of sight, forcing me to shoot left handed and not very well with my vbow, could have ended my hunting if not for the new xbow legislation. I'm old, 65 and have strength issues but how many people have problems drawing back a vert bow to the relaxed position, with enough poundage to cleanly harvest a game animal? When I had a camp in the Southern Tier and was archery hunting, I would have loved others hunting with bows and crossbows ....to move some deer around. I just feel people who are against xbows have lame ideas about what hunting is.....for me no matter what the weapon, it's a personal feat and challange.

[Chevy]

Xcal,

You're luck to have enjoyed 40yrs of hunting archery season in the southern tier without xbow hunters doing deer drives "to move the deer around". I advocate that we leave things as is so our youth can enjoy the same.

[catskillkid]

I'm for xbows in all seasons too

[BizCT]

I'm for xbows in all seasons too

+ 1

[bubba]

I really don't know about them...so serious ? here...If all you have to do is stand on a bar and pull up...why would that be so difficult in a tree stand?

at 120 or higher pound pull. strapped in a stand leaning over it to cock it. You should try one so you will see how difficult it may be. In fact in the part of the hunter ed where we teach about xbow it is recommended not to do so in a stand.

[NFA-ADK]

I am with you Chevy. I am sorry but I do not want cross bow's when I am out with a bow. IMO these hunters are the least experienced and the 1st to shoot which scares me... Due to lack of shooting knowledge which comes from practice, you do not need a lot of practice with a cross bow...

I have enough problems with Yote hunters and early bear season during bow now you want to add additional hunters into the same time frame, No. Sorry but I am against this... Makes me wonder why the DEC has 2 season with 2 different hunters using the same area. No so fun when I am encircled by Bear and Yote hunters in BO while I am in Camo with a bow, but yea let's get more hunters into the area at the same time. So much for thinking about safety. OK I am going home to get my flack jacket for the replies to this post... Sorry but I am against using cross bow for all seasons due to safety and new hunters lack of experience and knowledge of weapons. Bow's(traditional, recurve or compound) require a lot more practice and knowledge to get good at causing the hunter to become a better shooter and IMO a better hunter who will identify his target and place his shot making him a more effective and SAFER hunter.

If they keep it the same more will try shooting a bow to get extra time in the woods than would use a compound IMO. Otherwise the yutes will just use a cross bow and never experience the thrill, experience and knowledge of shooting a bow.

Shooting a compound I have learned:

1)How and where to place my shot: due to a better understanding of deer anatomy

2)trajectory and elevation and windage ajustments and calculations

3)extream knowlege of my weapon: not just that the trigger works and the arrow goes straight.

4)A deeper understanding of my prey. Hunting with a bow has allowed me to hone my skills due to the effectiveness of my weapons range.

I just feel going to the local store and buying a cross bow will elliminate much of what is learned by using a weapon that requires a lot of practice. And yes despite the fact that compounds are effective and do not require as much practice, you still have to practice a lot to be good at multiple shooting angles and feet position and elevation not to mention weathers affect on you arrow and bow.

So I vote NO due to safety concerns and the fact that many new hunters will miss out on a world of experiance with a normal bow, be it compound traditional or recurve...

[phade]

I'm so on the fence with xbows. I support the benefits, but the detractors also concern me, namely the technology issue as mentioned (vertical archery going bye bye) and bow season impact if undertaken in current regs. References to Ohio are a good use as they have been around the longest. But, Ohio is also a one and done state. I think that difference is huge when trying to make an apples to apples comparison to NY, which is not a one and done state. Ohio also doesn't have the same hunter density/numbers.

I'm not all up to date on PA, but is PA a one and done?

Edited February 13, 2012 by phade

[fasteddie]

I am just wondering how long this civil crossbow discussion can last

I will help keep it civil and stay out of the conversation as I am not supportive of crossbows .

[skyhunter]

All good points..Although I feel that we can accomplish both. I am guilty of this myself..When the next season with a superior weapon opens I am all over it.By that time, I am tired of watching deer at 40+ yards walk by. My game has not quite risen to the level where i can feel confident in harvesting a deer with my bow when I have a more efficient choice.

On the other hand I am normaly dead set against the government mandating my choices even for my own benefit.Like everything else there is no perfect anwser.

I see your point and yes, it would be nice to teach the history of the sport as well before moving on to the modern benefits of higher technology. This way a newcomer could again have a choice of which avenue best suits their needs. Good hunting!

[growalot]

See bubba ...I pictured being able to sit...foot in "stirrup with leg stretched out and pulling the cable toward you.... that way....I pictured it giving a person a bit more leverage...but thanks for the answer