Taking aim at a crossbow season

By Bill Cochran
ROANOKE.COM COLUMNIST

Sherry Crumley tells about the time she went to Florida for a spring gobbler hunt. During a lull, someone asked her if she would like to try shooting a crossbow at a target. “Why not,â€

Thanks for keeping us informed. Just my humble opinion, but I say let it be an option. That's what is great about America, we have options. If you don't want to hunt with a crossbow, don't! I know the bowhunters of the world are deeply divided on this issue, but I think it's a matter of personal preference. Just like some smokepolers scoff at inlines, it's simply a matter of personal preference.

I agree whole-heartedly with Dale! It just give's another option to everyone and isn't taking a traditional or compound bow out of anyone's hands! If anything, all it will do for the deer bowhunting season is make it better, as more people being in the woods will make them move better!

I'm rather interested in it myself, and I've been bowhunting with a compound since I was 12 years old. Although I still enjoy compound bowhunting, it's a good thing for me to have the option of using a crossbow. I'm not opposed to it at all!

Thanks for the info TScott!

The state of OHIO has had a crossbow season for over 20 yrs. When Crossbows were first introduced a lot of traditional/compound archers changed over to the crossbows. I have known a few myself, but most of the traditional/compound archers have went away from the crossbows due to the challenge of the bow and arrow. A fact that most people need to understand that the crossbow will not shoot faster or father than a modern compound. By allowing crossbows we are opening the great outdoors to more people and that is what is needed for our children and grandchildren. As was mentioned before about the inlines and then it was scopes on inlines and so on. The biggest thing we face to day is from non hunters the stronger our ranks as hunters become no matter what they hunt with the better off we all are. Just my 2 cents.

People with physical limitations already can get a permit to use a crossbow during archery. If they must have a crossbow season that's fine but I don't think it needs to be the length of the archery season. What really bothers me is the way this has been pushed through by the industry without input from hunters. And from what I've read on other sites like tndeer, a lot of those buying crossbows used to be archers. Don't think I'll ever buy a Parker compound. 2c

Good info, good post!

I think I'm with Neill on this one. Can't say I will never buy a crossbow but would rather not see the season coincide with what we know as archery season. I we are going to have crossbows and If we need to buy an additional license, why not add a week between archery and early ML. I would like to see a traditional ML season. Why not a week of crossbow/traditional ML.

One thing I enjoy most about the archery season is that there is little human activity in the woods. Deer movement is more likly natural. That's the way I would like to keep it.

Add a week and I'll buy the license and the crossbow, otherwise count me out for now.

Thanks for the link Tscott

Welcome wttail... you may get a little grief over here because of your username, but we'll let you play anyway! Just kidding! Welcome!

Thanks Freddy! I'm your counterpart over at vadeer.com. Does that make us friends or enemies? LOL

Seriously, I don't guess it matters if I jump over here now and then does it? Feel a little like I'm cheatin! LOL