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Thoughts on crossbows....

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GunnerJon

Guest
Just thought I would get a discussion started about crossbows and their use here in Iowa. I know that once you have that doctors permission slip to get a crossbow liscense, you have it for life, and I think this is crap. If you can't pull back a bow, fine. But if you recover and can finally use a bow, you should. That is just my opinon. I guess the reason I am venting about this is because there is a guy that hunts close to me that uses a crossbow and is out just to slaughter the biggest bucks around. I have found several deer dead on our property, one that actually had a crossbow bolt in it. C'mon, at least track your deer! And this guy climbs around way up into treestands......and I think if you are healthy enough to climb around like a monkey 20 foot in the air, you should be able to shoot a bow. I have no problem with crossbow hunters that are legitimate.....but this guy ticks me off. Any of you out there with the same thoughts?

-GunnerJon
 
I worked with a guy who had a minor heart attack and his doctor signed a slip for him. He just laughs. He can pull a bow as good as anyone else.

I know another guy...an alcholic heavy smoker piece of #%$@! He is on SSI and food stamps because he is "disabled" he had a minor heart attack. For a disabled person he sure does well. He hunts water fowl, deer gun and bow, pheasant and rabbit....oh yea he also traps, but of corse he can't work or hold a job. Just keep putting democrats in office and we can share the woods with even more "disabled" people.
 
The sad fact is that there are more than just a few hunters out there who want to hunt during the bow season, but do not have the commitment to become proficient with a bow. Crossbows appeal to them as they more closely resember a gun than a bow in the manner they are shot. The disabled permit system is a joke and abused in nearly every state where it is permitted. Doctors sign forms for every person complaining of a sore shoulder. The only way I could ever support permits for disability would be if the person has to appear in person at the IDNR and prove their disability. Anyone with a temporary disability would be required to appear in person and renew every season.
 
I saw a show the other day on the Outdoor Channel that showed how Texas lets youth hunters use crossbows. I think that is the way to get our kids out there earlier!!!
 
I Dad uses a crossbow and if it wasn't available he wouldn't be able to "bowhunt" with me. I got him hooked a couple years before he had to go to a crossbow. Sure he can climb a tree into a stand and walk out to the stands most days but there are also days when he can hardly walk due to injuries he received when he fell off a barn many years ago. In my opinion the most important part of our bowhunting experience is being able to go together and share in all the highs and lows that go with bowhunting. I agree there are people who abuse the system but in my dad's case he isn't one of them. He works a lot of hours and goes through a lot of pain in a day of work and if being able to "bowhunt" with a crossbow helps him have a chance to hunt and enjoy the thrill of the chase, then I'm all for it. Just my 2 cents
 
here in wi, not only does a doctor have to sign off for a crossbow permit but you than have to go to a physical therapist and have them sign off. $450.00 dollars later, insurance doesn't pay buy the way, you have crossbow permit.....hurrray......but it's only good for 5 years. or if you are old than 65 you may hunt with one automatically. i don't know how many of you have shot a crossbow but, people have this misconception that they are like shooting a rifle,that you have more distance, that you have better penatration, these are all false. the reason most of these bows are at least 150lbs is they need that much force to generate enough energy/speed to be effective for hunting. the other thing it takes alot of hand strength to cock these things by hand. now they do have cocking devices but what a pain. i feel crossbows are not as great as some people think they have more disadvantages than advantages. i sell crossbows everyday and we try to educate the customer as to the limitations they have. sorry for rambling.
 
The handicapped crossbow permit is not for life.

The definition of handicapped as it pertains to crossbow usage: "means a person possessing a physical impairment of the upper extremities that makes a person physically incapable of shootig a bow and arrow. This includes difficulty in lifting and reaching with arms as well as difficulty in handling and fingering."

Iowa Adminitrative Code 15.5(4): Validity and forfeiture of authorization card.

A card authorizing the use of a crossbow for hunting deer and turkey will be valid for as long as the person is incapable of shooting a bow and arrow. If a conservation officer has probable cause to believe the person's handicapped status has improved, making it possible for the person to shoot a bow and arrow, the department may, upon the officer's request, require the person to obtain in writing a current physician's statement.

If the person in unable to obtain a current physician's statement confirming that the person is incapable of shooting a bow and arrow, the department may initiate action to revoke the authorization card."

Doug Clayton

State Conservation Officer
 
Blind sow, i know they are supposed to be temporary but last year a week before bow season i cut my thumb off at work.Not wanting to miss out I borrowed a crossbow, got my temporary permit and used it untill the late season when my thumb was healed enough to draw back my compound.Never thought much about it till this spring when a new permit came in the mail, which by the way im not using, im not even sure where its at anymore.

But you notice i went back to my compound as soon as i could.Thats cause the crossbow was slow, noisy, awkward, and heavy.My compound shot flatter, the crossbow dropped a ft between 20 and 30 yrds.The deer also dropped a ft when you touched the trigger cause of the noise it made.I have nothing against crossbows, without it i woulda been stuck at home from oct to dec of last year, im just not sure why anybody that could draw a bow would want to use one.
 
I think crossbows should not be allowed during archery seasons, with the exception of folks that medically cannot pull a bow.

Once you have a deer in range, nearly all the skill in taking that animal is drawing your bow back without them spotting the movement or hearing the arrow draw across the rest, and then releasing the arrow while the deer is in a shootable position. A crossbow eliminates most of the movement and all of the sound of drawing as you simply just have to aim and shoot. And if the deer stops behind a tree, you don't have to let off.
 
I stand corrected if the liscenses are not for life....I was just saying what I was told by a local C.O. If they are not for life, then why aren't these guys being checked up on?? I know there are people out there (including the guy that I was talking about) that can pull back a bow but still have that crossbow liscense....and this is not right. And please don't get me wrong....I am NOT bashing the legitimate guys out there that really can't pull back a bow and are using a crossbow. I have talked to the local game warden about this guy, and apparently he still has the doctors permission.......which is crap. I think the handicapped system needs to be updated......and the people need to be able to prove that they can't pull back a bow each year.....or there are going to be more slobs abusing this system. Ok, enough ranting and raving......
Good luck and good hunting!

-GunnerJon
 
Gunner jon, its not a fool proof system but id hate for it to wind up like it is in a lota of states, like the guy from wi.said where it costs you 400 or 500$ to get one.If you really are disabled, even temporarily you more than likely aint working and aint gonna have a extra 400$ to get a deer license.I was trying to explain to a friend on a different forum how to get one after he had a heart operation, I couldnt believe the time and money it cost him to do so, he just about give up deer hunting with a bow because of it.Your always gonna have some people that wanna take advantage of the system, think about it, we all get deer tags but do you think everyone puts them on the deer they shoot?Im sure they dont, they just haul em home after dark and cut em up so they can keep hunting.Thats not right either but they aint gonna make it harder to get deer tags because of it
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Those people who can not shoot a bow and arrow for whatever reason still can participate in the muzzleloading and shotgun seasons. Let's face the facts, the day will come when all of us will either be unable to shoot a hunting weight bow or will be dead, whichever comes first. Not being able to shoot a bow and arrow is not justification for being able to use crossbows or other weapons in the archery season. Notice is called the "archery season" and not "early deer season for whatever weapon you are able to shoot". Should a person whose wrist does not allow him to use a fly rod should be able to dunk worms with a crankbait rod and reel on a dry fly only stream!
 
They can participate in the muzzleloader or shotgun season, last time I checked not both.So they should be forced to hunt a one week season instead of a 3 1/2 month season because they cant draw a bow back?Yes it is called archery season, a crossbow shoots an arrow and is a short range weapon.I can put 3 arrows in a 3 inch circle at 40 yrds with my compound but while hunting i keep my shots under 30 yrds.A crossbows the same, when used sensibly it can only shoot so far, but just like compounds your gonna have idiots willing to take long range shots at game with it.And if you wanna get real technical the crossbows been around a few hundred years longer than the modern compound so wich ones more primitive?
 
Spears and atlatls have been around even longer than crossbows and hand-held bows. Far as I know they are not legal to use in any state during an archery-only season. It could be argued that a spear is just as much of an arrow as a crossbow bolt, just a larger, slower version!
 
I've got just one question for you people that are completely anti-crossbow for anyone during the archery season.

Why do we hear so much anti-crossbow talk and absolutely no anti-early muzzleloader talk? Iowa basically allows single shot hi-powered rifles hunt for 16 days during the middle of October.

For the record, I'm also anti-crossbow, but only because I have to use one. I'd love to have the luxury of using today's modern compound bows. Today we talk about limiting shots to 30 yards. I'm old enough to remember much controversy about allowing sights and releases. Back in the day of instinct shooting, we talked about limiting our shots to 15-20 yards and that was after practicing most every day throughout the entire year.
 
I do not care for crossbows personally, and would just as soon not see a regular xbow season.

But I do not have a problem with the program.

There are abuses to every system. I believe the person using the tool matters most......

I suspect the % of hunters that do not meet each of our own standards is similar in all methods if you take total numbers in account.

I'm glad to be able to do my thing.........

Make sure you vote! And be sure you are an IBA member if you are an Iowa bowhunter.

Good luck and be safe......

Hey about time to start on the party hunters again huh?
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