Crossbows?!?!? Iowa bow season?

[blake]

Blake, is that an AR style crossbow? I couldn't help noticing the pistol grip! That thing MUST be more lethal than regular archery tackle because it looks like something the military would use...does it have a high capacity quiver?

Take the upper off of your AR-15, the Tac 15 crossbow mounts right on same as the upper of the AR. Hand crank to cock it, silent and accurate.

 

[loneranger]

I willl tell those from MI, what destroyed hunting, at least in the Northern half,, was not CrossBows. It was the silly fear ramped up about TB. Unlimited doe permits, for several years. when I left,,and my friends there still say, you are hard pressed to see a deer on public land. But that is another topic. All the young,strong muscled bow hunters, can strut around telling everyone how they should be allowed to hunt,but wait until they get older! And you don't have to be 70 to experience, Arthritis, or srtuggle to use upright bows. I wonder why bow hunters have been so quick to use every tech developement to make shooting an upright,"easier"? Trigger releases,drop away rests,80% let offs,. When I started it was 3 fingers on a string,70 lb bow meant you pulled 70 lb bow. Should have stuck with the He-Man way of bow hunting! Compounds make it "Too Easy".

 

[timekiller]

I'd prefer things stay as they are but sooner or later this change is coming. Only thing I can see happening as a result is a few more people in the woods that will pick up an xbow but not a real bow.

Nothing against mplane, but this made me chuckle. I know about 3 guys on this thread that shoot what I consider "real bows". No one has a problem with shooting compounds with high let offs, peeps, fiber optics, and arrows zipping well over 300 fps out to 70 yards, but mention someone shooting a crossbow with basically the same capabilities and every one talks about how it would attract a bunch of slob hunters.
I personally wouldn't have any interest in hunting with one, but I sure don't think it would be the demise of the deer herd if they were allowed.

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[Thinkin Rut]

We could absorb many rules like this if we could get rid of the late antlerless season.

 

[JNRBRONC]

After hunting with someone who used a cross bow, I can only chuckle about it. I think there are a lot of misconceptions out there about their speed and accuracy. I doubt that allowing cross bows would impact me much. I'd say poaching is more of a concern to me.

 

[loneranger]

The poaching topic, is similar to banning guns. Those bent on criminality, will use what they want, and do what they want,, regardless of laws.

 

[2dblind]

the argument of them having a special season is ridiculous! if that's truly how people feel then I guess the argument should be made that only 20 gauge shotguns should be used during 1st season gun, late muzzleloader season you can only use percussion cap and no inline muzzleloader, pistols can not be used during shotgun season either.

if u want them to have their own season lets let them have Nov. 1- Nov. 20th. bow hunters have the best time of year to hunt as far as getting the rut. which is great and thats how I want it. keeping guns out of the rut is key but as soon as something comes along that they THINK could mess up their elightness they get to crying about it!

I remember a couple years ago a debate came up about the Nov anterless season (which I was against that season from the get go). people were arguing about how it wasn't fair to them cause that was bow session and their time. people were crying over losing 3 days of bow hunting when they just had 57 straight days of it! during the rut! people need to get a clue and grow up!

 

[Altiman94]

I'm fine with legalizing them for the general bow season. I don't see them as more effective than a compound bow, personally. Also, they are heavy, usually not cheap, loud, and hard to manuever around. I could see a rush to purchase them if they were legalized for the first year, but after that lots of guys would drop out.

We have a bigger problem (i.e. deer population) to conquer before worrying about crossbows in my mind.

 

[buckill]

I don't think they should be allowed during bow season. If the majority of guys wanted them then use them during gun season.

 

[Brett Morris]

I'm confused, do people really think that a majority of people would switch to crossbows? I have 20+ buddies that bow hunt and I'd guarantee not a single one would make the switch.

Lets pose this question: how many people would make the switch? I'd love to hear how many guys would hang up their compound for a crossbow, maybe I'm wrong but I bet less than 5-10% of the guys on this website would switch if they could use crossbows in 2013.

 

[JNRBRONC]

I'm confused, do people really think that a majority of people would switch to crossbows?

I don't think it is a switch question, but rather a perception that crossbows are easy. An opportunity of entry for those considering hunting.

 

[KPM]

I had shoulder surgery and last spring during turkey season I obtained a temporary crossbow permit for turkey hunting. I am one that is glad to be able to shoot my bow again. The crossbow is not something I would choose to hunt with.

 

[SCOFFIN]

They look like a pain to reload in the stand if you needed a 2nd shot in a hurry. I'll stick with my bow. But I really don't see why the perception is they are more lethal than a compound. Hell, you can put a scope on a compound these days if you really wanted to. And really, anybody who wanted one and had a good relationship with their Dr could get the permit to use one. They want all the deer dead anyway both bows and crossbows should be legal during bow season in my opinion.

 

[2dblind]

ok maybe I missed something? why are people saying they should be put in gun season if they're legal?

 

[iabwhntr]

ok maybe I missed something? why are people saying they should be put in gun season if they're legal?

because of the trigger and scope. i think.
and maybe because it's shoulder mounted. maybe. It wasn't my train of thought so I may be way off

 

[2dblind]

well if that's the case then compounds should have their own season away from traditional cause long and recurves are much more challenging. they don't have sights, stabilizers, releases or peeps. it's the same concept. tell you what lets have the "modern/compound" season Oct 1-31st and "traditional" Nov 1 til gun opens. since modern is so much more advance they shouldn't get the peak month to hunt.

that's basically the same thing that people are saying why crossbows shouldn't be allowed. sounds ridiculous doesn't it. that's cause it is

 

[River1]

well if that's the case then compounds should have their own season away from traditional cause long and recurves are much more challenging. they don't have sights, stabilizers, releases or peeps. it's the same concept. tell you what lets have the "modern/compound" season Oct 1-31st and "traditional" Nov 1 til gun opens. since modern is so much more advance they shouldn't get the peak month to hunt.

that's basically the same thing that people are saying why crossbows shouldn't be allowed. sounds ridiculous doesn't it. that's cause it is

Sounds good to me. I kinda like November.:way:

 

[Liv4Rut]

I don't like them because I know nothing about them, never shot one and they look like too much like a gun. That is a lot of what is going on in threads like this. I would have to shoot one and hunt with one to make an honest opinion on them. I have what I think my opinion is but I have been wrong for one. I wouldn't vote crossbow in as of right now with what I know. That is just being honest and could be misguided.

 

[wapsi-bottom-BP]

I dislocated my elbow in Sept 2010.. I thought my season was over!!! I got a temp permit to use a crossbow, and purchased a new crossbow.. by late Oct, I put it up n never got it out again.. it just wasn't for me, a lot harder than people think to shoulder it and swing one way or the other!! They r akward to me, I wasn't able to shoot at 2 deer because the horizontal limbs of the bow were in contact with vertical tree trunks/branches in one of my stands in the middle of a big maple.. as soon as I could draw my compound back, the crossbow was put away..
That being said, I was very happy to have the option to use it and still hunt even though I had an injury.. and did take a doe at 30 yds... Personally I think they should stay how it is now, permitted only for hunters who "need" to use one, but if they do allow them for everyone, I don't think it would "destroy" Iowa bow hunting at all.. I can shoot just as well with my compound and enjoy it a lot more, and I think that if more people actually shot them they would realize that its still a bow, they r not "better" or "easier", they have to be aimed and shot in the right spot just like anything else..

 

[bowmaker]

I have seen several opinions posted about not allowing crossbows for general deer hunting in the archery season. However other than one person who said they didn't require movement to draw them when a deer was in range, I have not seen ANY sound reasons for disallowing them. I could maybe agree with the movement issue except that a big clumsy crossbow, even though it as already cocked, still needs to be maneuvered into position to make a shot. With draw locks being legal for compound bows all the same things take place. Also you must realize that a 70lb compound with 80% let off you are holding 14lbs at full draw. That will allow you to draw while a deer is still approaching or behind brush or anything else and you can hold that 14lbs for several minutes if need be.
Modern crossbows have scopes or fiber optic sights but all the modern compound bows have fiber optic sights and many also use red dot sights or scopes, so I see no advantage there. I would hazard a guess and say that less than 1% of compound bow shooters shoot with their fingers, so all the other 99% have the same advantage of a trigger to release the string as does a crossbow.
Poachers are poachers whether they use a bow, a rifle, a pistol, or a crossbow, so that doesn't seem to be a valid reason.
We just completed the late antlerless season and for the year and 1301 shed bucks were reported. I know that some of them were killed earlier, but if you look almost all of the higher total counties were in areas that were open to this late rifle season. If all of those bucks were killed during the regular bow season either with a regular compound or a crossbow then those hunters would have a buck to brag or at least talk about, instead of one to maybe hang their head in shame for killing a shed buck. I would much rather allow crossbows and do away with this late season. I haven't changed my mind about this late season being wrong because of shooting shed bucks, I still think it is wrong because we are over harvesting does. I just use this as an example that many should agree with because many of you are strongly opposed to this season because of the shed buck issue.