Thursday, June 28, 2007

The Crossbow Controversy

(Picture) Bill Troubridge, president of Excalibur Crossbows took this unusual color-phase Canadian whitetail with a crossbow.




With the archery hunting season only two to three months away - Is it already that time of year again? - the crossbow v. bow controversy is about to flare up again. How I personally feel about the crossbow becoming an integral part of the general archery season is made abundantly clear in my article; “Where I stand on Crossbows”.

From the beginning many states permitted crossbows only for disabled hunters. But in recent years this has changed as many states, like Canada years before, made the crossbow a legal hunting weapon for all hunters. While some states designated a special crossbow season others included the crossbow in the normal archery season, as it should be in my humble opinion.

So far the crossbow is legal for all hunters, not only disabled, in 9 states. Some states permit crossbow hunting all season long, including archery season. Some states permit the crossbow in the firearm season. While other states included the crossbow in the general archery season, of which Tennessee is the latest state to do so. Like it or not, in the next few years we will see more states following the trend and make crossbows a legal hunting weapon for all hunters.

How do you feel about the crossbow? In the right hand panel I have set up a poll. Should crossbows be legal during archery season? Let me know and vote now!


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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crossbow is legal here in VA. I tried it but didn't care for it. I still don't see any reason why it shouldn't be legal.

Anonymous said...

I think crossbows for hunting are just fine. I have no more problem with them than I do with muzzle loaders, bows, or even blow guns. They are effective and should be legal at least in bow season if not all season.
Of course, some form of education so the armchair warriors don't go out into the woods with the cheap-o crossbow and crossbow pistols I've seen at gun shows might be advised...

Ivan T. said...

Hi Othmar,
Here in Peru, i dont have problem to use crossbow in Peru. I can use all season of the year because the law only regulate the hunt with firegun.

Ivan

Brian said...

Why can only disabled hunters use crossbows in some US states. I'm from Illinois and I can't use them, which is unfair.

Othmar Vohringer said...

Brian – I feel for as I felt the same way for many years when I lived in Illinois. At that time every single state hat laws that prevented hunters, other than the handicapped, from using crossbows. Luckily, over the last few years more and more states reconsider that stupid law and make crossbows legal for all hunters. Some states have designated a special crossbow season while others have included crossbows in the regular archery season.

My prediction is that within the next three to four years all U.S. states will legalize crossbows for all hunters. So hang in there and be patienent.

-ov-

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