Comments on: Crossbow Hunting

By: Navy Vet from Jersey

Navy Vet from Jersey — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:08:43 +0000

I think that crossbows will be legal to be used by able-bodied hunters for deer hunting in New Jersey at the beginning of the 2009 – 2010 season.

By: Kristopher

Kristopher — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:08:09 +0000

The only time a bowhunter sees reason on this issue is when the bowhunter in question becomes handicapped.

Just my experience as a partially handicapped ( left elbow damaged ) crossbow hunter in WA.

By: FatWhiteMan

FatWhiteMan — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:35:02 +0000

Bowhunters that are opposed to crossbows remind me of the ilk that will support gun bans that do not involve double barreled shotguns.

By: Dock

Dock — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:24:35 +0000

I have to say, I was completely ignorant of any acrimony toward crossbow hunting from the bowhunting community. However, in my efforts to better understand the hunting side of the firearms family, I discovered that there is a rather large rift between bowhunters and crossbow hunters. The size of the rift, and the intensity of the rhetoric, was something that took me completely by surprise.

It would behoove bowhunters to take a step back and see the bigger picture, from where I sit, but that seems about as likely as peace in the Middle East based on the entrenchment mentality that I have seen so far.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:09:18 +0000

Variable:

I didn’t argue NRA didn’t have a stake in it, which is why they are involved. But I do question whether this issue, which promotes bad feelings of certain segments of the hunting community toward NRA, is smart to undertake in this dangerous political climate. Philosophically, I agree with NRA, but I think the timing of this is bad. It should have been left for a year when we weren’t looking down the barrel of a gun.

By: VariableFeedback

VariableFeedback — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:04:25 +0000

While I’m not a hunter, and I agree with you that the bow hunters should accept any growth into their sport, I disagree with you that the NRA doesn’t really have any stake in this issue. Like it or not, hunters are a large faction of both the gun-owners demographic and the sportsmen demographic. I’m of the opinion that a rising tide floats all boats, so the loss of hunters may hurt non-hunting gun owners as well. And yes, I’m aware that many hunters are not supportive of the way many of us view gun rights.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:55:26 +0000

That’s the case in most states, I’m pretty sure, and was in Pennsylvania before this change. But think about states like New Jersey, or even California, where they’ve made it a total pain in the ass to hunt with a firearm. If Crossbow hunting can get some people back into the game, without having to deal with all the licensing and stupid regulations that are required to own a firearm in states like California, New Jersey, New York, or Massachusetts.

Granted, we don’t have that problem in Pennsylvania, but I get the sense that the bow hunters would oppose any crossbow hunting, except by disabled hunters.

By: SayUncle

SayUncle — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:50:25 +0000

In TN, crossbows are lawful for hunting for the handicapped who cannot pull the string on a regular bow.