Kurt4253
04-23-2008, 09:40 AM
If you agree with this, please send it to the Natural Resource Commission as well as the committee set up to study the issue and/or others, such as state legislators who are/will be involved in the decision making process.
THE CROSSBOW ISSUE: There are some that think the crossbow should not be included in the archery season. Others think it should be limited to certain age groups and/or the disabled. Still others think it should have unrestricted inclusion. Who is right???
THE PROBLEM IS: Much of the controversy is based on personal feelings and fears that are rooted in misinformation.
I COULD SEE: There would be a need for restrictions IF the crossbow had some GREAT advantage over the currently accepted archery equipment such as longbows, recurve bows and/or compound bows. The fact is crossbows have NO great advantage over any of these types of archery equipment.
WHY: The modern compound bow, with the today's advances in technology, actually give the compound hunter some very real advantages over the crossbow hunter.
COMPOUND ADVANTAGES: #1) Today's compound bows average in weight between 3 and 4 pounds. Compare that to a crossbow that starts at about 7 pounds and goes up from there. Now that may not sound like much, but to a bow hunter that is a huge difference when you are packing into your hunting spot and/or sitting in a tree.
#2) One argument against the crossbow is that because it is locked & loaded you can have it up and ready long before the game animal comes into range. This simply is NOT true. You can not hold that 7 (or more) pounds of weight up for a long time. This is especially true when you consider that most of the weight is out away from you. Compare this to the modern compound, with 80% (and even greater) let off. You can, in fact, hold a compound, up and ready FAR longer then a crossbow. The proof of this is in a current Pope & Young record wherein the compound shooter held his 80% let off bow for a full 3 minutes before releasing on his trophy. There is NO way you can hold that long with a crossbow due to the weight which is loaded in the front end of the weapon!!!
#3) There is NO way you will ever get a second shot with a crossbow!!! The motion alone to re-draw and reload is huge in comparison to a vertical bow and will most likely get you busted by the deer. If the movement doesn’t alarm the deer then the loud "click" when the string locks back will bust you EVERY time!!!
These are clear, distinct, and provable advantages of the modern compound bow over the crossbow.
Let’s look at some other comparisons.
EFFECTIVE SHOOTING RANGE: Because of the higher "pound pull" ratings of a crossbow, the die hard vertical archers would like everyone to believe that you can "effectively" shoot a crossbow much further than a vertical bow. This simply is not true. The reason is due to the shorter limbs and string of the crossbow. The shorter limbs store less energy than the longer limbs and string of a vertical bow. This causes a transfer of less energy to the arrow. Consequently a 125 lb. draw crossbow produces the same foot pounds of energy as a 40 lb. draw vertical bow (low end bow hunting requirements). A 225 lb. draw crossbow produces the same energy as a 70 lb. draw vertical bow (higher end of hunting bows available). Therefore, based on the energy produced, when applied to bow mechanics the effective range of crossbows is no different then vertical bows.
LEARNING CURVE: Another argument the die hard vertical archers make in their attempts to discredit crossbows is how long it takes to learn to shoot the weapon as compared to how long it takes to learn to shoot a vertical bow (meaning the crossbow is easier). There is no question that a crossbow is easier to learn how to shoot effectively. I can take someone out and in about 15 minutes have them shooting proficiently with a crossbow. I can take the same person out with a modern compound bow and have them doing the same thing in about 3 hours. The reason why is because of the "let off" of the modern compound bow and advances in sighting systems. If I can't teach someone to shoot a compound bow in 3 hours, I am not a very good coach/teacher. Is the difference between 15 minutes and 3 hours great enough to offer as a reason to exclude crossbows from the general archery season? I think not.
HUNTING LOGISTICS: Hunting logistics is the situation that MUST take place in order to harvest a game animal and absolutely nothing changes in this regard when comparing hunting with vertical bow and/or crossbow. The game animal must come within the same range to get and take the shot. The shot must be just as absolutely clear of obstruction to allow taking the shot with either weapon. I must put exactly the same skills to work in order to set up a short range, clear shot . Nothing changes in the required situation to harvest an animal with a crossbow.
DATA: I am sure that you are already looking at data from other states, (harvest data etc.) so I won't bother you with a lot of that.
I know that the current proposal is to relax the requirements for those who are disabled to use a crossbow. It is my opinion that while doing so, full (or unrestricted) inclusion into the archery season should be given serious consideration as well before making a final decision. Because of the modern compound bow there is NO reason not to give the crossbow full and equal inclusion in the hunting line up.
If Michigan does not accept full inclusion at this time the state will end up revisiting this issue again in a matter of a few years. The crossbow has gained a huge interest across this country and the issue is NOT going to go away until the advocates for it’s inclusion into the general archery season see their dream come true in all 50 states..
Thank you for you time and interest/consideration in this issue & hope my post has been of help in the matter.
THE CROSSBOW ISSUE: There are some that think the crossbow should not be included in the archery season. Others think it should be limited to certain age groups and/or the disabled. Still others think it should have unrestricted inclusion. Who is right???
THE PROBLEM IS: Much of the controversy is based on personal feelings and fears that are rooted in misinformation.
I COULD SEE: There would be a need for restrictions IF the crossbow had some GREAT advantage over the currently accepted archery equipment such as longbows, recurve bows and/or compound bows. The fact is crossbows have NO great advantage over any of these types of archery equipment.
WHY: The modern compound bow, with the today's advances in technology, actually give the compound hunter some very real advantages over the crossbow hunter.
COMPOUND ADVANTAGES: #1) Today's compound bows average in weight between 3 and 4 pounds. Compare that to a crossbow that starts at about 7 pounds and goes up from there. Now that may not sound like much, but to a bow hunter that is a huge difference when you are packing into your hunting spot and/or sitting in a tree.
#2) One argument against the crossbow is that because it is locked & loaded you can have it up and ready long before the game animal comes into range. This simply is NOT true. You can not hold that 7 (or more) pounds of weight up for a long time. This is especially true when you consider that most of the weight is out away from you. Compare this to the modern compound, with 80% (and even greater) let off. You can, in fact, hold a compound, up and ready FAR longer then a crossbow. The proof of this is in a current Pope & Young record wherein the compound shooter held his 80% let off bow for a full 3 minutes before releasing on his trophy. There is NO way you can hold that long with a crossbow due to the weight which is loaded in the front end of the weapon!!!
#3) There is NO way you will ever get a second shot with a crossbow!!! The motion alone to re-draw and reload is huge in comparison to a vertical bow and will most likely get you busted by the deer. If the movement doesn’t alarm the deer then the loud "click" when the string locks back will bust you EVERY time!!!
These are clear, distinct, and provable advantages of the modern compound bow over the crossbow.
Let’s look at some other comparisons.
EFFECTIVE SHOOTING RANGE: Because of the higher "pound pull" ratings of a crossbow, the die hard vertical archers would like everyone to believe that you can "effectively" shoot a crossbow much further than a vertical bow. This simply is not true. The reason is due to the shorter limbs and string of the crossbow. The shorter limbs store less energy than the longer limbs and string of a vertical bow. This causes a transfer of less energy to the arrow. Consequently a 125 lb. draw crossbow produces the same foot pounds of energy as a 40 lb. draw vertical bow (low end bow hunting requirements). A 225 lb. draw crossbow produces the same energy as a 70 lb. draw vertical bow (higher end of hunting bows available). Therefore, based on the energy produced, when applied to bow mechanics the effective range of crossbows is no different then vertical bows.
LEARNING CURVE: Another argument the die hard vertical archers make in their attempts to discredit crossbows is how long it takes to learn to shoot the weapon as compared to how long it takes to learn to shoot a vertical bow (meaning the crossbow is easier). There is no question that a crossbow is easier to learn how to shoot effectively. I can take someone out and in about 15 minutes have them shooting proficiently with a crossbow. I can take the same person out with a modern compound bow and have them doing the same thing in about 3 hours. The reason why is because of the "let off" of the modern compound bow and advances in sighting systems. If I can't teach someone to shoot a compound bow in 3 hours, I am not a very good coach/teacher. Is the difference between 15 minutes and 3 hours great enough to offer as a reason to exclude crossbows from the general archery season? I think not.
HUNTING LOGISTICS: Hunting logistics is the situation that MUST take place in order to harvest a game animal and absolutely nothing changes in this regard when comparing hunting with vertical bow and/or crossbow. The game animal must come within the same range to get and take the shot. The shot must be just as absolutely clear of obstruction to allow taking the shot with either weapon. I must put exactly the same skills to work in order to set up a short range, clear shot . Nothing changes in the required situation to harvest an animal with a crossbow.
DATA: I am sure that you are already looking at data from other states, (harvest data etc.) so I won't bother you with a lot of that.
I know that the current proposal is to relax the requirements for those who are disabled to use a crossbow. It is my opinion that while doing so, full (or unrestricted) inclusion into the archery season should be given serious consideration as well before making a final decision. Because of the modern compound bow there is NO reason not to give the crossbow full and equal inclusion in the hunting line up.
If Michigan does not accept full inclusion at this time the state will end up revisiting this issue again in a matter of a few years. The crossbow has gained a huge interest across this country and the issue is NOT going to go away until the advocates for it’s inclusion into the general archery season see their dream come true in all 50 states..
Thank you for you time and interest/consideration in this issue & hope my post has been of help in the matter.