Both my shoulders have dis located at least 20 times in the past 25+ years.
I can see the day when I won't be able to draw a bow.
I also hunt areas where they don't allow firearms, so I guess I will be forced to not hiunt those areas.

 

It sounds like it might be fun but I can see promblems shooting game out of trees!

 

You can shoot arrows into trees with a bow as it is now,
Although I don't advise it.

 

I've done alot of bow hunting for small game in the past, and one thing I learned rather quickly is that if you shoot up, you probably wont get your arrow back. And to tell you the truth, I'm not to sure it's a good idea to shoot up when your using a 22 either. Yet it is legal to hunt with one for small game.
If you find yourself wondering why anyone might want to hunt with a cross bow for small game think about this. In some areas a firearm would not be considered safe due to houses or barns and such. Even though these areas are not with in a safety zone. Also remember the person who owns the buildings is allowed to hunt within his safety zone, but that person may still not want to risk damage to his property. In these cases a bow, or a cross bow would be ideal. Note also that the safety zone limits are different for a bow as opposed to a firearm.
There are other reasons I can think of, but I don't have time to go into all that now. All I'm saying is I don't think theres really any good reasons why cross bows are not legal to use for small game hunting. If anyone can think of some I'd like to hear them. And I promise I won't think anything less of anyone that disagrees with me.

 

by Erik Note also that the safety zone limits are different for a bow as opposed to a firearm."

Really? What are those differences? What law stated the differences?

 

When I took my kids to hunters safety this past fall the officer stated the safety zone around buildings is smaller when hunting with a bow and arrow. I don't remember exactly what the footages were, but I remember he told us there was a difference. If this is incorrect please excuse my ignorance. I swear thats what he told us though. I'll have to see if my son still has his notes from the class.

 

I see no reason why cross bows shouldn't be used for small game.
I would be all for that law.

As far as the danger of shooting up into a tree with a cross bow, bow and arrow, or a 22. We could say that about any weapon used for hunting.

Just use common sence.


http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363-31581--,00.html
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Safety Zones Around Buildings
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Safety zones are all areas within 150 yards of an occupied building, house, cabin, or any barn or other building used in a farm operation. No person, including archery and crossbow hunters, may hunt or discharge a firearm, crossbow or bow in a safety zone, or shoot at any wild animal or wild bird within a safety zone, without the written permission of the owner or occupant of such safety zone. The safety zone applies to hunting only. It does not apply to indoor or outdoor shooting ranges, target shooting, law enforcement activities or the discharge of firearms, crossbows or bows for any non-hunting purpose.

 

I would say yes, I dont see what harm it could do, and it could be alot of fun. As long as it was within the regular small game season, I could not see it drawing the same argument that crossbow hunting for deer does.

 

I dont is no harm in it but it would be costly with the arrows and cant see to many people doing it.more people would scare the game to death before hiting them I think

 

When I took my kids to hunters safety this past fall the officer stated the safety zone around buildings is smaller when hunting with a bow and arrow. I don't remember exactly what the footages were, but I remember he told us there was a difference. If this is incorrect please excuse my ignorance. I swear thats what he told us though. I'll have to see if my son still has his notes from the class.

Let me assure you, there is no difference in the safety zone law between a gun and bow. The law is 450 feet regardless of your choice of weapons.

 

Anything to get those crossbows legitimitized?? Personally, I would not want to see this. This industry is constantly looking for ways through the cracks so they can continue to chip away. We already have magazines, hunting shows, etc. calling crossbows "archery" equipment.

As for the person above who mentioned their medical issues, Michigan already has provisions for you to use a crossbow. I wholeheartedly support the use of corssbows by those who have legitimate medical conditions which preclude them from shooting a bow.

Dan

 

Okay, but what if it isn't about not being able to hunt small game with a bow? What if it's about not being able to hunt small game with a firearm? What if you can't hunt with a firearm, for whatever reason, and you don't have a bow or the skills to hunt with one, or the muscle strength, or whatever, but you still would like to hunt at least for squirrels or rabbits or something? Is the cross bow that much more efficient of a weapon than a firearm that you would begrudge a person from using one to kill a cotton tail? What about a sling shot for that matter? It's easier to shoot than a bow, and anyone can purchase one. Should we outlaw those too? (just for the record I have no idea if sling shots are legal to use for hunting small game, so Boehr, if I am mistaken about that please excuse my ignorance once again. I swear I haven't used one for such purposes...er ah well at least not in the last thirty years )
I can understand not wanting cross bows to be added to the archery deer seasons. Believe me, I have been very outspoken about it in the past, but this is different. I'm talking about hunting small game with a cross bow during a season which is already open to the use of firearms for the same species.

 

I'm all for it.

I would never brother doing it.

But hey if you own a cross bow I see now reason why you shouldn't be allowed to use them on rabbits etc.


How are they going to be any more or less lagitamet than they already are.

By allowing someone to hunt rabbits with them.

Can't you alrady use them during firearm season for deer.
All Firearm Deer Seasons-Rifle Zone
In the rifle zone, deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, bows and arrows, shotguns and muzzleloading firearms including black powder handguns. It is legal to hunt deer in the rifle zone with any caliber of firearm except a .22 caliber rimfire or 5mm rimfire firearm (rifle or handgun). Crossbows are legal to use by a person 14 years of age or older during the November 15-30 firearm deer season. Exception: See Muzzleloading Deer Seasons above for restrictions during this season

 

Sling shots, compound bows, recurve bows are legal to use for small game hunting. You can buy a legal bow for not much more than a crossbow. Of course a sling shot for small game is much cheaper.

If a person is handicapped they already might qualify for a crossbow to hunt deer and small game. Anyone can already hunt with a crossbow during the regular firearm deer season.

 

Once again we see why we have so many issues within the state dnr and among hunters no unity! period.
so what if you use a crossbow, bow, sling shot,, shotgun, in-line, flintlock, rifle, handgun, hounds, bait,no bait foodplots,qdma no qdma whatever a crossbow is not a bad thing! it is not more effective than a regular bow. it isnt going increase poaching, when will we learn as sportspersons that it isnt the gear used as long as its being used the right way. we need to stand together but i know that wont happen to many closed minded people. maybe if the crossbow hunters of michigan got together and filed a lawsuit based being descreminated against that would help! all iam saying is we need to get it together! besides think of all the money the bow shops would make on bolts :rant:

 

Deputy has hit the nail on the head - Why do people always have to draw divisions between hunters?

I voted "yes", but I would never use a crossbow. Just not my thing at the moment. But, if anyone else would like to, you have my support.

 

I think you have a lot of bowhunters hear that are worried about thier sport being flooded with crossbow hunters, this is why they are saying no to all crossbow use. I am a bowhunter and I do not like the idea of someone using a crossbow during the archery season. This is why a lot would say no to the use during the small game season because it is a baby step towards another step that will put them in with archery season ot give them there own season which would most likely take away from the archery season.(similar to the dove bill-baby steps to get what we want). bowhunting is already very technologically advanced as it is we really don't need to add to it anymore by adding the use of crossbows to the mix. JMO

AW

 

lol advanced, same thing was said when compounds came into the market too! it will never change what the heck is differance if you have a guy 200yds away with a x-bow instead of a regular bow? there is none period a guy hunting in a tree 200yds away is the same thing no matter what he is shooting me i shoot more accurate at 60yds with my bow that i do a x-bow! it is jsut anohter argument against change, hell give it its own season then

 

I don't think it's a baby step towards adding it to the archery deer season. I wouldn't support it if I did.
If the cross bow had it's own season rules and regulations that would be different.
I do think it should be legal in most seasons which are open to hunting with a firearm. Exceptions might include water fowl hunting, and some types of bird hunting. I'm sure there may be some others that I haven't thought of, but for rabbits, and squirels, wood chucks, especially woodchucks! and coyottes, etc... I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be legal right from the get go on those species.

 

if they made the use of crossbows legal, that would be outstanding for the people who don't have the strength to pull back a bow.

 

Deputy, the difference is that the crossbow is not bowhunting plain and simple and that is why so many bowhunters are opposed to it. If you are unable to physically bowhunt then by all means I have no problem with it. But to compare it to bowhunting is obsurd and I for one don't want to lose bowhunting season days from the archery season to give it to the crossbow people. Sorry but I disagree with that if they want it in the firearm or muzzleloader season so be it.

AW

 

So there you havi plain and simple poor Adam thinks he will lose days in the field to those evil crossbows lol, once again Adam what is the differance if it is added to archery season, that you may use one? what is the big deal if you have a person in your same chunk state land using a x-bow or regular gear. The answer is none there is no differance, you are just against x-bows period which is fine but like i said until sportspersons get over this and get together we are in trouble. so what if your in your stand a group of bunny hunters come through with beagles. i guess it would be time to change there season too huh. but it will be ok to let them use the x-bow during any other season but your precious bow season, so there you have shown your bias towards x-bows it is ok though to shove it into anothers season, you are one of the main reasons there is so much rift between hunters, so if they ok was given to bow hunt during say the x-bow season with regular gear you be all for it just to get extra time in the woods? of course you would cause your greedy but heavan forbid your time should be infringed on. you crack me up. your quote of putting in with gun and smokepole season tells me alot about how you think, so do you gun hunt too? have a nice day adam iam done dealing with those who are against other hunters. support all or none

 

Brainwashing. That's gotta be it. There is no other excuse for a person of any intelligence to actually argue that a crossbow is anything but a piece of archery equipment. Look at what it shoots, how it's propelled, and what form of stored force is used.

A vertical bow is a quiet, short-range weapon. A crossbow is a quiet, short-range weapon. Both have the ability to make clean, killing shots on game. So why the controversy? In a word, selfishness.

I think you have a lot of bowhunters hear that are worried about thier sport being flooded with crossbow hunters, this is why they are saying no to all crossbow use.

Gee, I thought we were actually trying to get more people into hunting, fishing, etc. You are, you say? Just so they're not anywhere near your treestand, right? Well, if you're hunting private land, that really isn't an issue, is it? And guess what? Public land is just that. We all try to be considerate, but there's only so much you can do when people are sitting still in concealed locations in full camo. Some other guy might run his beagles past "your" spot and, oh well. I could spook your buck of a lifetime while hawking my bird on squirrels and you should just sigh and join the hawking party.

The only legitimate reason for limiting crossbows is impact on the resource. It is very unlikely that allowing crossbows during small game will decrease those populations. Very few people would use them on small game. Ohio and Ontario numbers suggest use of crossbows does not significantly increase the amount of deer taken. Some argue that those numbers are not broad enough to use to allow crossbows during the long Michigan archery deer season. Fine. We can begin by allowing crossbows to be used during late-antlerless and late archery. Numbers gathered during those seasons will tell us whether crossbow use during early archery season can be allowed.

Please notice I used "can be allowed" not "should be allowed." I believe in expanding hunting and fishing opportunities wherever the resource can support them. Don't ask "why?" Ask "why not?", which seems to be what Erik was doing when he started this thread. Kudos to Erik.

Don't let fear and selfishness rule your decisions. It's just a way for the antis to wedge us apart.

 

I am all for hunting small game with an X-bow, Deer hunting durina archery season also. There is NO advantage gained by a X-bow over a compound. They don't shoot farther, they are not more accurate than a compound shot by someone who practices on a regular basis. the only advantage is not having to hold at draw. Big deal..I wonder just how many bowhunters that are opposed to x-bows during archery season would head to their local bow shop if a seperate season were established? I think it just comes down to not wanting to share. And I bet the same guys who don't want X-bows as a majority during archery season, will break out their super dooper 150 grains of powder, 1-18 twist sabot shooting, magnum "muzzleloader with the 4x20 scopes during blackpowder season, Hey it's a muzzleloader!!! The differances between a sidelock cap or flint and ball and one of these super rifles are so much more vast than between x-bows and compounds that the compairson can't be made. But it is a muzzleloader, well a crossbow is a bow.

 

I voted no based on the fact that I don’t want to legitimize crossbows for hunting in Michigan except for those that qualify under the current rules of use. I hear the argument that some are making that they are no easier then a compound bow but I believe they are. The most difficult part of hunting deer with a bow is drawing the bow undetected. Anyone that has spent time hunting deer with their bow knows that. You don’t have to draw and hold a crossbow that said I think they are easier.