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Update: Crossbows Legal For Entire PA Archery Seasons
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September 10, 2009
Update: Crossbows Legal For Entire PA Archery Seasons
By Dave Hurteau
From a Pennsylvania Game Commission press release via PRNewswire:
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today voted down a proposal that would have placed restrictions on crossbow use for the 2009-10 seasons. The 4-4 tie vote is not sufficient to give the proposed rulemaking the final adoption needed, so the previously approved regulations governing the use of crossbows for the 2009-10 seasons -- as outlined in the 2009-10 Digest -- will remain in effect.
In other words, crossbows will be legal for the entire deer and bear archery seasons.
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Comments (14)
I'm not a fan of crossbows. Of course, I'm also in the school of thought that modern inlines that can shoot 150 yards shouldn't be part of muzzleloader season. Crossbows take a lot of the sport out of a season meant for more simplistic, hands on hunting techniques vs. something that's a small stepdown from a slug gun. But by that same arguement, I know one could say, "Then shouldn't only longbows be allowed and no compounds?" I also worry that the range and optics provided by a crossbow may lead to more ground hunters and careless "blind target" shots at longer ranges, which will then result in injuries and blaze orange requirements for all archery hunters. All that said, I also don't want the archery season shortened so crossbow hunters can have their own season. At least they're not allowed during the late flintlock season.
To WVOtter:
Your worries about crossbows are totally unfounded! There are zero range advantages to a crossbow over a compound because a modern compound that shoots an arrow 330-340fps is only slightly slower than a crossbow. The only advantage one gets is the bow is drawn ahead of time and takes very little use to acquire the skill to become proficient. Their biggest advantage is it gets people involved in hunting that might otherwise not go.
In pa, there will be a lot of bitter hunters this year about this decision. But just like AR in pa, everyone complained at first then after a few years realized that it was not the end of the world.
It is never a bad thing when you are able to get more people involved in hunting. Cant wait for archery season to start, and good luck to everyone, regardless of what you choose to carry in the field.
If I'm incorrect on the range of a crossbow, I apologize. Lord knows there's enough folks out there (Washington DC?) handing out bad info, and I don't want to be one; that's just always been what I'd heard. However, I still feel the use of telescopic optics and sturdy rifle-like stock take away from the sport of archery. I'm not bashing crossbows, I just see them as a step up evolution that's a different catagory from uprights. I wouldn't know where exactly to draw the line on what's sportsmenlike and not...flintlock vs. inline, longbow vs. compound, flyrod vs. bait...beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. Even at 32 I guess I'm a bit old school in my thinking.
Agreed MB915. We're all hunting brethern, regardless of our tool of choice. Healthy debates are fun, but getting to explore the woods, pursue game, and share that with other hunters is even better.
I doubt we'll see much of a difference in the woods. We will see an influx of bitter traditionalists maybe, but if it boosts liscense sales and gets a few additional hunters in the woods, great. I'm guessing mostly it'll be the gear-heads who use them instead of compounds, or aging bowhunters looking for a way to keep hunting.
In addition to gearheads and aging bowhunters, I would add women to the list of people that will be more likely to hunt when crossbows are allowed.
For what its worth, my fiance took a nice 8 point buck with a crossbow two years ago at about 45 yards which is out of her range with a compound bow. She has a story about how she ended up taking the crossbow that day instead of compound bow that she likes to tell and I've heard I don't know how many times.
nooooooooo, why did this happen to me in my atate
I have hunted in PA a few times and really enjoyed it, but one thing puzzles me. It seems to me that a lot of hunters there are extremely resistant to new ideas. Crossbows, semi automatic rifles, inline muzzleloaders during muzzleloader season, anterless deer season running concurrent with buck season and the whole antler size restriction thing a few years back (remember Gary Alt)? Of course maybe it's not the hunters but the game commission. At any rate, last I heard there were over a million deer in the Keystone state. Is there some reason to be concerned that they may run out of them? Just my 2 cents. To each his own.
You telling me Pa finally did something right for the first time!
Like I said, I totally approve the use of a XB, I just don’t have the need for one yet!
Now only if they can get there bridge height sign right on the road ways!
There are those if they were told if they did expand the use of something they would lose something all together. Yet the ignorant will wreck the train instead of switching tracks just because they can!
Even after a major Ice storm back in Jan 2000 and a few small ones since then which killed off allot of our deer here in Arkansas, the deer population is coming back strong and we use all the taboo things those don’t like. Yep XB’s to inlines to Black Guns have had no impact!
There are those if they were told if they didn't expand the use of something they would lose something all together. Yet the ignorant will wreck the train instead of switching tracks just because they can!
Amen MB915
There are those who will complain that there hot chocolate is HOT!
Somebody tell me something, at the end of the season if one of those cry babies didn’t see one XB, would they still be losing sleep over it just for the thought of it.
XB cannot generate the force in there short stroke design to match a compound bow. Yes there is a very few exceptions, but the difference has no impact what so ever.
It’s interesting to know and get gratification to know at the end of a 1000 yard match; I beat a lot of 300 Win Mags topped with extraterrestrial telescopes with my open sighted M1A.
Clay, thank you for mentioning the short power stroke. While most people draw 29-31" on their vertical bow, crossbows draw about 13".
The really fast compounds beat all crossbows on the market with the exception of those that are illegal for hunting in most places, the models with 200lb. or higher draw weights.
I have staged an 80 yard contest at a deer target. The compounds won easily.
Im pretty sure that draw lock devices are illegal in PA, so why the heck would we let crossbows in. I would never ever consider using a draw lock or a crossbow due to the lack of skills required. I HAVE ALWAYS been a proponent of disabled hunters using a xbow. I just bought a new compound after crossbows were legalized, could have spent the money on a xbow if I was lazy... The movement of drawing the bow on a animal at close range is part of what makes archery hunting so precise and skillful... awww, I guess since your able bodied and lazy, you can just let the animal get close enough and point and squeeze the trigger. wait, wait, wait, we already have a season for that in pa. Not knocking rifle season, cause i love the craziness that happens past 9 o'clock in the morning, but seriously, take some initiative, put in the time practicing, and you will be able to accurately shoot a vertical bow. I know I don't feel nearly as excited about shooting a animal with a gun as I do with a bow, but maybe that's because I take pride in doing the work required when the animal is at close range.
Get xbows out of the woods during our archery season.
Initially I was opposed to the idea because of many of the reasons posted above. However, the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. There are only a few reasons a hunter will use a crossbow. 1. If they can't use another bow due to age or other limitations. 2. If all they have access to is a crossbow. 3. If they NEED the meat. 4. If they are lazy. In the last case, the hunter usually isn't up in time to get a deer anyway, so you don't need to worry about that. Yes, the sport is important, but giving those that might not be able to otherwise hunt the opportunity is more important. And most important is helping those who are hunting because they NEED the food. My family relied on venison to feed us for years. If a hunter needs a crossbow to get a deer, so be it. It isn't going to affect how I hunt or what I hunt with.
just went out and got me a xb, got a inline in sept,have a flintlock to. Love to hunt. I had acompound at one time. But can't hold it after drawn back,bad shoulder ..not bad enough to get a permit. I drive truck,work alot. Does that make me lazy? Waited along time to get back in the woods in sept. Will use the xb in late archery season, if I have time off. My brother works out of state he's getting a xb for x-mas. Thank you pgc.
Don't care how you hunt, as long as you hunt in a professional and ethical maner, you are OK in my book. Stop getting so addicted to the way people hunt and be thankful that they just hunt in general in this ever threatening lack of hunting world.
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In pa, there will be a lot of bitter hunters this year about this decision. But just like AR in pa, everyone complained at first then after a few years realized that it was not the end of the world.
It is never a bad thing when you are able to get more people involved in hunting. Cant wait for archery season to start, and good luck to everyone, regardless of what you choose to carry in the field.
Amen MB915
There are those who will complain that there hot chocolate is HOT!
Somebody tell me something, at the end of the season if one of those cry babies didn’t see one XB, would they still be losing sleep over it just for the thought of it.
XB cannot generate the force in there short stroke design to match a compound bow. Yes there is a very few exceptions, but the difference has no impact what so ever.
It’s interesting to know and get gratification to know at the end of a 1000 yard match; I beat a lot of 300 Win Mags topped with extraterrestrial telescopes with my open sighted M1A.
To WVOtter:
Your worries about crossbows are totally unfounded! There are zero range advantages to a crossbow over a compound because a modern compound that shoots an arrow 330-340fps is only slightly slower than a crossbow. The only advantage one gets is the bow is drawn ahead of time and takes very little use to acquire the skill to become proficient. Their biggest advantage is it gets people involved in hunting that might otherwise not go.
If I'm incorrect on the range of a crossbow, I apologize. Lord knows there's enough folks out there (Washington DC?) handing out bad info, and I don't want to be one; that's just always been what I'd heard. However, I still feel the use of telescopic optics and sturdy rifle-like stock take away from the sport of archery. I'm not bashing crossbows, I just see them as a step up evolution that's a different catagory from uprights. I wouldn't know where exactly to draw the line on what's sportsmenlike and not...flintlock vs. inline, longbow vs. compound, flyrod vs. bait...beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. Even at 32 I guess I'm a bit old school in my thinking.
Agreed MB915. We're all hunting brethern, regardless of our tool of choice. Healthy debates are fun, but getting to explore the woods, pursue game, and share that with other hunters is even better.
In addition to gearheads and aging bowhunters, I would add women to the list of people that will be more likely to hunt when crossbows are allowed.
For what its worth, my fiance took a nice 8 point buck with a crossbow two years ago at about 45 yards which is out of her range with a compound bow. She has a story about how she ended up taking the crossbow that day instead of compound bow that she likes to tell and I've heard I don't know how many times.
nooooooooo, why did this happen to me in my atate
I doubt we'll see much of a difference in the woods. We will see an influx of bitter traditionalists maybe, but if it boosts liscense sales and gets a few additional hunters in the woods, great. I'm guessing mostly it'll be the gear-heads who use them instead of compounds, or aging bowhunters looking for a way to keep hunting.
I have hunted in PA a few times and really enjoyed it, but one thing puzzles me. It seems to me that a lot of hunters there are extremely resistant to new ideas. Crossbows, semi automatic rifles, inline muzzleloaders during muzzleloader season, anterless deer season running concurrent with buck season and the whole antler size restriction thing a few years back (remember Gary Alt)? Of course maybe it's not the hunters but the game commission. At any rate, last I heard there were over a million deer in the Keystone state. Is there some reason to be concerned that they may run out of them? Just my 2 cents. To each his own.
There are those if they were told if they didn't expand the use of something they would lose something all together. Yet the ignorant will wreck the train instead of switching tracks just because they can!
Clay, thank you for mentioning the short power stroke. While most people draw 29-31" on their vertical bow, crossbows draw about 13".
The really fast compounds beat all crossbows on the market with the exception of those that are illegal for hunting in most places, the models with 200lb. or higher draw weights.
I have staged an 80 yard contest at a deer target. The compounds won easily.
Initially I was opposed to the idea because of many of the reasons posted above. However, the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. There are only a few reasons a hunter will use a crossbow. 1. If they can't use another bow due to age or other limitations. 2. If all they have access to is a crossbow. 3. If they NEED the meat. 4. If they are lazy. In the last case, the hunter usually isn't up in time to get a deer anyway, so you don't need to worry about that. Yes, the sport is important, but giving those that might not be able to otherwise hunt the opportunity is more important. And most important is helping those who are hunting because they NEED the food. My family relied on venison to feed us for years. If a hunter needs a crossbow to get a deer, so be it. It isn't going to affect how I hunt or what I hunt with.
I'm not a fan of crossbows. Of course, I'm also in the school of thought that modern inlines that can shoot 150 yards shouldn't be part of muzzleloader season. Crossbows take a lot of the sport out of a season meant for more simplistic, hands on hunting techniques vs. something that's a small stepdown from a slug gun. But by that same arguement, I know one could say, "Then shouldn't only longbows be allowed and no compounds?" I also worry that the range and optics provided by a crossbow may lead to more ground hunters and careless "blind target" shots at longer ranges, which will then result in injuries and blaze orange requirements for all archery hunters. All that said, I also don't want the archery season shortened so crossbow hunters can have their own season. At least they're not allowed during the late flintlock season.
just went out and got me a xb, got a inline in sept,have a flintlock to. Love to hunt. I had acompound at one time. But can't hold it after drawn back,bad shoulder ..not bad enough to get a permit. I drive truck,work alot. Does that make me lazy? Waited along time to get back in the woods in sept. Will use the xb in late archery season, if I have time off. My brother works out of state he's getting a xb for x-mas. Thank you pgc.
Don't care how you hunt, as long as you hunt in a professional and ethical maner, you are OK in my book. Stop getting so addicted to the way people hunt and be thankful that they just hunt in general in this ever threatening lack of hunting world.
You telling me Pa finally did something right for the first time!
Like I said, I totally approve the use of a XB, I just don’t have the need for one yet!
Now only if they can get there bridge height sign right on the road ways!
There are those if they were told if they did expand the use of something they would lose something all together. Yet the ignorant will wreck the train instead of switching tracks just because they can!
Even after a major Ice storm back in Jan 2000 and a few small ones since then which killed off allot of our deer here in Arkansas, the deer population is coming back strong and we use all the taboo things those don’t like. Yep XB’s to inlines to Black Guns have had no impact!
Im pretty sure that draw lock devices are illegal in PA, so why the heck would we let crossbows in. I would never ever consider using a draw lock or a crossbow due to the lack of skills required. I HAVE ALWAYS been a proponent of disabled hunters using a xbow. I just bought a new compound after crossbows were legalized, could have spent the money on a xbow if I was lazy... The movement of drawing the bow on a animal at close range is part of what makes archery hunting so precise and skillful... awww, I guess since your able bodied and lazy, you can just let the animal get close enough and point and squeeze the trigger. wait, wait, wait, we already have a season for that in pa. Not knocking rifle season, cause i love the craziness that happens past 9 o'clock in the morning, but seriously, take some initiative, put in the time practicing, and you will be able to accurately shoot a vertical bow. I know I don't feel nearly as excited about shooting a animal with a gun as I do with a bow, but maybe that's because I take pride in doing the work required when the animal is at close range.
Get xbows out of the woods during our archery season.
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