The only problem with putting a scope on a bow or crossbow is that now people will take shots that aren't realistic, longer shots than necessary because they can see a deer or bear through the scope better than with the naked eye. Unfortunately too long a shot will only maim the animal, not do enough to kill or wound it to bleed out. Hopefully the ethical hunters will realize this and not use scopes, or know the limits of their equipment if they do use a scope.

i would put a red dot on a compound. but i dont see how you could put a magnifying scope on a compound bow.

I agree with some of the posts above, a rifle or handgun scope on a bow seems a little foolish, since the average range of a bow in skilled hands is about 35 yds, it doesn't make sense to put a 3-9 X 40 scope on a bow, but I have shot bows with red dots and even though I don't switch because they are too inaccurate with visual distortion at different ranges, I could see how someone with impaired vision would be able to keep hunting as long as they set a range where all their arrows stayed in the vital area of the game they were hunting. For now, I am going to continue to cheat and hunt with a compound bow and sight, someday after I am done raising a family and have more time to shoot, I am going to switch to a longbow without sights.

The potential for hunters to take shots at ranges beyond their reasonable likelihood of success exists regardless of the sighting mechanism. Adding a scope doesn't extend the range of the bow. But people take inadvisable shots with bows without scopes, so whether or not the bow has a scope is irrelevent from an ethical point of view. When you're looking at that one good shot you've had in three days, it's tempting to take it regardless of whether or not the target is in your MPBR. Some people are going to take that shot, regardless of their sighting mechanism. That's why I think all the outrage about gadgetry or lack thereof is silly.

The ethical course is to practice with whatever you hunt with so that you are proficient with it, and so that you know the range limitations on your proficiency. It's also important to practice estimating distances to things. Lots of people may know the practical limits on their tool of choice in their own hands, but in the field they're not so hot at estimating ranges.

My opinion is to allow them to hang anything they want on their weapon (crossbow, compound, or recurve). People like to experiment with add-ons and it is their personal device. If there is no merit to using a scope or any other device on the compound or crossbow, I think people will remove them real quick. I feel it will be a self regulatory issue meaning that if one doesn't see quick and magic results, the user will go back to what the user was best familiar with.

I don't think you'll too many bows with scopes on them. I can tell you one guy who won't be rushing out to buy a scope. Crossbows don't shoot much if any further than compounds, so why would you need a scope? If you need a scope, its too far

I can't see how it would help either an xbow or a bow, but if someone wants to hang another gadget on their weapon, they should be allowed to do it.

I agree with Bob81. Bows should not have scopes, should not be basically guns. The sport of bowhunting is becoming a geekfest of accessories and technological innovations that detract too much from the actual sport of it. I used to shoot a compound. Now I shoot a recurve.

I'm right there with kolbster, I can see a red dot scope, but not a 3 x 9 rifle scope. If one were mounted on a bow wouldn't it have to be a handgun scope also? Long, long eye relief??

I can understand a red dot or even a 1x for us hard of seeing older folks, but magnification? I still prefer several fixed pins. This might drive development of a multi/individually-adjustable reticle, short and fat, 1x "scope" with a price tag to match. Might draw in mega light at dawn and dusk.

I wouldn't put a scope on my bow. One, it already gets caught on brush the way it is. Two, can it really help that much if the animal is already close.

I got one thing to say to this...

What happend to stick and string?

Personally I wouldnt but a scope on my bow. I dont know how it would work because you cant put your eye up to the lens. Also I dont have any problems using a regular bow sight, which are expensive enought as is but then you talk about a scope you will double or triple your price.

What do you think is the smallest objective diameter scope that is appropriate for an 8 inch knife? I figure at least 56mm these days, right?

More interesting is the possibility of embedding a GPS or some other locator beacon in an arrow.

That wouldn't work for me- my arrows blow right through the deer and are stuck in the ground right behind where the deer was.

Hunting and fishing are getting less and less about tradition, skill, connection with nature, and woodsmanship and more about high tech gadgets everyday. Hence, we have trail cameras, timed feeders, and in line muzzle loaders.

I understand the use of a scope for a crossbow, but not for a compound. I think that pin sights are as advanced as bows need to get. The point of a bow is that it is more of a challenge for the hunter. If you put a scope on aa bow, your just making it easier to use and shoot well. That is the opposite of what a bow is supposed to be.

This has to be the most idiotic thing that I have ever heard of!
I mean c'mon guys! Whatever happened to "traditional"? I mean archery has come along ways from where it was to what it is today, and believe me, Im not complaing by far! But to add scopes to bows! Thats like adding a rocket launcher to my shotgun! Talk about narrowing your chances!
Its not good enough that this generation of compounds you can damn near shoot the eyes out of a deer at 50 or so yards! Now we need to add scopes! Why not just legalize the use of cross-bows all the way around and eliminate any chance an animal has!
WOW! OF ALL THE THINGS!