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Cross Bows in Iowa....? I hope not

Skip while I appreciate the fact you enjoy hunting trophy deer, I must say not all deer hunters care about shooting a trophy deer. I have hunted whitetails in Iowa since 1968 so I remember the days when just seeing a deer that day was an event. I also own my own land and put in food plots, plant trees and try to improve the land for all wildlife not just deer. I would venture to say few deer hunters have your passion for trophy hunting, they just want to deer hunt and there is NOTHING wrong with either group. To each their own. I like venison so I deer hunt it's that simple. As far as the woods being taken over by crossbow hunters, I have my doubts that you would see a 40% increase. Even so it still take much more than using a crossbow to be successful at taking trophy whitetails as you well know. I totally respect your passion for trophy hunting and wish you all the success in the world. I think the ONE thing we have to worry about regarding our deer herd in Iowa is the taking of too many does every year. As long as we continue to slaughter does the numbers are going to drop. It's up to the deer hunters to back off and let them walk.
 
Sligh1 said:
Crossbow Lobby in other States claim an increase of "40% archery hunters" if crossbows legalized during bow & arrow season (increased revunue to state!!!) at least short term. So, I really doubt that many nr's are shooting that many bucks or have that kind of presence with doe tags & find residents to give them their tag. My opinion. *while we talk revenue, the NR doe tags are still something like $200-300 or whatever so probably take 8-10 resident crossbow hunters to equal that revenue. I think in any case- if iowa starts making regs based on REVENUE- that's where it's a downward spiral.

"Trophy is in the eye of the beholder".... I Love that one. Ya- as kid, I was thrilled to kill a year old buck. It was a trophy. It was still immature but a trophy. IMO- grown men use that saying to justify shooting immature bucks every year. U r a jerk if u even have a discussion on age about what "his trophy is". One thing we can't argue is what makes a buck mature. 5+ and that's fairly black and white. U can get into "well some areas few deer make it to 3, so that's mature". Ok fine. But grown men can who shoot bucks every year can call a 2 yr old a trophy but if we call a spade a spade- it's an immature buck who really isn't that hard to kill. Easy for guys who don't want to "put in the time" (CROSSBOW HUNTERS by stereotype in my strong opinion). I realize some of this comes off rude or "above others". Not what I'm trying to convey. I proudly shot 1 yr olds as a new hunter. U will always be able to shoot the buck u want. I can't impact u. U can impact me though by killing off young/immature bucks I passed or would like to hunt when mature. So- u can impact me and I can't do anything about what u shoot. IMO- I think the grown men who shoot a young immature buck and quickly spout "trophy is in the eye of the beholder" are often the same that advocate "all kids get a trophy for xyz sport". "No keeping score in little league" "size doesn't matter". "I'll do what makes ME happy". I realize this is a tough subject and I don't wanna come off like a jerk but I'm just expressing my opinion & try to call a spade a spade.
Where this fits in crossbows- Ya, we'll wipe out a lot more 2-3 yr olds but since there's still bucks around (immature), thankfully they'll still be "trophies" I guess if we measure it differently. A lack of mature bucks but some don't care. I do care. I want folks from kids shooting their 1st buck (whatever it is) to the seasoned mature buck hunter to have reasonable opportunity. IMO crossbows will hurt both those groups as well as the million other things I mentioned like access for archery land, etc, etc, etc.
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Cross bows in Iowa will hurt current hunting conditions....young bucks will be slaughtered. Had a cross bow hunter tell me once if it had horns that it was on his hit list.
 
fletch920 said:
More bucks are killed with nonresident gun doe tags than you would ever lose to new crossbow hunters. Why does that issue not come up more? Party hunting will not go away, the NR doe tags for gun could. Just like they did for bow.
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I would strongly agree with this. In our area I know of several groups that are at least 1\3 non resident and don't even apply for a buck tag. I hunt with guys that do it. I think you would be shocked at how many are out there. I know in other states that eliminating cross tagging cut down on needless shots being fired. Can't shoot any more deer than tags in your pocket. Wasn't it not that long ago you could cross tag late muzzy?? Or am I wrong.
 
in2harrisonCO said:
Cross bows in Iowa will hurt current hunting conditions....young bucks will be slaughtered. Had a cross bow hunter tell me once if it had horns that it was on his hit list.
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By the looks of any locker during any of the current seasons, that is already the attitude of the overwhelming majority of Iowa deer hunters.
 
Oct-Lull said:
I would strongly agree with this. In our area I know of several groups that are at least 1\3 non resident and don't even apply for a buck tag. I hunt with guys that do it. I think you would be shocked at how many are out there. I know in other states that eliminating cross tagging cut down on needless shots being fired. Can't shoot any more deer than tags in your pocket. Wasn't it not that long ago you could cross tag late muzzy?? Or am I wrong.
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Most guys don't have a clue how much of this is going on. It's an loop hole that needs to go away. Lots of abuse for no good reason.
 
fletch920 said:
Most guys don't have a clue how much of this is going on. It's an loop hole that needs to go away. Lots of abuse for no good reason.
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The resident hunters get to enjoy this same loophole. If abused, I am most certain it is by them more than the NR. Much more.
 
150 Class said:
The resident hunters get to enjoy this same loophole. If abused, I am most certain it is by them more than the NR. Much more.
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Not sure we are talking about the same thing. I am talking about non residents getting a doe tag and then paying someone that is often not even present to fill their buck tag. Tags should not be sold on the secondary market. Some outfitters are making a living at it. I have even seen tags for sale on eBay.
 
Oct-Lull said:
I would strongly agree with this. In our area I know of several groups that are at least 1\3 non resident and don't even apply for a buck tag. I hunt with guys that do it. I think you would be shocked at how many are out there. I know in other states that eliminating cross tagging cut down on needless shots being fired. Can't shoot any more deer than tags in your pocket. Wasn't it not that long ago you could cross tag late muzzy?? Or am I wrong.
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While I agree the nr landowners loophole for shotgun should be changed; there never was cross tagging as you call it during any muzzleloader season. It's a primitive weapon season, and the regulations are the same as bow hunting. Actually the primitive weapon restrictions might be a good compromise for nr landowners. The second they fill their tag they are done. I'm sure fewer residents landowners would be willing to cater to the nonresidents just to hunt their land and vise versa.
 
I wasn't sure on the muzzy rule as I have never hunted it myself. I am not sure how a resident would benefit that much. NR could hunt Iowa every year under the current rule and do it for a lot less. All a resident can do is shoot more deer. Giving it more thought maybe you are right. One guy can kill all the deer for an entire group. Not sure I am a fan. But then I am not a fan of guys hunting shotgun on a doe tag to shoot a buck then hunting muzzy too? I know years go by with sometimes no buck if you are picky but do you need a chance to kill 3 a year? Add the crooked LOT tag abusers and it adds up. I for one am not scared to eat my tag in order to stay within my personal standards.
 
Droptines This is not a loop hole for NR landowners any NR can do it. I called the DNR to ask about it and was told I should do it if I wanted to hunt my own land every year. So I don't think its a loop hole at all when you have the DNR telling you to do it.
 
Non-typ. said:
Droptines This is not a loop hole for NR landowners any NR can do it. I called the DNR to ask about it and was told I should do it if I wanted to hunt my own land every year. So I don't think its a loop hole at all when you have the DNR telling you to do it.
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Well said its no loop hole. Its a legal way for friends and family to get together and hunt spread apart as they are.
 
The minimum is 35lbs draw in our state, 35lbs that's it. My 9 and 11 year old both shoot 35lbs and my wife 40lbs. So proud of my 11yr this year a complete pass thru on a big doe 75 grain muzzy. It takes a little time and practice. So unless you have disability there's no need to be looking thru a scope of a crossbow. It all comes down to money, the crossbow company's already got there hooks in just about every state the same way there proposing it to Iowa. Big Box Retail loves it, any sales assoc. can sell a crossbow no skill required. We cater to everyone's needs and abilities no skill required and these company's realize that. Easy money.
 
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I would worry about people that can't sit still stalking around trying to sneak up on one. See guys doing it now on state land with compound bows. Best part about bow season is the peace and quiet and the woods doing its own thing while we observe. Example early muzzy. Its a madhouse. Why not just add it to the gun seasons so they can be used by those who really want one. My old hawken is most likely less accurate shooting a .54 round ball.
 
There we go again,,bashing other hunters." NO Skill Required." Why have recurves been modified so much from what they were? So less things can go wrong. Less wounded animals. More efficient killing. Why were old flintlocks replaced by Inlines?. Now I know what you'll say. Yea improvements were made to make it Easier,,but now it's easy enough. I always hear about crossbows being too easy because you don't have to move much. So why do all my bow neighbors have shootin shacks put up and many on stilts? To make movement easier. Golly,,now that's not FAIR. That's too EASY. I for one,,cannot balance standing on a platform 20 ft up a tree. I for one do not have eyes that can focus on a target 25 ft out ,especially in dim light. Guess I should quit hunting....
 
I'm going to make some "assumptions" on what he meant by "no skill required". I don't think he meant it as getting on a deer & killing it.... I think he meant, anyone can go in, pick up a crossbow and have it ready to go, shooting bullseyes without any experience shooting them or "little experience". Which, has its ups and downs...

I bought a CROSSBOW for my nephew this fall. He's disabled. He always will be. I know that with that unit, I can dial it in for him, maybe he takes some practice shots, maybe he even practices a lot BUT, in reality, I know it won't be real necessary. If he can grasp the concept of shooting a BB gun with a scope, a .22 or whatever and know where to aim - my goal with him is to teach him deer anatomy, the basics of hunting, (teach him all i know if he wants) and then put him on some deer. (far more shooting, learning, training & hunting with bow & arrow, come on!). He wants to Bow & Arrow hunt but because of his disability, it's an impossibility and this will make it much easier to shoot a deer. That's my goal and my disabled nephew will have a blast.

We need to defend the right of disabled or elderly to use crossbow and that's not even needed or threatened though. If you love em, use em during late ML season, should be end of subject. When the PIMPS come in with greed & $ & special interests on the brain, those who join the bandwagon will reap the rippled cost & damage to our resource & access.

As I said a million times, will these same folks jump on the bandwagon if we post up a thread "Rifles all of November in Iowa....? I hope not" - will you same crossbow supporters stand up for that too and join that bandwagon? More opportunity, more hunters, more time outdoors!!!!! How about "Snaring deer season in Iowa....? I hope not" - support that too? "Expanding deer season in Iowa July 1 to March 1....? I hope not" - support that too?!?!?!? You get my point but I could come up with more "reasonable" examples pretty similar to crossbows and I don't know why the "pro crossbow" guys won't answer this and all the extra things we could propose. How bout a 3rd gun season, starts Sept 1 and ends Dec 1?

FINAL QUESTIONS for the pro-crossbow folks.... 1) Do you think Iowa has a delicate resource, habitat situation. Do you think most the state has faced some extremely serious damage to the deer resource and/or habitat in the last 5 years due to regulations, special seasons, politics/special interests, habitat loss, lack of habitat, etc, etc, etc? 2) Do you think access for Archery land NOW, in current conditions is difficult? 3) Do you think Special Interests like FARM BUREAU, etc will side with you on Crossbows or folks who want to keep crossbows out of Bow & arrow season? 4) Love answers to above, is any added season a "go" for you?
 
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I'm up for whatever the Iowa DNR approves. I will always be for the legality of crossbows for all of archery season. You mean to tell me that all these big name TV personality have no skill at all? Look at the Mathews boys. They hunt with crossbows and compounds. I hope next year we can use them all of archery. Excalibur, Ten point, Barnett just to name a few will be the top notch sellers in the archery field within the next 5 years. Look forward to seeing more and more crossbows in the field. We all have the right and privilege to hunt and if one chooses to use a crossbow so be it.
 
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Feel there may be a bit of Sarcasm in that last post ? I admit I now use a CrossBow. I should be against full inclusion as for now, I have a privileged position. But I resent the slam these weapons get. They are still a bowand arrow. They still require skill involved with scent control, and close quarters with spooky deer. You have to be still and patient. You have to watch your movements. The advantages lead to less wounded animals and quicker kills, which I support. I do not believe they would adversely affect the hunting quality. And I don't like being to children or those that just want something Easy.....
 
Thanks sligh 1, for clarifying that up for me, there's was no intention of bashing. But I'm proud to say that we do have a flintlock season over the modern inlines. That's the only season they have not messed with yet.
 
Not comparing anybody to anything, 35 lbs is 35lbs ,you can pull it back or you can't. You can see the pins or you can't , your disabled or your not, you choke with a bow and arrow or you don't,, some questions I ask myself as to why all of a sudden this crossbow push. If there is no real advantage why don't things just stay the way they are(Archery Season).
 
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