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Crossbows in IA????

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I won't start bow hunting until I can devote enough time to it.

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I've got an extra bow hanging in the garage when your ready to take the plunge pharmer!
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Have a 70 year old friend who has had surgery on both shoulders and now needs to go back to have one redone. He had to give up his bow for a crossbow 2 years ago. He loved shooting his bow and hated switching but it was either switch or quit.

I guess I would do the same if I had too but from what I've seen with him...a cross bow is nothing but a pain in the rear!

It's heavy, cumbersome and hard to manuver. The case takes up 1/2 the bed of the truck, he can hardly stand to lug it around and has to use shooting sticks to prop it up becuase he can't even hold it up to shoot.
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He has to shoot the thing every time he comes in from hunting to unload it...not to mention that it's terribly noisy when fired.

I'm thankful that he is allowed to use it so he can still hunt but...as long as I can shoot a bow...I wouldn't take one if you gave it to me!
 
Guys & Gals,

I guess I have a different take on the crossbow issue from previous posts. Fact: the crossbow is identical to the compound, recurve & long bow in the sense that it is also a short range weapon. This is exactly the reason state game agencies provided separate, longer seasons for bow hunters because the bow is a short range weapon (i.e., separate bow seasons were not established because the bow must be drawn and held at full draw). Therefore, I think crossbows should be a legal weapon of choice during the entire length of the archery season simply because it is a short-range weapon. Obviously, allowing crossbows will also allow more people to take part in the great outdoors and deer hunting, which I think is a good thing.
 
I encourage people to take up archery Orion and if there is 10000 new bow hunters this fall, fine by me. Crossbows require no evening dedication to become proficient, no practice necessary. You can not tell me I am wrong on this because I have shot crossbows and they require absolutly no experience other than shooting a BB gun. Crossbows are far from being archery equiptment other than the short range thing you mentioned. You may be a seasoned archer, 3-D expert, or bow technician etc etc...I could care less but if you are only a gun hunter and have never carried the REAL archery equiptment into the field, I suggest you try that then come back and inform us on your theory.
 
Accept the challenge and quite p'n down the rest of our legs. That's what I wish the crossbow groups would do.

Everything HAS to be easier for people these days, sorry but you'll never convince me the bow season needs to be changed so it can be everyones slice of the pie. It was never ment to be that way.
Maybe some day you guys can ask Saxton and Art what their intentions were.
 
Let me just tell everyone here that I am not for or against crossbows during the archery season. Had to clear that up.

Second of all, I know and have several relatives that have bow-hunted since before many of you were born. A few have now resorted to getting the doctors apporval and hunting with crossbows. I have shot crossbows and they are no rifle...but are just as effective as modern compounds.

Now....what is this that they need no skill to shoot? Sure, they are a "pull-the-trigger" weapon. Heck, I have a hard enough time keeping the thing steady whenever I shoot them...and thats even with a rest!

The simple fact-of-the-matter is: You can teach ANYONE to pick up any kind of weapon and shoot a deer with it. Compound, recurve, longbow, rifle, shotgun, pistol. ANYONE can shoot a deer with these weapons. It is up to the hunter to practice and become "deadly-on-every-shot" with them.

I would not consider myself a good shot with a bow....but when I picked up my friend's new Mathews and shot amazing groups at 35 yards I was pleased. Did I go around and say, "Yup, those Mathews bows don't require any practice! Look at what I did with it! I don't even shoot bows that often!" Nope.

I have one close relative that has owned one deer-hunting bow his entire life. An ancient Bear compound bow with NO sights, peep, release, stabilizers or any of that fancy stuff that clutters up so many bows these days. He taught himself to shoot instinctively....at night with paper plates...in the dark. He is one of the most deadly men with a bow that I know.

I guess all this rambling has boiled down to this. Just because you shoot a bow, doesn't make you the holiest hunter in the woods. I think its kind of funny that several have stated that "crossbows take NO skill or practice at all!" If that is the case....your new fancy bow takes no skill at all....if I can pick it up and shoot awesome groups with it without being familiar with it.

Are crossbows a good thing? Who knows.
Will I hunt with one? Maybe if or when I am handicapped.
 
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Guys & Gals,

I guess I have a different take on the crossbow issue from previous posts. Fact: the crossbow is identical to the compound, recurve & long bow in the sense that it is also a short range weapon. This is exactly the reason state game agencies provided separate, longer seasons for bow hunters because the bow is a short range weapon (i.e., separate bow seasons were not established because the bow must be drawn and held at full draw). Therefore, I think crossbows should be a legal weapon of choice during the entire length of the archery season simply because it is a short-range weapon. Obviously, allowing crossbows will also allow more people to take part in the great outdoors and deer hunting, which I think is a good thing.

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Mickey,
Handguns are also short range weapons in my opinion, doesn't mean they should become part of our bow season.
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By the way, great seminar in Albia, hope you come back up this way again.
 
I have mixed emotions on crossbows. I would have to see the exact proposal (but then maybe it would be too late?
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) before I made a final decision. I have never encountered a non-hunter who said, "Gee, if crossbows were legal I would take up deer hunting!". So my guess is that crossbow hunters would be current bowhunters switching over. That shouldn't "flood the woods" with tons of newly created pressure.

I've seen a similar situation discussed about muzzleloaders (in-line vs. "traditional") and let me tell you it has been beat to death on other forums. For me, if crossbow (pistol, atl atl, knife, etc.) offered me another season/license, I'd be all over it. I just LOVE to hunt deer!
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Crossbow competition doesn't scare me, as I am only competing with my quarry.
 
Critrgitr,

Thanks regarding the seminar - I was happy to do it and would welcome future opportunities because few things in life mean more to me than Iowa whitetails & whitetail hunting!

You make a good point regarding pistols as short range weapons. However, I didn't consider them short range because some of the longer-barreled, scoped versions shot down here are accurate out to 200+ yards. Does Iowa limit pistols in terms of long-range shooting ability?
 
Only caliber size I believe. Pretty sure it's .357 or larger. I know some pistols have quite a reach, but I think most of them are rifle cartridges as opposed to "true" handgun calibers.
 
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