Bill allowing crossbows during MT archery

[Deleted member 28227]

@Scott85 How often do you spot and stalk hunt, the adavantage is not having to draw. It’s the reason every western state has a left off requirement for compounds.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

As someone said early this whole thread is "redumbdant" but there clearly is a difference between eastern and Western hunting in this regard. When you buy a license in VA you get six deer tags and nobody could care less how you get them. Similar to Wyoming, you get a tag and they don't care how you fill it. But when over the counter tags, or special archery tags are issued, it's an issue when a clear advantage is given to the hunters.

I own one and it has two clear advantages: I don't have to practice as much and I don't have to draw.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

there clearly is a difference between eastern and Western hunting in this regard.

Exactly.

Game management objectives

East- Goal: to control a large, increasing ungulate population as hunter interest is decreasing

West- Goal: manage a stable/ decreasing population of ungulates, while maintaining the greatest opportunity possible, while hunter interest is increasing

 

[Carbon]

I can understand the adverison to maybe the air gun that fires an arrow but not a crossbow. I don’t feel that a crossbow offers any real advantage over a compound bow. I also think that if it even gets one more person hunting then it should be allowed. But at the end of the day it’s their state and their rules.

I can't count the number of times I've been busted when drawing, or passed up drawing on an animal when in close. HUGE advantage to a crossbow!

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

I just love the crossbow and lighted knock posts!! they make my day! LOL

 

[Sytes]

I get the whole advantage / disadvantage of draw or no draw at time to sling a bolt or arrow though the intent of the OP is about disabled / over 70 years of age vs regular g.i. Joe hunter...

SB 174 would allow people disabled or over the age of 70 to use crossbows during the regular archery season. It will be heard by the Senate Fish and Game Committee on Tuesday, Feb 5th.

Tell me your thoughts... Is it allowed in your state? Did it start with similar restrictions and morph into no restrictions such as is the case in Wyoming and PA?

rg

 

[mplane72]

Age and disability exceptions for crossbow have my full support, who's going to be the A hole that says no to that? That is by design of course. It is just the foot in the door.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Age and disability exceptions for crossbow have my full support, who's going to be the A hole that says no to that? That is by design of course. It is just the foot in the door.

In Montana crossbows are already approved for hunting during the general season and before and after in Weapons Restriction Areas, thus a long season of opportunity is available for crossbow hunters.

Physical limitations of disabled hunters allow those hunters to acquire a Permit to Modify Archery Equipment to let them modify conventional archery equipment to hunt during the Archery Only Season. In fact, Montana Bowhunters Association assists disabled bowhunters in modifying their archery equipment and going afield to hunt.

Crossbows are more closely akin to rifles than archery bows. Crossbows shoot a short metal bolt, rather than an arrow. Crossbows, much like firearms, are mechanically cocked, then fired pulling a trigger. Crossbows employ a sighting system much like a rifle and often are equipped with optical scopes. The crossbow is much easier employed as a hunting weapon and, if allowed during the Archery Only Season, would significantly transform the challenging aspect of "archery" hunting.

No problem exists regarding opportunity for crossbow hunting. Please refrain from crafting legislation to solve problems which do not exist.

For the aforementioned reasons, I am going to be an "A hole" who remains opposed to allowing the use of crossbows in Montana during the Archery Only hunting season.

 

[elkslayer100]

i bet the majority of guys so opposed to crossbows love to pull out their long range guns and shoot 1000 yards at animals, at least you have to be within effective bow range for a crossbow. i dont have a problem with them!

 

[mdunc8]

I had a moment of weakness while being stuck in the house caring for a wife fresh off foot surgery. I know better...

 

[MThuntr]

 

[RobG]

Just curious, how much would you bet?

 

[mtmuley]

Just curious, how much would you bet?

You talking about the 1000 yard shooters Rob? mtmuley

 

[kiwi hunter]

Some seem to always suggest that somehow crossbow hunters will be so efficient at killing that allowing them will result in a shortening of the archery season.

Has that actually happened anywhere?

As mentioned places like Wyoming and Nebraska have been allowing crossbows and since then Nebraska has actually lengthened the archery season and it does not seem like it's been a problem in Wyoming.

With so many states already allowing crossbows during archery season it's just a matter of time IMO. Hunting industry driven.

What's interesting is trying to understand why some get so emotional about this topic. Some are truly adamant that the sky will fall if crossbows are allowed.

I don't really care of someone want's to use a crossbow but they are kinda like fat chicks and mopeds, you don't really want to be seen with them.

that sir is a slur on fat chicks,,from my perception there are a lot of fat hunters out there

 

[Ben Lamb]

that sir is a slur on fat chicks,,from my perception there are a lot of fat hunters out there

We're not fat. We're big boned.

 

[RobG]

You talking about the 1000 yard shooters Rob? mtmuley

Yeah. Asking for a friend.

We're not fat. We're big boned.

Or under-tall.

 

[Hersbird]

Archery in Montana is about one thing IMO, being able to elk hunt during the elk rut. If you separated the two nobody would care about even using rifles during the archery season. So if someone was disabled and wanted to experience what elk hunting the rut was like a crossbow seems like a fair compromise. I bet the old long bow hunters were equally miffed when compound bows were invented. Almost all of the same arguments of crossbow vs compound bow apply to longbow vs compound bow. A bow is a bow, a firearm is a firearm. The bow no matter how mechanically complicated is still completely human powered.

 

[BrentD]

Yup, they were and still are and if you think a bow is a bow, I can only shake my head.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Archery in Montana is about one thing IMO, being able to elk hunt during the elk rut. If you separated the two nobody would care about even using rifles during the archery season. So if someone was disabled and wanted to experience what elk hunting the rut was like a crossbow seems like a fair compromise. I bet the old long bow hunters were equally miffed when compound bows were invented. Almost all of the same arguments of crossbow vs compound bow apply to longbow vs compound bow. A bow is a bow, a firearm is a firearm. The bow no matter how mechanically complicated is still completely human powered.

Crossbows with autocock?
And bro it’s about drawing the bow, the drawing down on a screaming bull is the hard part. How far you can shoot, accuracy, etc those details are relevant but not as important.

I think a more apt, comparison is muzzleloaders in CO, muzzys have about the same efficacy as crossbows. As such they have a 1 week season.

 

[tjones]

Archery in Montana is about one thing IMO, being able to elk hunt during the elk rut. If you separated the two nobody would care about even using rifles during the archery season. So if someone was disabled and wanted to experience what elk hunting the rut was like a crossbow seems like a fair compromise. I bet the old long bow hunters were equally miffed when compound bows were invented. Almost all of the same arguments of crossbow vs compound bow apply to longbow vs compound bow. A bow is a bow, a firearm is a firearm. The bow no matter how mechanically complicated is still completely human powered.

How about a disabled hunter on an ebike, toting a crossbow with lighted nocks backed up with a 1000 yard rifle decked out in Sitka with a “I believe in climate change” sticker on the bike?