Crossbow for bow season for everyone?

[OpenSights]

Went to one of our landlord's houses last night, and got talking with the tenant about hunting and fishing. He told me that a good friend of his is a hunting safety instructer, and he said that in '09 you no longer have to be "special needs" or handicapped to use a crossbow douring bow season. Quite a bit of hear-say, but.... just wondering if anyone else has heard anything like this.

Haven't looked around the internet, dnr, ect, yet.

[Done Deal]

Check the DNR website.

I heard something of a poll of hunters but, haven't heard of any changes in regs.

[huntmeister]

they are considering it and surveying it.
support or dont support but forward the link onto other hunters so our voice is heard on the matter.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10366_52045-202048--,00.html

[OpenSights]

they are considering it and surveying it.
support or dont support but forward the link onto other hunters so our voice is heard on the matter.

Thanks, will do. Would love to get a deer early, but reg bow is beyond me right now, for now. If I can get some meat early next year that would be worth a $135 for a 175lb 310fps excuse to my wife!

[Big_Jim]

Its good that the DNR is asking for input but they excluded the one option that should be included. That is full inclusion for the crossbow in every archery season.

[huntmeister]

I say support option D they might be surpirsed at the numbers of people who want to use a crossbow.
If there was a separate season for crossbow I might just go buy one.

*OPTION D:
Create a separate deer season for crossbows.
This option creates a separate deer season with a separate license or stamp. This option could provide the DNR with the ability to survey and monitor crossbow use separately from other hunting seasons.

OPTION A:
Retain the status quo and change nothing.
This option allows the Department to continue to issue crossbow permits to hunters with certain permanent disabilities and allows able-bodied hunters to use crossbows during the November 15-30 firearm deer season.

OPTION B:
Establish a minimum age for crossbow use.
This option continues the current system of crossbow permits for hunters with certain permanent disabilities but would enable hunters of a designated age to use crossbows to hunt without the need for a special permit.

OPTION C:
Make crossbows legal for any hunting season or species for which a firearm use is legal.
This option allows crossbows as a choice for hunters during seasons when a firearm is currently legal. Additional opportunities include bear, small game, muzzleloader deer, elk, turkey, fox, bobcat, coyot and racoon hunting seasons. This option does not allow crossbow use during any archery-only hunting seasons.

[topcide]

im not aginst a seperate crossbow season, but no way should it be included in regular archery.

[7.62 Nato]

im not aginst a seperate crossbow season, but no way should it be included in regular archery.
Why not ?

[topcide]

because it's not archery.

[langenc]

Not archery?? That is what us bare bow shooters said about-- Sights (in the late 50s) and about compounds in the 60s and carbon arrows in the 90s!!

[russianblood]

because it's not archery.

But an inline muzzleloader with copper jacketed bullets and high power scopes with shotgun primers is allowed during muzzleloading season! :bash:

I say let us use crossbows during bow season!

[Roger Roney]

Not archery?? That is what us bare bow shooters said about-- Sights (in the late 50s) and about compounds in the 60s and carbon arrows in the 90s!!That's weird. I heard the same pro CB for everyone statement made in an MUCC meeting about an hour before you posted. :lol:

The issue will be coming up at the NRC meeting about two weeks from now.

The current proposal is to allow for crossbow during all big and small game seasons, EXCEPT archery deer, where (current) handicapped rules would still apply and an age minimum would be added. I think it started with anyone over 55 could, but that got a lot of flak, so they are now considering 65. The consensus at the meeting was that there should not be an age minimum, but if that's what is needed to get this passed, then they should look at setting it at 60.

An aside on the handicapped permit; Renewal is annual and requires sign off by your doctor(s). An example cited tonight was having to get one from both the primary care doctor and the rehab therapist. That required two office visits each for husband & wife at a cash out of pocket expense of $135. I didn't catch if it was total or each, if each, Yeeks! :lol:

Roger

[Pnab]

im not aginst a seperate crossbow season, but no way should it be included in regular archery.


I agree totally agree with that.

[8point1]

It's just another way for the DNR or the state to make things easier to thin out Michigans deer heard. God knows we don't have enough seasons as it is:ak2:

[OpenSights]

I can understand everyones' opinion as to not let cb into reg. bow season, because cb is more like a rifle in take down power and skill. I can also see the case for muzleloader in past days vs now. I would just like to see more food on my families plates other than going to Meijers or L&L. if its a seperate season, great, and it gives me a new toy, even more GREAT!

[FASHOOTER]

I can understand everyones' opinion as to not let cb into reg. bow season, because cb is more like a rifle in take down power and skill. I can also see the case for muzleloader in past days vs now. I would just like to see more food on my families plates other than going to Meijers or L&L. if its a seperate season, great, and it gives me a new toy, even more GREAT!
Having owned and shot crossbows for years,they do not shot like my .338 win mag! They shoot no farther than a modern compound bow. Most states allow crossbows during archery season and they have way better deer herds than us! (OHIO)!!!!!!!! Educate yourself on crossbows they are not the devil! I went bear hunting in my own state of michigan last year. I could use a rifle, handgun, shot gun, muzzle loader, bow but I couldn't use my crossbow? Is it realy more deadly than the 45-70 I used!!!!!! I have no crossbow permit I just enjoy the weapon!

[Roger Roney]

im not aginst a seperate crossbow season, but no way should it be included in regular archery.I agree totally agree with that.This is not directed at either of you, just the attitudes.

I have heard and put up with this BS going on 40 years.

Since there are only so many days in a year and only certain times a "season" can be held, how about taking away half of the "regular bow" season and giving it to "crossbow only?" Rotate every other day, week, or month of "bow" season to be "crossbow" or "longbow" only. Notice I said longbow, no modern recurves or compounds allowed. :evil:

As stated above, equipment and technology in "smokepoles" and bows have advanced since the original rules were written. It is now time to accommodate those advances.

Roger

[who dat]

An aside on the handicapped permit; Renewal is annual and requires sign off by your doctor(s). An example cited tonight was having to get one from both the primary care doctor and the rehab therapist. That required two office visits each for husband & wife at a cash out of pocket expense of $135. I didn't catch if it was total or each, if each, Yeeks! :lol:

RogerI can see a doctor's visit, but therapy?? That's just stupid. There are a lot of conditions that therapy won't fix.

"Doc, my arm still hasn't grown back. Will you sign off on that so I can get a crossbow? I went to therapy and it didn't work.

Thanks, Doc. See you next year."

[Leader]

I can understand everyones' opinion as to not let cb into reg. bow season, because cb is more like a rifle in take down power and skill. I can also see the case for muzleloader in past days vs now. I would just like to see more food on my families plates other than going to Meijers or L&L. if its a seperate season, great, and it gives me a new toy, even more GREAT!

No way does a crossbow even come close to being like any rifle in take down power or skill.
Crossbows have been used by archers for century's and as technology progressed crossbows were replaced by firearms.
The new compound bows are further from traditional bows then crossbows are.
Crossbows should be legal anytime any other bow is. It has NOTHING to do with guns.

[OpenSights]

Funny you posted that today, was talking to a friend today who shoots both cross bow and compound and said basically the same thing.... only a little more drawn out.
So far all I know about bow is I own one and cant shoot straight. Under assumption, me being an expert rifleman I would think it'd be easier for me to pick up a cross bow and actually hit something than a compound, where the barn is the taget and I miss.
That was along my lines of thought compairing cross bows to rifles.

[7.62 Nato]

I think we need to get more people involved in hunting and outdoor activities if we are going to keep it available for us and future generations. If crossbows were allowed would it decrease or increase participation? Let's not let this divide us. Legislators would LOVE that !

[protectionisamust]

I favor crossbow usage during the regular archery season. I personally use a compound bow but my father who is 60 now has a very hard time drawing a compund and when he does, its uncomfortable for him let alone make an accurate shot out to 20-30 yards. He has arthritis in his drawing shoulder so he is unable to draw a standard compound. He spoke to a doctor about this and because he is not "disabled", they would not give him the permit. I would love for him to be able to join me in the woods during the warm months of october. I believe that the DNR should allow people who is over say 50 years of age to use them during archery.

[jcurtis]

I support full inclusion. Will I ever use a crossbow? Probably not. We have Archery Season, not bow season, crossbows ARE archery equipment.