Help My Ignorance

[dogghr]

This week is our 6 day ML season. The crossbow has been legal for 2 years in this state for archery season which begins end of Sept. Now, according to regs, the crossbow is considered a ML replacement for legally taking deer during the ML season. However, a bow is not legal.
So please explain to me how the crossbow is a bow for bow season , yet equivalent to a rifle/ML during those seasons. I don't give a RA about those that choose to use a cross bow, their choice, but please don't give me the double standard chit. Just make it a bow, or not.
Am I too stupid?? Guess so.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

The law SHOULD be worded that all "lesser" weapons are permitted......that's how it is in Ohio. It's dumb otherwise.

 

[dogghr]

Yea but a bow is stated as not legal for ML replacement. You can take a legal deer under archery season rules and ck it in but not take a ML season deer with bow and ck it in as a ML kill.

 

[OkieKubota]

Here in Oklahoma Archery runs concurrent with every other season so Archery begins October 1st and ends January 15th. You can hunt straight through with a bow if you want. Crossbows are considered "archery" here so Crossbows are legal the entire time.

I can see what your state is trying to do. They are trying to make sure those muzzleloader deer shot during that period aren't checked as bowkills so you can keep hunting with your gun after you have already killed a deer for that season.

I am sure if you kill your deer with a crossbow that week even though it is muzzleloader season you will have to check it in as a muzzleloader kill and quit hunting whereas some in our state will kill a muzzleloader (or rifle) deer with a gun of some sorts and check it as archery so they can continue to gun hunt...

 

[j-bird]

This week is our 6 day ML season. The crossbow has been legal for 2 years in this state for archery season which begins end of Sept. Now, according to regs, the crossbow is considered a ML replacement for legally taking deer during the ML season. However, a bow is not legal.
So please explain to me how the crossbow is a bow for bow season , yet equivalent to a rifle/ML during those seasons. I don't give a RA about those that choose to use a cross bow, their choice, but please don't give me the double standard chit. Just make it a bow, or not.
Am I too stupid?? Guess so.

In my state they simply made X-bow and any other bow the same thing (archery equipment) and allow a single continuous season. They are legal thru firearms season, Muzzleloader season and all the others. I can't explain the logic behind the rules you face.....but there are a lot of those. In the past my DNR would shut down ALL of deer hunting for 5 days (Monday thru Friday) between our general firearms season and our muzzleloader season.....they never could tell me why.

 

[OkieKubota]

In my state they simply made X-bow and any other bow the same thing (archery equipment) and allow a single continuous season. They are legal thru firearms season, Muzzleloader season and all the others. I can't explain the logic behind the rules you face.....but there are a lot of those. In the past my DNR would shut down ALL of deer hunting for 5 days (Monday thru Friday) between our general firearms season and our muzzleloader season.....they never could tell me why.

Maybe to give the deer a break?

On our deer lease we don't bowhunt the 5 days before rifle season begins and our best muzzleloader hunts that are usually the week of Halloween are always better if we don't bowhunt the 5 days before that as well...

 

[j-bird]

Maybe to give the deer a break?

On our deer lease we don't bowhunt the 5 days before rifle season begins and our best muzzleloader hunts that are usually the week of Halloween are always better if we don't bowhunt the 5 days before that as well...

That was the only thing I could think of. Not sure how much good it really did, but after being shot at from every other tree for 16 days, I would think it would take more than 5 days to get the deer to relax! But I don't make the rules and they don't ask me.

 

[buckdeer1]

The only reason all the states started letting them be for regular seasons is the money.More people want it easy and don't like having to practice with a vertical bow.They had their place with young and disabled.The numbers have increased which can be good but there are some downfalls

 

[swat1018]

In my state they simply made X-bow and any other bow the same thing (archery equipment) and allow a single continuous season. They are legal thru firearms season, Muzzleloader season and all the others. I can't explain the logic behind the rules you face.....but there are a lot of those. In the past my DNR would shut down ALL of deer hunting for 5 days (Monday thru Friday) between our general firearms season and our muzzleloader season.....they never could tell me why.

That works fine in places like Indiana. But, for example, in Missouri when rifle season comes in you can bow hunt, but you still must buy a firearms tag. Licenses are sold by the season, not by the weapon. Maybe WV does something similar.

 

[Weasel]

There is no recurve or longbow lobby and the guys building them can't afford to influence politicians. The crossgun manufacturers and their lobby did a great disservice (and major insult in my opinion) to the primitive weapon seasons across the country. They created a need where there was none and hunters fell for it hook, line and sinker.

 

[George]

I don't feel qualified to question your stupidity.

G

 

[Fish]

Ive often wonderd why we cant just purchase a deer tag and punch it with whatever weapon is legal at the time? Money for license sales i guess. But i would pay more for one tag over having to purchase an archery, firearm, muzzleloader, special antlerless, whatever tag.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

Ive often wonderd why we cant just purchase a deer tag and punch it with whatever weapon is legal at the time? Money for license sales i guess. But i would pay more for one tag over having to purchase an archery, firearm, muzzleloader, special antlerless, whatever tag.

That's actually exactly how it is in Ohio......makes sense to me.

 

[W33kender]

I agree with Weasel. It has everything to do with lobbying and politics and nothing to do with logic.

 

[dogghr]

We have always been allowed to use bow as weapon in gun season. Of course, ckd in as a rifle kill. And that i understand is too increase kills thruout season which was needed at the time. However, what I find a double take, is that by allowing a Xbow kill equal to ML, yet not a vertical bow, then there is the assumption that the scoped Xbow is more rifle than bow. Yet the argument to allow in bow season, is that it is a primitive weapon equal with the bow and shares that season. Again, I'm not trashing the Xbow choices. Not my attraction even with a bad wing. But I hate double talk and that is what set me off. Our DNR does a decent job especially compared to some states, but just be honest with me. Take the scope off the Xbow, and then I can buy into its comparison. And yes I know we can have nonending conversations of tech in compounds and their sights. I get it.
At any rate, it was just a lousy weather , aggravated , having to work rant at the time. Xbows are here to stay. It has attracted a good size crowd especially among the younger group. My adult son doesn't have one, but wants one. Deer kill was up 8000 for bow season last year with its first legal season.
But to quote Mo on another site, I'd personally rather throw rocks at the deer than use one. Just thot I'd give my opinion. At least you won't get double talk from me. Thanks for the comments. Interesting.

 

[j-bird]

Ive often wonderd why we cant just purchase a deer tag and punch it with whatever weapon is legal at the time? Money for license sales i guess. But i would pay more for one tag over having to purchase an archery, firearm, muzzleloader, special antlerless, whatever tag.

I often wondered about that as well Fish. However - after the DNR realized how bad they screwed up with the lifetime license deal they are not going to risk loosing more money. The DNR really doesn't seem to care about the unfilled purchased tags....now because of the lack of deer. You buy one tag at say $50 to hunt all seasons regardless of weapon as long as it is legal for that season until you kill a deer the DNR misses out on you buying a tag for acrhery $24....ching! Another for general firearms $24....cha-ching! Another for muzzleloader $24....cha-ching, cha-ching!!! And then toss in your bonus tags as well......cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching!!!!!! The DNR isn't giving that up. They would have to charge a resident $100 for one tag to do it the other way.....might as well go to a better state and hunt there for that sort of money...at least maybe you will see a deer then!

Besides our DNR is so concerned about money that we now do the harvest data collection for them......and they still take months and months after season is closed to generate the report. The average guy could dump the data into excel and filter out the data they provide in a day or two of time. But I guess that is what we get for only having 2 people in the entire DNR fully dedicated to deer in our state!

Ok - I'm done soap boxing!

 

[Gator]

Do they require you to show the bloody bolt? Xbow and bow use the same broadheads so I'm not sure how that could be enforced...

 

[dogghr]

Electronic ck in last 2 years. No proof of anything. Just your "honest " word. Doesn't make any diff. Of all the years I ckd in deer, only once did the guy ck to see the deer itself. Heck I usually didn't even take the deer with me. It's odd I even saw the reg, just happen to be checking when and how second bear season req were.

 

[j-bird]

Electronic ck in last 2 years. No proof of anything. Just your "honest " word. Doesn't make any diff. Of all the years I ckd in deer, only once did the guy ck to see the deer itself. Heck I usually didn't even take the deer with me. It's odd I even saw the reg, just happen to be checking when and how second bear season req were.

Yep - IN went to the electronic system as well so you could blow a hole thru that deer with a cannon ball during archery season and nobody knows the difference.....especially if you butcher your own deer. A locker may report you, but many won't even mess with it. I have NEVER had a deer physically examined by anyone when we had the physical check in. I had 1 checked for CWD sample once....and that was 100% voluntary. I walked over to see what they where doing. The IN DNR isn't interested in if you took it legally - I swear all they want you to do is kill deer and buy tags! That has been my experience hunting private land.

 

[Fish]

I often wondered about that as well Fish. However - after the DNR realized how bad they screwed up with the lifetime license deal they are not going to risk loosing more money. The DNR really doesn't seem to care about the unfilled purchased tags....now because of the lack of deer. You buy one tag at say $50 to hunt all seasons regardless of weapon as long as it is legal for that season until you kill a deer the DNR misses out on you buying a tag for acrhery $24....ching! Another for general firearms $24....cha-ching! Another for muzzleloader $24....cha-ching, cha-ching!!! And then toss in your bonus tags as well......cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching!!!!!! The DNR isn't giving that up. They would have to charge a resident $100 for one tag to do it the other way.....might as well go to a better state and hunt there for that sort of money...at least maybe you will see a deer then!

Besides our DNR is so concerned about money that we now do the harvest data collection for them......and they still take months and months after season is closed to generate the report. The average guy could dump the data into excel and filter out the data they provide in a day or two of time. But I guess that is what we get for only having 2 people in the entire DNR fully dedicated to deer in our state!

Ok - I'm done soap boxing!

I agree whole heartedly Jbird. I am sure our DNR is full of good folks, but the boat is full speed one direction and it isnt going to throw an anchor until the vast majority of hunters (gun) come to their door complaining. That will mean an opening weekend of no deer. We arent there yet... and thankfully so.

I once wrote a letter to the DNR concerning a beautiful waterway i loved to fish. I was later told by the fisheries biologist that the letter made quite an impact throughout the DNR. Simply because they figure if one person writes, they are speaking for a 1000 who wont take the time. According to one national magazine editor, one letter to him speaks for 10,000. And dont you know, a couple years later, new regulations protecting big smallmouth were placed on that stream. Maybe it's time for a letter.