KY takes away crossbow season!

[Pinwheel5]

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June 2, 2005 Contact: Mark
Marraccini
IMMEDIATE RELEASE (800) 852-0942
Frankfort, KY - Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Interim
Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett will inform the Fish and Wildlife Commission at
its quarterly meeting Friday that the March decision to expand the 2005
crossbow season will be temporarily set aside.
"We want additional time to further explore the social implications of
lengthening the season parameters during which hunters may use crossbows to
take deer and wild turkey," said Gassett. "In accordance with the
regulatory process, I plan to remove language from the proposed regulation
that expands the crossbow season for the 2005 season.
"We want to use this year to gather additional data and take a closer look
at the user side of the issue," he said.
The nine-member Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission voted at its March
quarterly meeting to allow hunters desiring to take deer and wild turkey
with a crossbow to do so throughout the archery season.
"A number of sportsmen and women questioned the proposed regulation as to
whether allowing persons to use crossbows throughout the entire season might
be too aggressive and might result in user conflict," said Gassett. "Public
input is an important part of this process.
"This Commission's long-practiced philosophy has been to provide and
increase recreational opportunity for hunters and anglers whenever the
resource can sustain it," said Gassett. "We have clear data that indicate
allowing crossbow hunters to hunt throughout the archery season poses no
biological threat to our white-tailed deer or wild turkeys. This is a
social issue about shared use."
The Commission meeting begins at 8 a.m. Friday at the KDFWR offices in
Frankfort.

Since when did hunting become a "social issue"? This opens the door for anti-hunting and the non-hunting majority to pressure Frankfort to ban or limit all types of hunting and fishing based on the number of complaints. I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

[DWC]

dont know but here in MO we have a problem there getting rid of the checkin stations i think that a dumb move on the mo dnr part there going so much poaching that hunters might not be safe

[TreeStandBowHunter]

[ QUOTE ]
Good for KY! I thought it was a bunch of BS that the shady politics and the Xbow manufacturers could push something like that through in the first place!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you but .......here we go

[wvbowhunter]

The West Virginia Bowhunters Assoc, lost a battle with WV legislators in a long battle over crossbows here in the mountain state, it's a sad situation but they passed a bill to let "handicapped" people use a crossbow....now I hope they keep a close eye on this and keep it to just the people who are "handicapped" and get there excuse from doctors that are not crooks.....I hope the WV DNR don't let this get out of hand and in everyones hands...I think thats what senator (Shirley Love) wants is for everyone to hunt with them....sad situation here in WV...hope we vote him out soon.

[too_pointer]

I'm sorry but, I disagree. The # of bowhunters, and all hunters has gone down for years. You know the taxes they put on hunting equipment goes toward preserving our sport. You guys are selfish about bringing a few more in the woods that you might have to compete with. The older hunters who hunt have been decreased, the younger hunters is reduced. There are less hunters than for years. Is this good, NOT Think about this in the long term
too_pointer

[wvbowhunter]

West Virginia is a strong hunting state and our young and older hunters participate heavily......the state "shuts down" come gun buck season so to speak....I don't think our state is a "declining state" for hunters, the crossbow is just another tool to hunt with that we don't need it for everyone, handicapped hunters I agree with (if they keep it to just handicapped hunters)....if there able body and healthy to pull conventional archery equipment back thats what they need to hunt with in my opinion.

[Doc]

[ QUOTE ]
The # of bowhunters, and all hunters has gone down for years.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, I'd really like to see the real numbers relative to the bowhunter population going down. Around here, I just flat don't believe it. I know there are statistics showing a nationwide drop in general hunting population, but I have never seen the bowhunter numbers broken out of that. We continue to see more bowhunters afield each year to the point where on public land, they are walking all over each other. My feeling is that more gunhunters are taking up bowhunting just to escape the perceived dangerous conditions of the gun season (statistically, an incorrect perception, by the way). But, I have found more and more bowhunters who say they took up bowhunting just to get away from the crowds. Now people want to add even more people into the already crowded bowseason by cramming in a bunch of crossbow hunters. They even made an attempt to wedge muzzleloaders into the traditional bowhunters season this year. They won't be satisfied until bowseason looks just like gunseason.

Doc

[ThethirdI]

Ummm! Wow! this forum cannot turn out good. Crossbow vs. Compound and Traditional archery is like oil and water.
Interesting topic Pinwheel and I think that you are right about questioning the "social issue" standpoint. I understand where you are coming from. (By the way I am a compound shooter.) Instinctive shooter no less.... To each their own.

[Pinwheel5]

What exactly is a crossbow season going to do that is going to hurt the deer herd? It has been proven by the state that with the deer herd at an all time high that more does need to be killed and giving the hunters another way to do so is going to help the overall health of the herd. But that is not my argument as that has been proven by the state already.

What my concern is how they went about it. A small group of bowhunters complained loudly enough to get the attention of the commissioner and being that is an interim and wanting the job he bowed to their request. What happens when a large group of anti-hunters start to complain to the right people? Will all of our methods of hunting be compromised? Just because you hunt a particular way or with a certain peice of equipment should everyone? Making this a "Social issue" is the worst thing to do. Hunt my way or your wrong seems to be the opinion of not only the die-hard bowhunters but for many in here as well. Hey, why not go down to the muzzleoading room and try to ban in-lines? That is very similar.

The state of KY has seen a decline of hunting licenses each of the last 2 years. I agree that crossbows may not increase the number of hunters by much but will it hurt? What it will do is open archery season to many that do not have the time to practice enough to get good enough to bow hunt. Gun hunters only for example. But what you have done is make the economy stronger due to increased crossbow and accesories and the taxes that come with them.

ANYTHING that does not hurt the deer herd and helps more people get out into the woods more often can and should be viewed as a good thing.

If not don't scream next time a small group of tradional bowers scream loudly enough to get compounds banned. Hey, as long as it is a social issue it's possible.

Anyway, the issue has made it all the way to Frankfort and it will be voted on Tuesday, June 14th. From the talks I have had with the LRC is seems very likely that it will indeed get passed for crossbows to be legal during archery season.

It may be that you have to hunt a little harder during archery season to get you buck this year due to increased pressure. Just be glad that you have the ability to hunt and share your sport. If not, well, I guess I will see you all on the golf course.

[stevebeilgard]

too bad i'm a hunter. if i were an anti hunter, i'd be revelling in this debate. hunter v.s. hunter, opposing each other. i'd love it. lets take away the crossbow. then, we've cleared the way to take away the low caliber 243 deer rifle, and replace it with only 270 or larger. heck, i'm a 270 man, and like that.
point is, everyone has their favorite thing. i know folks who love their crossbow, and love hunting with it so be it. i won't use one myself, but i honor their right to use it

[slugshooter]

Here in NC you must be disabled to use a crossbow, plus you must use a handgun permit to be able to buy one (not exactly sure why), but many states have handicapped only regs for crossbows, Florida did or still does, not sure. I am pretty sure Ohio and Missouri have no regs regarding who can use a crossbow. My question is this. I'll probably never buy a crossbow because I am not going to use a handgun permit to buy something that I can't use for hunting unless I am disabled, but what is the point in keeping the ordinary hunter from using one? You're still getting only one shot with a crossbow vs compound vs longbow, I guess it might be a little easier to shoot a deer with one seeing as how you hold it like a rifle, but I don't really see the point in keeping a non-disabled hunter from using one if he so chooses. I don't think it would really hurt the population that much IMO.

[wtnhunt]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The # of bowhunters, and all hunters has gone down for years.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, I'd really like to see the real numbers relative to the bowhunter population going down. Around here, I just flat don't believe it. I know there are statistics showing a nationwide drop in general hunting population, but I have never seen the bowhunter numbers broken out of that.

[/ QUOTE ]

There has been no decline in hunters in this area at all not gun or bow.

Tennessee changed the laws to allow a crossbow to be used during the archery season as well as other seasons by any hunter. That is new for this year.

[psejake16]

Excellent.