October 2004 Poll:
Are crossbows archery equipment?
To vote in this poll, please visit our home page. The poll is on the right hand side.
The argument over crossbow use during archery only season is not new. Crossbow hunting itself is not new and many (but not all) regions have allowed crossbow hunting in general firearms seasons for some time.
Regional and national archery organizations have lobbied game departments to prevent crossbow use during archery only seasons on the grounds that crossbows "are not archery equipment". However in recent years, crossbow hunting is seeing more adoption by game management departments in the archery only seasons. Press releases by various wildlife managers declare crossbows to be close enough to compound bows in order to be considered archery equipment.
Where do you stand on this issue? As a recurve or compound archer, do you consider the "crossbow invasion" to be detrimental to your recreation? If you are a non-archer, would crossbow adoption during traditional recurve/compound only seasons motivate you to start hunting the archery only season in your area?