| A Question of Crossbows | |
Page Two
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Crossbows Stay Drawn
One of the great advantages to a crossbow, say its opponents, is that you can draw it in advance of getting a shot at game. No longer do you have to wait until a deer's head is down or behind a bush before you draw to shoot. You simply wait for a clear shot, aim, and fire. I have to wonder, what in the world is wrong with that?
I have drawn my bow and shot arrows at deer. I have held that draw for quite a while to do that before, too, and still made an accurate shot. I have missed because of a faulty swinging sight on one occasion, and on others because the deer simply jumped out of the arrow's path. Never has my drawing the bow been a factor in getting a shot at a deer. And crossbows are not any faster-shooting than compound bows, so a deer "jumping the string" is still a very likely scenario.
A crossbow holding its draw, while undoubtedly convenient, doesn't give it some magical deer-killing power -- it just removes one variable from the equation. The importance of that variable is debatable, as some believe that not having to draw with game nearby is a huge advantage, and others (like myself) don't see it that way. It gives an advantage, but how much of an edge does it really give a hunter? Not much if any, if Ohio's numbers are at all accurate.
What if we agree that a crossbow holding its own draw does provide an advantage over other bows? It begs the following question: Shouldn't we all strive to do everything we can to ensure quick and humane kills for the game we hunt? I certainly think so. This point may not hold much water, though -- because calling the crossbow more efficient in the field (whether due to it holding its draw or for other reasons) is obviously questionable, as we've already determined.
Crossbow Hunters are less Dedicated
In what appears to be their self-righteous and divisive fervor, some crossbow opponents claim that crossbow hunters are and will continue to be "less dedicated" than they, the "real" bow hunters, are.
The owner of a well-known archery Web site had this to say about keeping crossbow hunters out of the woods: "I'd rather see less bowhunters of higher quality than more hunters of questionable ethics and experience." It is obvious that he is referring to crossbow hunters, and I have to wonder why he assumes that those hunters will, as a group, be any less responsible, less ethical, or less "dedicated" than he and his bow-toting brethren. In my opinion, that statement is self-serving and inaccurate.
The above stance is also bad for hunting, in that we observe someone who is considered a leader in the bowhunting community publicly stating his preference for the popularity of hunting to fall further, rather than being willing to share the woods with hunters who use a different tool. Elitist, divisive, and selfish all sound like appropriate adjectives to describe such a stance.
In the field in Ohio, the very state they hold up as an example of the evils of crossbows, the game managers of that state have indicated that its performance at taking game has been identical (or nearly so) to that of other bows. The so-called "less dedicated" hunters who use crossbows seem to be holding their own with their fellow archers. How can that be? I say it's because the nay-sayers are wrong, and crossbow hunters, like other hunters, have learned to use their tools well.
It's been more than a year since I last hunted with a bow. Here in Florida, our bow season is hot and sweaty and filled with biting insects, and I don't relish sweating (and swatting) in a tree as much as I used to. But when I do hunt with my old compound bow, I practice with it, so I can hit what I aim at. I hunt deer with a muzzleloader and modern rifles, too. It's no secret that I prefer guns to bows, but hey, I practice with my guns as well. If I used a crossbow, I'd practice with it, too. Every responsible hunter practices with his chosen tool(s), and the choice of hunting tool doesn't define one's dedication to hunting, as some seem to believe.
There is a lesson that is learned by living in this world amongst other people, and it's best learned early in life. There are, of course, many lessons, but I'm thinking of one in particular: Leave room in your view of the world for others, even when you feel that they "cramp your style." It's about respect for the other residents of this planet. Sadly, some folks don't follow this rule, and therefore refuse to bend for others, who do them no harm whatsoever. Are these really the folks we want deciding what tools we can or cannot use in the hunting woods?
