Went to the darkside.

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I know that in '07 I broke my collarbone and drew a big bull archery tag here in WA. I looked into getting a crossbow for that season only and if I could've gotten a doctor to sign off on it, I would've qualified as a "handicapped" hunter. However it's a permanent classification mean that I could ONLY hunt with a crossbow and could get in trouble for hunting with a regular bow. This was in WA so it's likely different in Colorado, but it's definitely something I would research more.

Mike
 

Curtis C

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There is the accommodation permit process. From what I have heard the DOW would steer you towards the rifle season since X-Bows are already legal for those seasons.

You could always pick up a muzzleloader and hunt that season and use the X bow later.

Muzzleloader tags can only be used with a muzzleloader.
 
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Man that is definitely the dark side. No one can convince me that a preloaded weapon like a cross bow is just as hard as archery. I am glad that Washington State continues to make them illegal in archery season. Good luck with your search.
 

dotman

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You need to read the regs in full and not cherry pick, then you'll know your answer pretty clearly. :). That thing is only good for rifle season and the muzzle loader season is not rifle season. They are pretty clear on what a legal weapon is for muzzy season and a compound bow isn't even legal on that tag.
 
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The only difference between a crossbow and compound bow is the fact that you can get caught on the draw. Doesnt change the fact that each weapon has an effective range of 40 yards. Any responsible crossbow owner and hunter will tell you the same thing. Thats the big misconception about crossbows. People think that because it has a scope on it that you have a farther effective range. Nothing can be further from the truth. I see both sides and have to agree that a crossbow is in many and should be considered by all states as archery equipment.

I can't hold my compound at full draw for 10 minutes. If I could I would be shaking like a leaf towards the end due to the muscle fatigue. Just saying! :)
 

Aron Snyder

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The only difference between a crossbow and compound bow is the fact that you can get caught on the draw. Doesnt change the fact that each weapon has an effective range of 40 yards. Any responsible crossbow owner and hunter will tell you the same thing. Thats the big misconception about crossbows. People think that because it has a scope on it that you have a farther effective range. Nothing can be further from the truth. I see both sides and have to agree that a crossbow is in many and should be considered by all states as archery equipment.

I strongly disagree!

You can walk around with a CrossBow loaded and ready to fire

You can bench rest a CrossBow

You can put a scope on a CrossBow

You don't need the strength to draw a CrossBow (calking mechanisms)


Other than that, they are almost identical:)
 

miller1

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I strongly disagree!

You can walk around with a CrossBow loaded and ready to fire

You can bench rest a CrossBow

You can put a scope on a CrossBow

You don't need the strength to draw a CrossBow (calking mechanisms)


Other than that, they are almost identical:)

:thumbup:
 
Joined
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I strongly disagree!

You can walk around with a CrossBow loaded and ready to fire

You can bench rest a CrossBow

You can put a scope on a CrossBow

You don't need the strength to draw a CrossBow (calking mechanisms)


Other than that, they are almost identical:)

X2. Crossbows are more like a gun than a "real" bow. That's my opinion thou
 

ckleeves

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I have no issue with crossbows, but I really don't think they belong in archery season. If you want to hunt in rifle season that's great, I hope your successful and it will be quite a challenge for sure.

Not having to draw and hold is a HUGE advantage, I don't know how anyone can claim that it isn't. The range might be the same, the accuracy the same, but there is a big difference.
 

vcb

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Yup that's why we belong to the CBA so we can keep bowhunting.......bowhunting!:)
 

lorneparker1

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Feb 25, 2012
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Yeah my hostility comment was more of a joke also. I should of added the smiley face in there to make that clear. It was more my sense of humor.

As far as similarities when you think about the last seconds of the shot there isnt a whole hell of a lot of difference.

Aron has it right you can mount a scope on a xbow that would be the only difference. Having a preloaded arrow it still comes down to the last seconds of the shot. You still need to raise your xbow to take that shot you still have to have a sence of your form to make sure your on target and follow through. Yes you dont have to pull back the xbow to make that shot but if you think about it dismounting an xbow from your shoulder or picking it up to make that shot its comparable to walking around with an arrow already preloaded.
When you think about that last second of the shot, making it count is whats important in either way you go here. You want a good clean kill. Ive done both in the past. Will do both in the future. Do I think that xbow should be classified as anything other then archery equipment? Nope cause they both fire an arrow with a degree of skill and accuracy to make that shot count.
Both have comparable speeds for that arrow being delivered and both have equal chance of being ducked by the game your shooting at. If anything the Compounds have a 1 up with how quite they are comparable to the crossbows.

As far as Bench mounting and shooting at your game. I cant think of 1 time in the past that I had the means to bench mount a crossbow to get a shot on game. The game just dont seem to come up to me while Im sitting at a table in the middle of the woods. That would be nice though :p

Like I said earlier I see the positives and negatives in both arguments. I will leave it with the words of an earlier comment. You cant really make me believe anything different. :D

Anyway Love the sport, Love the technology of both tools. Love the excitement of the hunt no matter what you are using.

So let me really start a Flame. What is everyones feelings on a Slingbow? :eek: (for clarification in case your not familiar, slingshot that shoots arrows)

No.

However, if its legal, im good. As hunters we should support anything hunting that is legal. United we stand, divided we fall. This is no different then the steelhead gear fisherman vs the fly fisherman, the mooching reel guy vs the level wind. Open sights vs scope. etc etc. Legal? have at er..

Lorne
 
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Lakewood, Colorado
I think it gives you an advantage but I don't care if people use them during archery season or not. If Colorado made it legal for archery I wouldn't complain, I will personally use a compound but if someone else wants to use a crossbow than more power to you. It's more of a challenge than a muzzle loader and that falls smack in the middle of bow season so whats the big deal? I think hunters need to take the approach of live and let live more often. I used to have that I'm better than every one else attitude because I only bow hunt, I was just acting like a jerk. I now hunt different seasons but still prefer bow hunting. I agree with some of the other peoples feelings about hunters in general need to stand together.
 
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