Crossbows on the march in CT

[eidsvolling]

Think crossbows aren't about to radically change seasons and bag limits? Think again:

"Last year appears to have been the first time since Native Americans ruled this land in the early 1600s that more deer were killed with a bow than with a gun.

"Arrows took down at least 6,046 white-tails; bullets at least 4,340. While state officials say it's a first for modern Connecticut deer hunting, there were about 2,100 kills in which the method is not clear since private landowners don't have to report how they shot deer on their own property. Connecticut's legislature is considering a further expansion of bow-hunting, to allow it on private land on Sundays, a day that's now off-limits for hunting.

"Experts believe the reason for that shift to bows has to do with a continuing concern about the numbers of deer and their Lyme Disease-carrying ticks, a state policy in favor of archery hunting, and the increasing popularity of the crossbow."

   Bow Hunting Increases To Highest Levels In State

[Cold Weather]

more deer than ever before

[bjansen]

Its too bad CT did not establish a separate season for the X bow.  Establishing different seasons allow the DNR's to manage a specific weapon's impact by managing that specific season.  When the heard is plentiful and all is on the up and up, this potential problem cannot easily be seen....but in the event... down the road, if CT "archery" harvests are too high, then would it be fair to cut back the "archery season" for all "archery" weapons?.....or would it be better to reduce the season for higher impact weapons to manage the numbers, and allow those lower impact weapons a longer season (maximizing recreation hours afield).  

For those battling the inclusion of crossbows in your state, my advise is to try to get a separate season established for the crossbow for potentially separate regulation down the road.

[Cold Weather]

yup

the xbow has been in archery seasons in OH, WY and provinces like BC and Ont

there are almost no deer left!

[bjansen]

[eidsvolling]

Originally posted by Cold Weather:
more deer than ever before

Let's see, what are the possible reasons you'd make that statement when the article states this:

  "Over time, that has made a substantial change," said Howard Kirkpatrick, a state wildlife biologist with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. He and other experts believe Connecticut's deer population has dropped from an estimated peak of 126,000 eight years ago.

One clear indicator, they say, is that deer roadkills have dropped significantly from the more than 3,000 animals recorded in 2001. But no one has any hard figures on the size of the state's herd today.

Hunters like Newtown's Glen Ekstrom agree that Connecticut's deer population is down in recent years, but they doubt the state's figures were accurate in 2006. "It was not even close to that," Ekstrom said.

Ekstrom also has big doubts about a lot of the state's deer estimates, but he does agree that Connecticut's deer population is in decline. He thinks it may now be "a hair under" 60,000 animals.

I wait breathlessly for the explanation.

[Mojostick]

As is typically the case, the reality is far less exciting than the mythology. The myths out there are that crossbows will shorten seasons and that some shadowy crossbow companies are sneaking crossbow language into archery seasons. If you notice, most states are trying to expand seasons, like with youth and early antlerless seasons and it's hunters themselves that are whining about the increased opportunity. So crossbow manufactures or even HSUS aren't demanding we cut dates, it's typically fellow hunters.

The truth is, there is no smoke filled back rooms with crossbow executives cutting top secret deals. Instead, we have baby boomers signing onto Social Security and looking for handicapped parking spots.

It's demographics, not conspiracy, that's the reason archery seasons are evolving. Hunters are aging, the biggest number of hunters-the Baby Boomers, are becoming still active senior citizens but with ailments and as society on whole, we've moved from a rural based society to an urban and suburban society, where opportunity is lessened.

Things change and times change. It's just like antler point restrictions. People don't want APR's because they are "obsessed with a trophy or antlers". If anyone is obsessed with antlers, it's the guy that can't let a buck walk. No, what's changed, and why majorities of hunters want APR's, is because most deer hunters today hunt for recreation, not sustenance.

While surveys may show "meat" is a main motivator, hunters have been conditioned to defend our sport by saying we hunt for the meat. But when you look at the billions spent per average hunter, $50 a pound venison and $100 duck breasts is not an economical source for meat. We knee jerk the response "for meat" when asked by strangers.

In 2011, hunters spent $34 billion: spent on trips, equipment, licenses, gas, travel, lodging and other items to support hunting activities and that comes to $2,484: average expenditure per hunter. That's pricey meat.

The truth is, unlike during the Great Depression and WWII years, todays hunters typically hunt because they want to, not because they have to. And to illustrate, even with people on food stamps, obesity is the big health concern today, not starvation.

So, more and more hunters want a bigger challenge. And many are not going to give up their rifles or compounds to trade for a traditional bow, or often liberal buck tags, so APR's is the only means left. That's why the trad guys that also want APR's are thumbs up in my book.

But anyway, crossbows aren't marching anywhere. Instead, the older hunters are getting up from their chair more slowly, popping a couple advils to knock the edge off the pain and they still want to hunt. And more importantly, deer biologists need them to hunt, as do economies that benefit from keeping hunter numbers stable.

[Brock]

i see more teenagers and under 50 hunters with crossbows here.  When asked why they shoot one it is usually for either the novelty of it because it looks like fun....and the other answer is because it is just like shooting their rifle...they can sight it in on range one time and not touch it again until they are ready to pull the trigger on a deer or hog.

It is easy, low effort, and they can buy one today and be hunting with it out to 30yds this evening.

Also, deer numbers are down in SC....up to 25% lower due to predation from coyotes that are finally here in force and also habitat loss.  SCDNR estimated in report they issued that we have 75% mortality of fawns/yearlings...and 80% (cant remember exact number) is related to coyote predation.

We have already lost our bow seasons in SC....from 15 Aug through 1 Jan in Game Zone 6...any legal weapon is authorized on private land.  Shotgun, crossbow, compound, traditional, rifle, etc.  Why dont they do it....because we have a lot of deer still and rifles, crossbows and compounds kill more deer...and most people these days think the stickbow is a toy and not a weapon.

We even had a guy get a law passed last year that you could only hunt bears with expandable broadheads...no cut on contact single fixed blades allowed.  It was removed this year after some discussions from informed hunters but it can happen.

I would not be surprised if some efforts were made to remove traditional equipment entirely as inefficient and inadequate....as is the marketing and muttering in pro shops already.

keep crossbows in gun seasons!!!!


keep em sharp,

ron herman

[Mojostick]

From my time at the Cabela's archery dept., most people buying crossbows reminded me of the typical Harley owner. Pot belly, grey beard.    :D

The other typical buyers were wives and kids of existing bow hunters, who could not pull back enough weight to ethically bow hunt, given their lack of experience to boot.

From my experience, there were very, very few able bodied men, 18-40 who were interested in a crossbow. I suspect the man card had something to do with it. The pot bellied guys with the grey beards seemed very open to buying a crossbow and almost all of them actually had zero interest in compounds. In fact, of many older guys expressed interest in getting back into light weight traditional bows, but I don't think I sold a single compound to a male over age 55. They all wanted crossbows. As mentioned, the other end seemed to be dads buying youth model crossbows for their kids.

The encouraging thing was many guys also expressed great interest in traditional bows, but sadly Cabela's is missing the boat my not carrying many higher end models in the 35-45lb weights, that "new" older shooters want. And since the older folks have the most dispensable income, they want a nice Bear like they had in their youth, not the cheap imported lower weight bows Cabela's carry's.

[Scott E]

A CT "hunting" story: I was doing my daily preseason practice the day before opening day. I hear a loud thwak, it was close. A guy two houses down had a 3D target setup next to a feeder in his yard. He was shooting it off his balcony. Never seen him practice before and never saw the target before.

I live in a small residential neighborhood most houses are on an acre to 1/2 acre. There "were" a doe two fawns and spike that would hang around the neighborhood.

One morning I'm getting ready for work and I look out my kitchen window there is a guy in my yard just past the wood line. I go out to confront the trespasser and it is my crossbow friend. He had shot the doe and was field dressing it in my yard. I calmly explained to him that he has to ask permission to recover a deer on someones property. And maybe hunting in the neighborhood wasnt the best idea because everybody has young children and they probably dont want you dragging a deer through their yard.

It was quite the sight watching him drag a deer down the road and the shock on the joggers face. The blood smear was there for days. He killed every deer in the neighborhood over the feeder in his yard dragged them through all of his neighbors yard and now the homeowners association is banning archery and hunting in the neighborhood.

[Scott E]

The kicker is he said he didn't want to use a compound bow because it was too much work.