NRA supports crossbow use in archery seasons

[Redeye]

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?id=4304

[Dozer]

I'm getting the feeling that the guy who wrote that article has never even picked up a crossbow.

[ChuckC]

yep..   one hole groups at 100 yards is what they are touting.   Sounds pretty handicapping to me.  

This whole premise that they are bows is disgusting and ridiculous.  One hole groups at 100 yards means shots will be taken to 150 yards.   These are outcompeting earlier shotguns / slugs and earlier muzzleloaders.

Gotta stop now,  I can feel some cussing coming on.
ChuckC

[owlbait]

Just another reason to NOT be a member of the NRA. Its a money organization, with a shooting rights history. How much kickback did they get from the crossbow industry. Just like that PSE/AR-15 Hybrid. Do they honestly think it belongs in the wood during archery season?

[Brian Krebs]

Like I said 25 years ago - they are re-inventing the rifle.

 This is thing is hideous.

And the demonstrator called it a "gun" more than once.

 And no Owlbait - I can't see anyone thinking these things belong in archery season.

 170 pounds- 412 feet per second- one hole groups at 100 yards....???

 Honestly - go to a rifle range and see what accuracy most people get with a rifle. As a military veteran with competitive shooting experience; and as a police officer with competitive shooting experience; and as a long time hunter.... I can say with certainty that a one hole group at 100 yards is seldom (if ever) accomplished with a rifle.

 And they want to call this a bow? And there are really people that want this in the bow season?

 Rifles and the NRA seek accuracy at long ranges; and this contraption does that.. but is it appropriate for bow seasons?

         NO !!!!!!!!!!

[Redeye]

"Just another reason to NOT be a member of the NRA. Its a money organization, with a shooting rights history. How much kickback did they get from the crossbow industry. Just like that PSE/AR-15 Hybrid. Do they honestly think it belongs in the wood during archery season?"

Yes the full inclusion crowd sees this as just a variant of a crossbow, and should be allowed in any archery season.  I see this as a preview of more technically advanced crossbows. A couple more years of R&D and this will be just the tip of the iceburg.

[pronghorn23]

I liked how he said you could put all your AR accessories on it..like your flashlight!!!

Sounds like a new poaching tool too. Put a night vision scope on it and your silent.

That thing is disgusting and when will it stop?

[sswv]

ever since I heard/read that the NRA wanted to open the four 'bow only' counties in southern West Virginia to gun hunters I have no use for them. these counties have been closed to gun hunting since the 1960's and should remain as such.

these four counties make up the largest piece of 'archery only' property in North America.

[Cory Mattson]

I did hear recently from a good friend that the NRA is contacting NRA members who live in the West Virginia Bow Zone. I am told the NRA is trying to open these 4 counties to gun hunting. If this is so - they have an enemy For Life - in me. I heard also the NRA fought to keep rifles allowed for use during spring gobbler season. In both these cases the NRA fought for what amounts to the destruction of game stocks - and in the case of spring gobbler continuing an element of danger. "bow-Only" deer hunting in the 4 southern counties has produced a healthy trophy class deer herd that is one of the best in the country and probably the best that is mostly open to public access and within reasonable drive for many who live in the east. Allowing gun hunting would destroy - in just a year - what we have been working at building for over a generation. I expect this from gun hunters though - this is just another example of how the big tent fails us. Pay attention! - if these situations are true I urge all NRA members to quit now. Then through wv state organizations try to prevent the gun hunters from stealing our resource. Poaching is already to high - a legal gun season will destroy the deer herd in these 4 counties - and non resident bowhunters and the money they spend will disappear quickly.
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[Stringwacker]

I've been a NRA member for over 30 years. The above article is hard to read and continue the support that I have always given them. I'll have to think about this for a while.

[Steve in Canton]

I am a proud life member of the NRA and will always be.  I might not always agree with some of their stands but because I might not agree with them on something does not mean that they have not done a tremendous job in protecting our 2nd amendment rights.  We need to look at the big picture and not focus on the small issues.

[OH Longbow]

It seems the NRA is taking some heat for their actions.  While I don't think they are perfect, we do have to remember they are the National RIFLE Association.  They promote gun ownership and things that positively affect gun ownership.  I can see their point in supporting crossbows.  This involves more people out in the woods hunting and hunting is a primary use for firearms.  I can also see why they are trying to open more areas in West Virginia to gun hunting.  Once again, I would think this is an effort to get more people engaged in gun related activities.  I think that for the most part, they support a lot of things that benefit bowhunters but, we have to remember their primary mission is to protect the private ownership of guns.  

On a side note, I don't see why we as bowhunters should be in opposition to people who use crossbows.  I for one, don't use a crossbow but, I do know people who do.  An older relative of mine recently went to a crossbow because he loves to deer hunt and wanted to expand the number of days he could hunt.  He doesn't have the ability to draw a longbow or compound bow.  I think we should be encouraging people to get out and hunt regardless of the method they use.
 
Rather than try to prevent someone from getting something extra (for example the right to use crossbows), I think we should embrace their efforts because it only strengthens us as a hunting community....just some thoughts.

J

[Tom D]

I've been an NRA member for 40 years. I don't agree with everything they do and this is one of those things. I will be contacting them to let them know my opinion about this subject and hopefully if enough bowhunters contact them they may re-visit their stance?
 We have to let them know our stance on the subject and how strongly we feel about the crossbow in Archery Seasons.

TomD

[Tom D]

I've sent my concerns to NRA via the link on that page. I will wait for their reply as I notify our members of the threat to bowhunting so they too can contact them.

TomD

[ChuckC]

John   we are not against crossbows.  we need to make that clear.  

We are against crossbows in archery seasons or archery areas.  

Also... I for one am not in favor of getting the whole world out there bow hunting, especially if you have to bastardize the entire premise of what hunting with a bow and arrow is in order to obtain those results.   In many, maybe most areas we are too crowded as it is and there is already a high demand for coveted tags and entry rights.

Not everybody drives a red car, not everybody is a physician or a rocket scientist, or anything else for that matter....  why is there a need to make everybody a bow hunter.
ChuckC

[T. Downing]

[Stringwacker]

I wrote a reply as well. They really shouldn't have a dog in this hunt. It's a bowhunting issue that needs to be decided state by state as those hunters wish. It's hardly a second amendment issue.

The NRA has a position that basically says that they support 'opening up' seasons where biologically it can be done. In a sense, it's a backstab to bowhunting. Bow seasons have just the same right as any other season to exist if there is desire by license paying sportsmen to have them; biologically withstanding or not.

Hand held and hand drawn archery seasons offers 100% opportunity to EVERY sportsmen in each state for the mere cost of a hunting license. The fact that some decide not to participate is an issue of choice; yet that choice shouldn't in anyway lessen those who decide to participate in what many of us consider a quality format. The choice to participate and the choice to participate with your favorite weapon are totally seperate issues not related to each other.

[wvtradbow]

I'm with you sswv,however I'm a little torn,I've been a member for 20+ yrs in both the NRA & WVBA and I think the NRA is going to play a very important role in the next few years in DC,most of our elected officials now seem to be just a little left of Karl Marx,and I'm really worried about the future, not just guns but hunting in general.

[owlbait]

I wonder how much more eloquent our positions and beliefs would seem if we didn't position them as left or right of center? Would we be more prone to discuss matters civilly if emotion provoking members of history were not added to discussions? Thats the great thing about Tradgang. Only so much is allowed before we are told to go back to our corners and play nice. Those reminders have helped me be more responsible about stating my position.

[Brian Krebs]

what group is about and for us as traditional bowhunters in a vocal and motivational way politically- as the NRA is for guns ( and crossbows)??