Let me first be clear that I am not condoning xbows.
A few years ago when I was looking into returning to trad archery I was looking around and doing research when I came upon a boyer (who shall remain nameless) who strictly made self bows and flat bows. His work was exquisite! However, in his comments section he mentioned that those whom use laminate bows were not using true trad gear and only fooling themselves if they thought so.
Shortly after joining the site I noticed a thread about a member making bone and flint heads for his self made bow and self made arrows. After several positive comments towards his craftsmanship (they looked awesome!) he made that statement that in his opinion using only bone or stone tips was the only true way to be a trad hunter and nobody called his bluff on it because he is entitled to his opinion.
In the early conservation days most rifle hunters were using old lever guns, single shots and a few bolt actions. Things like telescopic sights were considered unsporting at best and sacrilegious by many. PA still requires flintlock during the muzzle loader season. But if you trace the history of weapons, particularly firearms, used by hunters you will find they are a few years behind what most of the troops are carrying and used in combat. It happened with the single shot to the lever-action, then bolts guns and now black rifles.
Similarly, when wheel bows were first introduced there were cries from the archery world that the sky was falling, and in some ways it did. Many are not able to effectively shooting trad bows, either by lack of patience or practice time or simple can't get down the instinctive concepts. Others are not satisfied with what they view as iffy performance. Hence the invention of laminate bows and even the recurve. They want that extra 5, 10 or 20 yards range.
I'm not saying go out and buy you an x-bow, or that you must allow them on your lease. What I am saying is that as long as your against something because it's not "traditional", be certain you are also. There are trad hunters that believe the only pure form of trad archery is a flat or self bow shooting wood arrows with a natural broad head.
There are states clamoring to restrict or ban black rifles for hunting anything bigger than a coyote, some even at all.
We're forgetting something majorly important here: we are all hunters, it's a big tent with many styles and not everyone is into the same style. We're in a time now that we are not recruiting enough new hunters of any creed to the woods. If we begin fighting within ourselves we will lose more, and those that never get into the woods at all won't decide to pick up a bow, or maybe a handgun or a smoke pole. Personally, while I find my longbow the most rewarding I still I have no intention of selling any of my hunting rifles, black powder rifles or my wheel bow because they all have a time and place. I've played with a crossbow, it's not nearly as easy as it's made out to be. It still requires practice and patience. That said I also don't plan on buying one either!
I have family that refuse to use archery of any kind because they are afraid of a poor shot leading to an injured animal suffering needlessly. Does that make them wrong?
My point is we need more hunters and when we fight to stop hunting we do the anti's job for them: effectively stopping hunting.
Sorry for the rant.
Topic: Crossbow bill in Illinois (Read 5820 times)
