




Yup, them crossbows has ruined the deer hunting - but they sure have helped freezer sales.

Especially since the deer herd is expanding so fast they have to try to figure out ways to get hunters to kill more deer. If you stop & think about it, it's really pretty amazing that the anti-crossbow (anti-hunting) crowd can claim the crossbow is bad for hunting. When Ohio included the crossbow in archery season the deer numbers were still low. If I remember right (and my memory isn't great after all these years) the limit back then was one deer - buck only! Now the hunters can't kill enough to keep populations in check, even with the help of crossbows as part of allowable archery equipment! And as for the crossbow hunters killing off all the good bucks, well just take a few minutes to look at the statistics for recent years. New entries into the record books at an unbelievable rate! In 2000, the "Beatty buck" scored 304 6/8 non-typical - in 2004 the Jerman buck" scored 201 1/8 typical, and this past fall the crossbow killed "Amish buck" by Jonatan Schmucker here in Adams county scored 291 2/8 non-typical.
Just how has crossbows hurt hunting? By getting more hunters out there making use of natural renewable resources? By getting young hunters involved, or allowing aging hunters to be able to continue to enjoy a sport they love? By including physically challenged hunters among the ranks to enjoy the harvest?
I don't think so!
But I do think too many narrow minded clowns screaming out in loud protest whenever new hunting equipment enters the scene (crossbows and inline muzzleloaders come to mind as good examples) are really in the dark! And I think IN THE DARK pretty well sums up their views and opinions, because they must have their heads so far up in that well known cavern where the sun don't shine that they not only can't see - they can't hear to listen to facts or reason!
OH! And as far as "y'all" ruining hunting, I'm sure glad I can be included among your ranks! I love hunting, and my crossbow gives me a good opportunity to continue to hunt deer here in my home state of Ohio as my aging body gradually becomes more reluctant to withstand the physical rigors of shooting a longbow of sufficient draw weight to cleanly harvest deer.