20 years ago I would have been all for a ban of crossbows but now I have first hand experience with not only shooting one at the range but using it in the backcountry. When one side is using emotion and the other side is using experience it's not a debate, it's a beating a dead horse argument and for that reason I am going to bow out of this conversation while it's still my choice and not the moderator's.
So before you leave let me ask where you live. I live in South Dakota, and am definitely am on the side of believing they offer significant advantage. Are you on the Eastern side of the state?
Volunteer random data is really suspect. Especially when it comes to archery seasons. It took me five minutes to find massive unexplained deviations in SD data recently.
Was this a trick to get me back?
A quick check for Utah shows for 2015(the most current year in report) elk archery success as follows:
For the past five years or so, I have hunted with a crossbow during a general elk archery season (no tag limits). I have not hunted during rifle season even in years that I did not get an elk during archery, but that was my choice. I would be against an "either or" season. I would also be against a separate season for crossbows. They are archery equipment, and should be allowed during archery season which where I hunt is a full month!
JM77...I think the Game and Fish Department should hire you! You have provided more data in the past few hours than the Game and Fish Department did in their White Paper that calls for banning crossbows.
I'm simply raising a question, not even trying trying to prove any point with this post. You don't need to be an ass
No, you are trying to prove a point without bringing any facts to back up your claim, re-read your post.
My only claim in the last post is that archery hunters are getting better at killing. Would anyone argue that? I mean anyone besides you.
With the claim you made in your first post, trying to tie deer density and over-all population with success rates proving that archery hunters are getting better at killing?
Consider yourself invited and welcome to as long as you do more than just shoot it at the range before making an opinion.No. This was a trick to try to get somebody let me shoot their Ravin.
To answer your question about harvest surveys, I can't speak about Utah, but those in the Wyo G&F have explained in detail, not only to me, but to the whole mule deer initiative group I am a member of, the process of hunters surveys. They stress that accuracy is extremely important and feel they are within 95%. I haven't seen any evidence, over many years, that their explanation is anything but true.
