Not that many years ago the traditional bow hunters were saying the same crap about you compound bow hunters. I guess we should have a traditional bow, compound bow and a crossbow section. The anti-hunters would LOVE for us to further fracture our group and argue among ourselves. Just be glad we have attracted more people to the sport of hunting and the great ourdoors. Save your WHINNING for the some LIBERAL forum!

That's a fact Gunslinger922! I love it how the "bow" hunters think that they are the "chosen" ones!

T

I made a bow out of pvc and pantyhose... I kill everything I see.

Glad I started using an atlatl. I'd hate to be involved in such contentious debate as this.

I agree with passthru. Its not that us "bow hunters" think crossbows are bad. I just don't agree that they should be included in archery season. Kinda wonder why the Draw-loc system is against the law and crossbows are legal. Probly had a stronger lobby down in Austin. ETXbuckman your the man if you hunt with a atlatl!!!!!!!!

Draw Locs have been legal in Texas about 10 years now..

I read it wrong I guess. Did't think you could have a mechanical device that keeps a bow in the draw position. I stand corrected! Thanks1

Interesting thread, after seeing the varried phillosophies on the subject I have come to my own conclusion.

Unless you drop on his back with one of Primitive Hunters flint daggers in your teeth, you aint shiz.lol

deer killa loves to stoke the fire . I know ...go t

If these discussions keep up and the anti hunters were of a mind set they could possibly get TP&W to change the rules. I can see TP&W changing the rules to primitive bows only for bow season, nothing but long bows and recurves. Maybe have a "primitive weapon season" to take the place of bow season, where nothing but recurves, long bows and old style muzzleloaders could be used.

That's right Highlonesome1......unless Craigly o.k.'s the method in which you use to take your game (regardless of if it's legal and implemented by TP&W)....then your not shiz!!!!!!

Which is intersting because he doesn't even know what's legal and what's not apparently!

Hey DeerFondler I mean Killa I admitted to my mistake. I don't care what you use. Just glad there are no Smart A's like you in the groups I hunt with. Hope you kill a big one!!! Craig

I'm tired of all the name calling and fussing on here. Lets clean it up and stop stupping to lower levels. If someone has issues and wants to really jump down someones throat PM them! Good hunting EVERYONE!!! Craig

Its not been that long, I think it was more like 5 or 6 years ago when they "supposedly" left out the verbage in the law that made them unlawful to use.

Congrats on your bow kill !

cuthand1 what would you clasify a crossbow in your opinion and im not trying to start a argument, just curios. Its either archery equipment or gun, cause thats all the catagorys we have in the book and if was classified some thing else and had its own season were would you put it, before bow or after gun and again just want a opinion.

Good question Hoytman! My back ground on hunting; traditionalist in archery and muzzleloading. Yes I have modern rifles but chose not to hunt deer with them. Just my preferance. I like the challenge my skills with traditional bow. That being said looking at it through my eyes there should be certain limitations on weapons. Now this is my opinion o.k. When I think of a bow I think of a hand held weapon that has stored energy that is produced from me pulling back a string that is in my control. Yes crossbows does have a bow that stores energy with a bolt in front of it. That is where the similarities end. Here is where it gets cloudy to me in my eyes. The bow is mounted on a RIFLE stock with a apperatice keeping the bow at full draw for hours. There is a safty on the crossbow similiar to a rifle There is a scope on most crossbows with magnified optics that you cannot have even on a compound! The crossbow is fired from the shoulder like a rifle. To me it just seems like it has more personality of a rifle it just shoots a bolt. My opinion is it belongs in the rifle season. Like I said before there should be certain limitations on weapons used to hunt deer. I know this is a exageration but we wouldn't want to see hunters in rifle season with a fully auto and a 30 round clip if they had the licenses to own one. Hoytman thanks for the civil question. Not saying its right or wrong but now you know where I come from. Lets here your version. Craig

Congratulations on the kill. I bow hunt and gun hunt, and have been contemplating a cross bow. It sounds like you're having fun with it and it makes me want to try one.

You brought up some interesting points. From history of bows and crossbows, the longbow and recurve date before the crossbow, the crossbow showed up in 200 BC. The compound bow showed up the 20th century, over 2000 years after the crossbow. Since the bow season was created for traditional hunters let's add in the muzzleloaders. First was the flintlocks, then the caplocks both of which predated the compound bow so they will also need a season. The inline muzzleloaders came after the compound bow.

Based on the above and to be fair to all of the traditionalist hunters, it appears we need a season for long and recurve bows, then one for crossbows, next the flintlock season, followed by a caplock muzzleloader season. Next would be the compound bow season. And finally a season for the inline muzzleloaders. That adds up to 6 seasons prior to gun season, divided into one month leaves 5 days for each season.

Another option could be combine the traditional and compound bows with the traditional blackpowder season. Leaving the inline and compound bows in a separate season, giving each category a 2 week season.

Craig i would classify the crossbow as a bow and to be used in archery season and i only hunt with a compound, not crossbow. Me personally if it doesnt have powder or a lead bullet its a bow. All i want is a month to not hear the guns going off even if it means hunting with the skeeters and the heat.

No need for this talk muzzleloaders already have a season all to themselves in late january, and anyone is welcome to use them at anytime during general season. Please tell me your not one of the individuals trying to get muzzleloaders legalized in october. There were some talking about this very issue at the parks and wildlife meeting in april when the crossbow issue was being hashed out.

I do not like the idea of crossbows in october, but if they ensured there would never be any propellant based weapons (firearms) included in archery season, I could see that as a positive. I just don't know if that is the case or not, legalizing early season crossbows could also be looked at as opening the door for other early season primitive arms, like muzzleloaders for example.

Dont want anything that goes BOOM during bow season! The gun hunters get a long enough season.

Just think of all the extra fees TPWD could charge if we had a air gun season and a rimfire season.

Or a wrist rocket season we could lump in with archery season along with spear season, and bowie knife season.

Yes there is a muzzleloader season, whoopee, 26 counties out 254 counties in the state.  I think it is time for the muzzzleloaders to get more involved in the politics of TP&W.  Maybe then we can have an early muzzleloader season and be able shoot something besides spikes and anterless culls.   Besides you can shoot your bow during the rifle season, so maybe the bow season should be eliminated and there only be a deer season with no special times for any special weapon.  Then no one would have any reason to complain because everyone is subjected to the same rules.