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Bowhunters, one and all
Wild game, look out.
A bill that would open Texas’ archery hunting season to all hunters using crossbows for the first time was passed in final version by the state Senate this afternoon — a move that some say could put many more hunters in the field.
Previously, only disabled hunters could use crossbows during archery season.
But State Sen. Chris Harris, R-Fort Worth, the Senate sponsor of House Bill 968, said opening up the archery season to all crossbow hunters would increase sales of state hunting licenses.
“By some. How much I don’t know,” he said.
Harris said several states such as Maryland and Ohio allow hunting with a crossbow during archery season without any negative effects. In those states, the overall number of hunters during archery season has increased.
In years past, Harris said, the use of crossbows has not been allowed during archery season.
They look like guns, both because of the stock and way they are shot. But the crossbow delivers an arrow with the same type of drop as a long bow, according to an official analysis of the bill.
While guns can be fired from 400 yards to drop game, a crossbow must be shot from a much closer distance of 50-100 yards, supporters of the measure said.
The measure that the Senate unanimously approved was the same as the House earlier approved. It now goes to the governor to possibly be signed into law.
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By John
May 15, 2009 12:32 PM | Link to this
“But the crossbow delivers an arrow with the same type of drop as a long bow, according to an official analysis of the bill.” Who convinced these guys that a 300+ft/sec arrow drops as much as a 150 ft/sec longbow shaft? They ARE correct that the “hottest” compounds can get velocities close to that of the average crossbow, but why is there no mention of the necessity of DRAWING a conventional bow in the presence of a wary game animal vs slowly moving an already basicly aimed crossbow and pulling the trigger? Crossbow hunting is much more akin to hunting with a silenced shotgun than it is to having to wait for an animal to get within 25 to 50 yards and then WAVING to it before letting fly.
By oldman
May 12, 2009 8:30 AM | Link to this
One more step toward making firearms illegal.