You are confused and contradicting yourself. You wrote initially that you didn't care for crossbows, but are now considering one for use in archery season. You revised yourself in this next post by substituting compound bows. Are compounds and crossbows interchangeable?

Nowhere did I say a crossbow was unethical. I didn't even hint at it. In fact, I favor their use in the primitive weapons season.

As for my motive in posting here for the first time? I felt obligated to respond to your opinions, and joining the forum was the only way I could do that. That was a mistake on my part because I see that you have the ability to change your opinions as we go, and to read into my post as you wish. In short, if anything goes, we're going nowhere.

As for your 20 years of experience? And your other qualifications (map-reading skills, etc.)? If those are impressive credentials, then how would you regard my 55 years of hunting with the bow and arrow? I've been at this sport since my first 40# lemonwood recurve, at age 13. It is a sport, after all, and I don't need Webster to tell me that sport means the voluntary imposition of limitations, and that tearing at those limitations, especially by sanctioning their removal by law, means tearing at the nature of sport.

If 55 years has not made me smart enough to resist responding to posts like yours, why would your 20 years impress me?

SmMouth Seeker, I don't argue with anyone anonymously. I must have messed up filling out account information during registration because I see that my Profile shortened my email and left the field for my user name blank. In order to revise it, I have to reregister. I'd rather provide it here, fwiw, and go back to lurking, gleaning the site for steelhead info.

Also, SmMouth Seeker, I see where you may have gotten confused on at least one point, but I assure you, "antithetical" and "unethical" are not synonyms.

Best regards,

Dean Torges
dtorges@bowyersedge.com
www.bowyersedge.com

got a vote from me to end rifle season in PA... go to shotguns and archery

ORIGINAL: SmMouth Seeker

got a vote from me to end rifle season in PA... go to shotguns and archery

I second that.

 
Sounds good.
 
You guys going to split buying the rifles that 70% (actually higher percentage because some archery hunters also hunt with a rifle) of PA deer hunters use that are now obsolete?
 
You can start by writing me a check for about $15K.  I'll even deliver.

I'd vote for it, if you replace shotguns with flintlocks.

I don't want to sound self rightous cause I hunt with a recurve its my choice but it bothered my yesterday at Gander Mountain seeing the rush for x-bows and related gear, guess its cause the law was just finalized but even if their easier to master ,think you need time to become familar with your equipment, really hope they don't get it in their heads to change the late flintlock season to include inlines, something neat about that time of year  the snow and hemlocks and carrying that sidelock. Think the x-bows are here to stay but wish they'd consider a somewhat shorter season for them if there is a spike in the kill, as long as they let the regular compound and stickbow users have the traditional length season, like I said earlier just hope everyone takes ethical shots we owe that to the animal.

ORIGINAL: Claypool313

The reason I said I'm considering buying one is for practical reasons. I live in an area with not much room to shoot my bow and the archery range is to far of a drive so a crossbow would be the best way to go for me.

SmMouth Seeker, how would you be able to shot a crossbow where you can't shoot a real bow?  Or am I missing something.

Just curious.  I also live in a neighborhood where I can't shoot my bow.

I've never played around with them very much before. I'm thinking all you have to do is sight it in like a gun and it's ready to go. Not like using my compound bow were I have to condition my back muscles to become more proficent at shooting. As for shooting in my neighborhood, my neighbors are great, they don't mind me shooting. But I've had neighbors call the police on me for shooting close to their homes.

SmMouth Seeker, how would you be able to shot a crossbow where you can't shoot a real bow? Or am I missing something.

Claypool313,
I didn't answer your question. There's no way I'd shoot it in my backyard. It's way to powerful, it'll shoot through my garage. I'd take it to an open area or a shooting range. I'd also buy a target designed for crossbow shooting.
I laughed when I read your story about your dad. I did that too.

I always wondered why if it's not legal to use,how come walmart sells it?

ORIGINAL: Claypool313

really hope they don't get it in their heads to change the late flintlock season to include inlines

Get ready cause it's coming.  Maybe not this year but in less than 3.  Save this post. 

 
I don't think the late flint is going to change any time soon.  I hear more about the possible expansion of the early muzzleloader season.  Look for a push to have it include antlered deer and possibly being moved to the week after archery closes.  With that being said there has been some discussion about moving the early junior/senior antlerless rifle to the same week. 

the first hindend that starts sneaking around in my hunting area with his crossgun will be sorry. Archery is about the enjoyment of hunting deer that are less spooky than during rifle season, being in the woods with low hunting pressure and primarily stationary hunters. Crossgunners planning on the stealth stalk in the 16101 & 16105 zipcodes beware!

Claypool13, You are a little late with your prediction, Pa. already allows baiting in some areas.See page 17 in this years digest. I already have guys crying to me about how it is not fair to them that they are not allowed to bait also. sam

I stand corrected.  I was totally unaware of that one.  Apparently the 100,000 doe tags they issue there just ain't gettin it done alone.  So, let me re-phrase.  In 5-6 yrs baiting will be allowed everywhere in the state to some degree.  Not much of a prediction now though.

I would be sort of OK with BOC proposing a one week flintlock antlered season in mid-Oct.  Anything beyond that is getting out of control.  Those sort of regs may work in the west with their lower hunter densities.  Get ready for madness if there's ever an early in-line antlered season in PA, yikes.

I dunno, is it just me?  How long until PA deer season is going to just be a free-for-all between velvet off and antler drops?  You got ammo for it?  Bring in on over and shoot a deer.  Get'em before they're all gone.  Tell your friends.

I don't plan on sharing with anyone except vertical bow hunters.

The ones I've seen in Ohio just setup with a good rest for their crossgun overlooking a pile of corn and wait for whatever shows up. I doubt it will be much different here.