Crossgun? Please.

By Bob Peck for Whitetail Times

Do any of you archery brothers and sisters still use the derogatory term “crossgun” to describe someone who hunts with a crossbow? Tisk, tisk. It was as wrong back in the day as it is today. It’s also beyond ironic to know many historians and archeologists believe that the Chinese made the first crossbows before the 6th century BCE, and it is has been proven empirically that Chinese battalions used them during the Warring States period in the 4th century BCE. The Warring States Period (481/403 BCE – 221 BCE) describes the three centuries when various rival Chinese states battled viciously for territorial advantage and dominance. Why then did this initial entrance into the American field of archery become such a struggle for acceptance? Let’s get real, a dead deer is a dead deer, which I’m certain didn’t care what weapon killed him/her.

Here is some perspective which I’m confident created the sneer “crossgun”:

History Repeats Itself

From medieval times to today, crossbows have provoked snobbery from many traditional archers. Back in medieval times, as it is today, a vertical bow was a specialized weapon that required tons of practice and effort to become proficient. Bowmen then were often considered an elite class. They were distinctly different from and superior to the common foot soldiers. These elites (bowmen) held title to land and all the game that lived upon it for their pleasurable pursuits.

Whoopsie! Along comes a refinement of an ancient Chinese weapon called the crossbow. Suddenly, the common foot soldier had a weapon that took less time to become proficient and an army could increase its lethality exponentially. This was clearly a tremendous military advancement, but an affront to the aristocracy and the elite classes, mostly because it leveled the playing field, literally making all men equal.

See any similarities to crossbows entering our archery seasons?

What’s the difference when the question should be “who cares?” We can argue ad infinitum that the crossbow is not archery tackle, but get over yourself, it is.  Trust me on this one—I’ve lectured and presented on these facts for almost 20 years. Besides, think about changing your perspective to “If it’s legal, I can agree to share.”

Same:

1. String, cables, and wheels attached to limbs that are attached to a riser.
2. A string is pulled back, converting mechanical energy into potential energy stored in the limbs.
3. Load an arrow, then release that string with a trigger (or trigger release) to convert stored energy in the limbs into kinetic energy in the arrow.
4. In order to get an ethical shot on a deer, you have to have the woodsmanship skills to be where the deer are.

Different:

1. One is fired horizontally while the other is fired vertically.
2. One could use a cranking device to make it easier to come to full draw, the other uses muscle power, which weakens with age.
3. One can sever your fingertips off while the other can create a nasty forearm bruise with bad form.
4. Since the woods are geometrically vertical, a vertical bow is ideal for concealing movement. A horizontal bow draws attention in a vertical world and is harder to swing on target without being detected.
5. Crossbows aren’t a new phenomenon in the American archery “scene.”

Think what Fred Bear did to create an archery industry in 1933 and replace that name 29 years later in 1962 with an Englishman by the name of Bernard Barnett. Yes indeed. That Barnett! Like Bear, Barnett pursued a hobby working with crossbows from his garage in the United Kingdom. As with Bear, Barnett began filling orders for his acquaintances who were impressed by his handiwork, and the business was born.

Enough history … let’s just agree that crossbows are really, really old, employed really crude designs back in the ancient days, and began life as a strategic weapon of war. So why has it been such a struggle to gain acceptance today as an archery tool? It is my opinion that several ancient and modern beliefs collided once there was even a mention that someday crossbows would be legal to hunt with. I used to hear something to the effect “Oh great! Now every unskilled Tom, Dick, and Harry will be stomping around my woods,” or worse, “The crossgun is cheating and takes no skill.”

My woods, my deer? How about our woods, our deer—unless of course you own the land, then it should be, “my woods, our deer.”

In the U.S., when crossbows first showed up in the retail market and as states attempted to legalize this weapon, a few important decisions had to be made:

• Do we incorporate the crossbow into the vertical bow archery season?
• Do we create a separate season for crossbows only?
• Does everyone who wants to hunt with a crossbow also automatically get an archery license or do we restrict crossbows to disabled persons and make them prove it?
• How should we define what equipment is legal and what is not?

When you look at all 50 states, crossbows have full inclusion in gun seasons in 26 states now, and are legal during archery and firearms seasons, in some way, in 23 other states. But still there are holdouts like Oregon where hunting with a crossbow is still illegal.

Number of states that allow crossbows during:

• 27: archery deer season
• 13: archery season with major restrictions
• 7: only in firearms season exclusively.

I’m certain that this anti-crossbow attitude began to turn favorable when it was clear nationwide that declining hunter participation and recruitment numbers meant declining conservation revenue. In other words, as gun and bowhunters aged out of our sports and declining numbers of newly recruited hunters showed an ominous downward trend that continues to this day, money got tight and something had to be done to reverse this trend.

The crossbow was the perfect solution at the time but certainly no silver bullet.

The marketing pitch to the archery community and indeed the whole hunting community was a good fit. We still hear this pitch today: “Lengthen your season and your options. If you can’t take the time to practice with a vertical bow, why not become proficient practicing with a crossbow?”

“If you’re getting older but still have some years left in your bowhunting career, but your upper body strength has made coming to a full draw impossible, consider a crossbow with an electric or manual cocking mechanism.”

“Once you’ve filled your freezer, why not consider using a crossbow to increase the level of venison donation in your state?”

What has been the impact and acceptance to date? An excellent barometer has been Michigan.  They were the first to allow crossbows during archery season for hunters 50 years of age and older in 2009. A free crossbow stamp was required, and that year 19 percent of Michigan›s archers used crossbows. The next year in 2010 the age restriction and stamp requirement were eliminated. The percentage using crossbows had increased to 37 percent, or just over 118,573. In 2015 the percentage increased to over 55 percent, or roughly 150,000. As I said earlier don’t get your knickers in a twist over any form of hunting. If it’s legal, we can agree to share.

To put a fine point on “crossbows are here to stay,” the Archery Trade Association (ATA) conducted a nationwide survey that showed some 18.2 million Americans participated in archery or bowhunting. Of that number, 5.5 million, or 29 percent, used crossbows, according to the data released years ago. The horse has left the barn, and we cannot put the genie back in the bottle.

I’ll use a crossbow in any legal season if:

• There is a tight shooting lane and congested understory. This is not to punch through vegetation (that’s dumb with any weapon) but rather to set my crossbow up in a jig that holds the shooting position for me while I quietly and with little motion move my body into the weapon.
• There is light misty rain or fog. A crossbow at less than 20 yards will knock them off their feet and provide a much better blood trail.
• If the shot is 40 yards or less. Beyond 40, the downrange kinetic energy drops like a rock, increasing the chances you’ll wound the animal.
• Whatever the specific legal season allows or when mood strikes me. The same holds true for vertical bow, muzzleloader, pistol, or rifle.

It’s situational, but I will not use a crossbow during an active rifle season when the herd is all wound up

Get yourself mentally and physically prepared for deer season and for God’s sake, wear a harness!

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Bob Peck, a staff writer for Whitetail Times, lives in Troy, Virginia with his wife and their three children. Bob has been an accomplished bowhunter for over 45 years and is an acknowledged expert in teaching survival skills.

©Virginia Deer Hunters Association. For attribution information and reprint rights, contact Denny Quaiff, Executive Director, VDHA.

• August 30, 2024