Crossbow season approved for this fall Richmond
July 21st, 2005 by Administrator
Crossbow season approved for this fall - If you are a bow hunter or would like to be, there’s been some activity in Richmond this summer that should interest you.
On June 23, at a meeting of the board of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), it was agreed to approve the use of crossbows for this upcoming fall hunting season. This decision was only reached after significant discussion and public hearings around the state. You might remember, I wrote about the movement to allow crossbow hunting back in March.
Even if you are not a bow hunter, the passage of a new hunting season is notable these days. Until this new season, only those with certified disabilities were allowed to use crossbows.
Yes, there were some dissenters, most notably bow-hunting organizations and individuals who opposed the notion of crossbow hunters in the woods at the same time as traditional archers, but comment on the new regulation was overwhelmingly positive.
When it came time for the board members to vote, the final tally was 5-1 in favor. The lone dissenter was Richard E. Raily Jr.
The new season will go into effect immediately. Opening day is Oct. 1 statewide. If you want to use a crossbow, you will have to purchase the new license. The fee is $12 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. There is a 50-cent fee also for the licensing agent. You can buy your license starting in early August from stores or you can go online now.
Those that used a crossbow prior to this new season with doctor’s certification will no longer need this paperwork. Remember, if you plan on using your conventional bow, too, during archery season, you will also need a separate archery license. If you plan on using a crossbow during general gun season, you do not need the crossbow license — just the gun-season license. You can also legally put a scope on your crossbow.
Finally, in regards to all these license requirements, if you plan on hunting bear, deer or turkey during the season, you must purchase a big-game license.
OK, so it might take a little getting used to seeing crossbows hanging on truck gun racks, but in the end, the new crossbow season should bring more hunters to the sport, generate more funds for the VDGIF and, therefore, allow them to better administer to our natural resources, right?
I’m not going to take a side on this issue, although some of you might want me to. I have bow hunted, and I probably will try a new Parker crossbow out this fall. After all, Parker is a Virginia-based, leading manufacturer of archery equipment.
Johnny Grace, Parker’s vice president of sales, was a strong backer of the new season.
“We’ve very excited about it and stand behind the VDGIF 100 percent,” he said. “We all just want to get more hunters the opportunity to try the sport.”
Back in March, Grace explained to me that a number of other states in the region have instituted crossbow seasons, all with good results for the sport of archery. Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Georgia have done so in the past two years. Arkansas and Ohio have had crossbow seasons for 20 years.
“It’s something new and exciting. Crossbows and archery season intrigue people. People who like gun hunting feel a little more confident they can be successful in archery season with a crossbow,” Grace said.
Now, before some of you start getting your hackles up about a weapon that replaces rifles and muzzleloaders and allows archers to harvest too many deer too early in the season, let’s set the record straight. Hunters will not be able to pick off deer at 60 yards using a crossbow.
This argument comes from people that have never shot a crossbow.
Crossbows still fire arrows that are governed by the same principles as arrows fired by a vertical bow.
A 21st century crossbow, while a far cry from medieval versions, is still nothing more than a bow held sideways. Air speed, trajectory and penetration are all identical to that found in a compound bow.
“A crossbow is a close range, single-shot hunting tool,” Grace said. “I can take the average person off the street and have them hitting a bull’s-eye at 10-15 yards within 15 minutes with a crossbow. It is easier to shoot than a bow, yes, but it is not a cross-gun.”
Until next time, remember to cherish, protect and conserve the outdoors, while sharing it with others
C.C MCCOTTER
Virginia Afield