But as long as they brought it up, why not go a step further and have one all-weapons season as Sawtooth and others here have suggested? It could start in mid-Sept and end when tele-check registration numbers, by unit/county, hit pre-determined thresholds or end in early Jan -- whichever comes first. Obviously, all the arguments that the crossbow lobby has used in Wisconsin and other states would apply, so some of this may sound familiar:
"There's no biological reason not to."
"It would remove 'barriers' that prevent people from hunting."
"It would allow more people to take advantage of / use the resource."
"Who are you to say that physically limited people, kids, women, older hunters and less-inclined-to-get-off-their- a** hunters should be limited to a crossbow?"
"It will have minimal impact on the overall deer kill but will provide more opportunity.”
“Hunting with a gun isn’t necessarily easier than hunting with a crossbow.”
“A modern hunting rifle requires the same aiming, trigger squeezing and follow-thru skills that a crossbow does.”
“Guns have been around for a long time.”
“The Wenzels do deer drives with archery equipment; crossbow hunters like to drive deer; and native Americans used to light the woods on fire to drive deer over cliffs and then finish them off with clubs at the bottom. So what?”
"Anyone who doesn’t like this idea is against kids, women, and old guys.”
“Anyone who doesn’t like this idea is just selfish.”
I’m sure I’ve missed a few. Maybe some of the crossbow enthusiasts that like to spend a lot of time on the bowsite could chip in a few more.
BUT an all-weapons season would have some ADDITIONAL and REAL BENEFITS that the current crossbow limitation does NOT:
> It would put money back in the pockets of hardworking Wisconsin families. Anyone who wants to could still buy a crossbow and the stuff that goes with it. But if little Johnny wants to shoot a buck in mid-September from the box blind in grandpa’s bean field using the 300 Win Mag his mom and dad bought for him… so be it. Who are you to deny Johnny what he wants? And who are you to say that his parents have to shell out more $$$ for a crossbow setup?
> And hunters would only have to buy one deer license instead of the two? three? or whatever number the DNR now has some people buying. That means even more money back in the pockets of Wisconsin taxpayers.
> It would truly simplify deer hunting regulations.
> Yes, everyone would have to wear orange all fall. But to suggest that someone should be excluded from deer hunting in early season? Just so you don’t have to wear orange? “Well, that’s just selfish…”
I suppose the crossbow lobby and DNR responses to the idea of an all-weapons season would be something like:
* “Well that’s just crazy”
* “Biologically, we have to protect the deer herd during the rut ... it's a precious resource…" (Not hard to imagine the crossbow lobby or DNR talking out of both ends.)
* "We want to protect our rich Wisconsin hunting traditions" (Again, both ends – I wouldn’t be surprised though.)
* "We don't feel that Wisconsin is ready for that."
But I think that their real, behind-closed-doors response would be:
“Well, if we did THAT, the chumps- er, I mean, ‘Wisconsin hunters’ would not buy as many crossbows, accessories or licenses! Nope, can’t have that.”
So, I guess I'm only half-kidding with all this. At least it would mess with the profit plan (which might've gone over better with a lot of hunters if they were at least a little more up-front and a little less insulting about it.) And who knows, maybe it would spread out hunting pressure more than the current plan(?)
My health, my family's health, my job, and supporting my family means way more to me than this ebola virus in the form of a crossbow. I know some people need drama in their world, but man, that must really suck, and I'm sorry your world is upside down, because your archery season will never be the same.
Mine hasn't changed. Well changed any more than it already has in my 30-some years of hunting. All along it has changed. Some I favor, some I do not, but it is what it is. Lemons or lemon-aid?
There is a fair sized push by some to go to a one buck per hunter structure. The only way to do that is to go to a single season license, good from this date to that date and the cost would be about $45 (about the same revenue as all sold deer licenses in our current structure). The DNR wouldn't want to lose the revenue from selling 2 different deer license if we were to go to a one buck structure. You could try to make certain time periods weapon specific, but the gun only crowd will start to scream pretty loud if they have to spend the same amount of money to hunt certain days when the archery/crossbowers can hunt the entire season for the same price. Who would buy a gun license if you shot a buck with your bow and you are in a buck only unit??
Those that are pushing for a one buck structure to increase the age structure of bucks(to make it easier for them to shoot a mature buck with big antlers is actually the real reason) need to take a step back on what that could really end up doing to archery season. It will be gone as we know/knew it.
Sometimes you need to leave well-enough alone because there really isn't a better option out there.
Crossbows, and my approval/disapproval of their use does not even factor into my answer.
