Has the Crossbow as a hunting tool made a deer population control conservation impact above and beyond the long bow, recurve and compound bows. The answer is a resounding yes, in many states that recognize it as a state of the art archery hunting tool. In fact, there are more deer taken in Ohio by crossbow than by other archery means. The crossbow is particularly useful in urban residential areas with high deer densities. This is because the crossbow like today’s compound bows make little noise and does not bother the neighbors.
QDMA’S RECOMMENDATIONS 2018 from page 16
https://www.qdma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Whitetail_Report_2018.pdf
NEW HAMPSHIRE IS NOW GREEN. CROSSBOWS ARE LEGAL as specified in new Regs.
“The QDMA is dedicated to ensuring
the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife
habitat and our hunting heritage. As such,
we are more interested in managing deer
and habitat appropriately and protecting
our hunting heritage than debating use of
specific weapons. If the use of crossbows
positively impacts a deer management program
and helps recruit and retain more
hunters, then we fully support it.”
I was a traditional recurve archer most of my young life till the compound bow came into vogue in the 1970’s but archery took a back seat when I had a shoulder issue in 2012 and could no longer get my bow to full draw. Note the Compound bow was seen as a usurper of traditional archery too. It was disappointing as all get-out to not be able to shoot my bow.
If I can shoot a rifle then I can shoot a crossbow. In addition, the same hunting guidelines and distances (40 yards in open terrain only) that apply to archery are the same for the crossbow.
The same similarity exists as the traditional muzzleloader of the revolutionary war began a muzzleloader season and is now supplanted nearly 100 % by in-line muzzle loaders with a 209 shotgun primers and used for hunting most big game on the planet like elk, moose and brown bear. The crossbow is no less the same.
New Hampshire is suffering loss of revenue in hunter volume and license sales. Think out of the Box!!
Further that David Risley is an avid deer hunter in Ohio along with over 140,000 buckeyes take to the woods with a Crossbow. Note that as of 2009 David Risley is Ohio’s Wildlife Management Chief. Ohio hunters and non resident hunters are keeping the financial coffers full with the embrace of the crossbow AND serving the conservation effort of whitetails and human/auto collisions alike.
I personally know of 5 female deer that live between houses in southern NH. Next year there will be 15 deer between houses. Who is going to harvest and consume this surplus deer that live among houses and where the deer aids as a tick borne vector which places humans and our children on the brink of an epidemic. Note that the Coyotes live with the deer too. Hey what happened to my pooch? He just disappeared or was pulled from a leash and eaten.
I give local seminars in Lyme Disease prevention. Most of us today have been or know someone that had a bullseye rash and associated flu symptoms later if not caught to manifest into brain dysfunction, paralysis and joint pain and death.
The state of New Hampshire does an otherwise great job in managing the central and northern herds but there are growing pockets of deer in Southern NH that could use the Crossbow especially in Rockingham County to keep the deer in check and provide added recreation in the archery season and meat for the freezer.
As QDMA states: “If the use of crossbows positively impacts a deer management program and helps to recruit and retain more hunters, then we fully support it. And I support it as a QDMA member.