Yeah, I'm with the majority here. I have a decked out Hoyt powerhouse and the deer have had the upper hand more times than not. I rarely gun hunt so I'm using my bow quite a bit and to me when it comes the bow hunting, it's less about the equipment and more about patience and skill. Regardless of whether it's a cross bow, compound or traditional archery, you've got to get close to the deer and that is a challenge to itself. I'm also with bossbowman, I don't see where there would really be a heightened advantage in the first place.

(Not trying to reason with the unreasonable from the first post, just jumping in with the chatter.)

Hunt hard everyone!

Archery equipment should be defined as implements that are held by hand, drawn by hand and released by the motion of the hand in the presence of game. If you are shooting a crossbow, you are not drawing the string in the presence of game. That alone gives crossbow shooters an unfair advantage. It is not bowhunting. Bowhunting shouldn’t be simple or easy. Most bowhunters understand it is inherently more difficult than other types of hunting, and they intentionally select that path. Because it is difficult, and because success is elusive, when it happens the reward is much greater.Crossbows don’t simply force questions about redistribution of opportunity; they also raise questions about whether technologically advanced hunting tools belong in seasons originally reserved for hunters with primitive weapons. Modern compound bows have already raised the stakes. Crossbows simply push the envelope a little further. So what comes next?

Archery equipment should be defined as implements that are held by hand, drawn by hand and released by the motion of the hand in the presence of game. If you are shooting a crossbow, you are not drawing the string in the presence of game. That alone gives crossbow shooters an unfair advantage. It is not bowhunting. Bowhunting shouldn’t be simple or easy. Most bowhunters understand it is inherently more difficult than other types of hunting, and they intentionally select that path. Because it is difficult, and because success is elusive, when it happens the reward is much greater.Crossbows don’t simply force questions about redistribution of opportunity; they also raise questions about whether technologically advanced hunting tools belong in seasons originally reserved for hunters with primitive weapons. Modern compound bows have already raised the stakes. Crossbows simply push the envelope a little further. So what comes next?

Archery equipment should be defined as implements that are held by hand, drawn by hand and released by the motion of the hand in the presence of game. If you are shooting a crossbow, you are not drawing the string in the presence of game. That alone gives crossbow shooters an unfair advantage. It is not bowhunting. Bowhunting shouldn’t be simple or easy. Most bowhunters understand it is inherently more difficult than other types of hunting, and they intentionally select that path. Because it is difficult, and because success is elusive, when it happens the reward is much greater.Crossbows don’t simply force questions about redistribution of opportunity; they also raise questions about whether technologically advanced hunting tools belong in seasons originally reserved for hunters with primitive weapons. Modern compound bows have already raised the stakes. Crossbows simply push the envelope a little further. So what comes next?

If you try to reload the crossbow after missing the deer, your cover (i.e. position) is blown because the deer will hear the cocking of the crossbow. It is easier for the compound bowhunter to reload another arrow without alerting a deer than it is for the crossbow hunter.

Who cares? Why do we have to act like we're better than others? We are all hunters. We all partake in conservation and game management efforts. We all enjoy the outdoors and nature and the act of hunting. Who cares if you use a xbow, compound, rifle, slingshot, spear, rock, etc. Come on guys, act as a hunting community. Some may start with a xbow and then transition to a compound.

It's a lot easier to group a crossbow than compound.

so you plan on changing the definition of archery equipment?

I have a hard time picking a topic within your thread to argue with because of the simple fact that crossbows and bows are two different things, but they fall under archery category because they are not a firearm. The season is "archery season" not bow season.