Kansas Kills Crossbows for Archery Season

In Kansas, the state legislature's Senate committee voted 5-4 to table a bill that would have allowed crossbow hunting during archery season. Intended to aid in controlling the state's burgeoning deer population, opening the bow season for crossbow users seemed to make sense, and of course, in the eyes of the legislature – cents!

According to an article in the Topeka Capital-Journal, “Opponents noted that the wildlife agency already has the authority to write regulations to manage the deer herd and said crossbow hunters would be more interested in taking trophy bucks than does, which has little impact on overall numbers.”

Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook stated that not only would crossbow hunters only be interested in trophy bucks, but that, “This is just giving people the ability to hunt in a season in a way they haven't before. It's going to create lot of animosity. Bowhunters spend a lot of time training, and learning their skills. Crossbow hunters just do not have to have the same threshold. There's lot more competition in bowhunting. It's a sport.”

It's a sport? A sport?

Where I stand, hunting is a tradition. Archery is a sport.

The state's Wildlife and Parks Department is opposed to the bill, because it prefers to manage the wildlife populations by wildlife codes, not by legislation. Supposedly, the department is looking at whether to allow crossbow hunting during archery season. For the record, Kansas allows exceptions and disabled persons may hunt with crossbows or locking draws, as long as they have special permits.

What do you think? Would you like to see crossbows allowed during archery season in your state? Or are they already?