Last week, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board held a discussion about options for shortening the time period that they will allow hunters to use crossbows to harvest deer during future seasons. The discussion to limit the use of crossbows was based solely on the concept of “weapons fairness” and had nothing to do with a biological necessity for deer herd management.
If you would like to voice your opinion on this matter, please do not delay and send a message to:
Laurie J. Ross, Board Liaison
Email: Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
Office of the Secretary, Wisconsin DNR
Phone: 608-267-7420
Mailing address:
Wisconsin DNR Secretary Office
Attn: Laurie J. Ross
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Crossbows have been a legal weapon for harvesting deer in Wisconsin during the archery season since 2014. The use of crossbows has been on the rise, and in 2018 approximately 39 percent of archery hunters carried crossbows, versus 61 percent of hunters who used long, recurve or compound bows. Crossbow hunting has been a growing sport in the state of Wisconsin every year since crossbows were legalized as hunting equipment.
Many states, including Wisconsin, are currently seeing a downward trend in hunter numbers and an upward trend in the average age of hunters. For the past several years, fewer hunters have participated in annual hunting seasons, and fewer are passing along the tradition of hunting to younger generations. To illustrate this point, let’s look at license sales numbers in Wisconsin from 2017 and compare them to 2018:
As you can easily see, license sales for both gun and vertical bow hunters were down from 2017 to 2018, however, crossbow license sales grew by 6,234 licenses during the same time period. When viewed from the standpoint of hunter participation, it simply does not make sense to put a limit on the one type of hunting equipment that is helping to offset the greater losses in hunting numbers seen across the board — especially when that hunting equipment encourages participation by younger-age, disabled and older-age hunters.
Moreover, a few of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board members perpetuated the myth that “crossbows are like rifles” during their discussion — and even tried to suggest that crossbows are a more effective weapon when it comes to killing deer than a rifle. Uneducated and uninformed statements like these unfairly paint a picture of crossbows that is not based on any truth.
To watch a recorded podcast of the January 23, 2019, meeting, please CLICK HERE. The crossbow season discussion takes place from 2:35:45 to 3:07:00.
If you are a Wisconsin crossbow hunter and you would like to voice your opinion against shortening the crossbow season, please CLICK HERE for the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board contact information, also included below:
Laurie J. Ross, Board Liaison
Email: Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
Office of the Secretary, Wisconsin DNR
Phone: 608-267-7420
Mailing address:
Wisconsin DNR Secretary Office
Attn: Laurie J. Ross
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
To view the 2018 Wisconsin Deer Harvest Summary, please CLICK HERE
To obtain the 2017 – 2018 Wisconsin Deer License Sales Comparison data, please CLICK HERE.
The North American Crossbow Federation (NACF) also has an extensive collection of data regarding the use of crossbows in states other than Wisconsin. CLICK HERE to download the NACF report “Fundamentals of Crossbow Dynamics and Usage.” The purpose of this report is to help legislators, state wildlife officials and the public understand the true function of crossbows and the positive effects of crossbow hunting.
