I just saw that here in Idaho, as of July 2022, one can now hunt upland game birds, including turkeys, with a crossbow. Didn't know that.
Question:
Is spring turkey hunting with a crossbow legal in your state?
If you spring hunt with a crossbow, what can you say about it? What's the ethical range? Any advantages or disadvantages? Crippling issues?
I've heard crossbow hunting in general has grown out east, but honestly I really don't know anything about it.
They are legal here in GA. My wife has used one to deer hunt. She is pretty effective out to about 40 yards with it. The only advantage I could see if to hunt archery only areas. Compared to a compound there is a lot less movement to shoot.
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Kentucky is legal for crossbow hunting.
It is legal to hunt turkeys with a crossbow in North Carolina.
Jim
NY: You may hunt with a bow or crossbow, but you may not hunt turkey with a crossbow in the fall in the Northern Zone if you are using dogs. A crossbow may not be used in Westchester or Suffolk counties.
Legal in TX if your license has the archery and turkey endorsements. I have a crossbow, but I'm not confident enough to try it on a turkey...yet.
Legal in PA
Legal in Ohio
It's legal in Tennessee also.
Legal in MO
Ethical range depends on personl ability.
Advantage is don't have to hold the draw while waiting for the shot. Cons they are heavy and awkward to carry around the woods. Crippling rate would be same as a bow. I have killed numerous with both crossbow and regular bow it takes knowing the anatomy of a turkey to know where to put the arrow. When expandable broadheads came out it helped. The bigger the better in my experience as long as they are pin point accurate.
Legal in WI
It is legal here in VA. I'm not a bow hunter these days so I have no experience with them.
I have a friend who has tried to kill one with a crossbow for over 2 years. Each year i would show him my dead gobbler after the second year of him trying with no luck the third year he had his shotgun and left the crossbow at home..LOL.. It's not as easy as you think using a crossbow / bow .. IMO
Unfortunately
legal in West Virginia
Legal here in Nebraska. We picked one up to start hunting them earlier. We've only killed 2 with it. 1 dropped and never went anywhere. Other ran 20 yards and took a nose dive. Once shotgun opens the crossbow gets left at home. Ours is NOT a $2,000 crossbow but a decent PSE brand. I feel comfortable to 30 yards with it. No further
Unless your over 65 or crippled ,, crossguns shouldn't be spoken of ...
No whining on OG
Quote from: Howieg on February 27, 2023, 09:52:45 PM
Unless your over 65 or crippled ,, crossguns shouldn't be spoken of ...
I used to say the same thing about them vertical wheel bows.
Quote from: Hook hanger on February 27, 2023, 09:31:53 AM
Legal in MO
Ethical range depends on personl ability.
And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.
Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?
I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!
For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.
Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.
First you have to be able to hit the mark in the field next you have to know when an ethical shot should be taken. Last year I passed up a 15yd shot on a 160" buck just for that reason. I've passed up shots with a rifle because of it not being an ethical shot. Each person has their own decisions on what an ethical shot is. And some get so excited they shouldn't even be trying to shoot a deer at 20yds.
Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades. To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous. Boo.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on February 28, 2023, 08:01:49 AM
Quote from: Hook hanger on February 27, 2023, 09:31:53 AM
Legal in MO
Ethical range depends on personl ability.
And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.
Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?
I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!
For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.
Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.
Must be a thing where you live. Everyone I know has hunted with crossbows forever, none of them do
stuff like that. I shoot recurves and long bows, but I have hunted with crossbows and compounds in the past. Don't really care for them, only because I really enjoy shooting simple stuff.Just pick it up and shoot, like playing catch with a baseball.
Quote from: joey46 on February 28, 2023, 11:29:09 AM
Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades. To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous. Boo.
Lol so true! Ohio boy here too!
Quote from: Hook hanger on February 28, 2023, 10:57:33 AM
First you have to be able to hit the mark in the field next you have to know when an ethical shot should be taken. Last year I passed up a 15yd shot on a 160" buck just for that reason. I've passed up shots with a rifle because of it not being an ethical shot. Each person has their own decisions on what an ethical shot is. And some get so excited they shouldn't even be trying to shoot a deer at 20yds.
On most game but the really big ones like Moose, Buffalo and Elk MAYBE Mule deer but I have never seen many of those and none in person so I can't really say just to name ones in the states 35-40 is ethical, more with those others mentioned but not by much.
Quote from: the Ward on February 28, 2023, 11:44:43 AM
Quote from: joey46 on February 28, 2023, 11:29:09 AM
Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades. To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous. Boo.
Lol so true! Ohio boy here too!
I want to try TSS for the same reason that I like to try different vanes and wraps on my arrows, it is something new. I still will not shoot beyond 35 yards though. By the way I can only go 3" with my shotgun. :D
Quote from: the Ward on February 28, 2023, 11:43:04 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on February 28, 2023, 08:01:49 AM
Quote from: Hook hanger on February 27, 2023, 09:31:53 AM
Legal in MO
Ethical range depends on personl ability.
And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.
Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?
I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!
For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.
Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.
Must be a thing where you live. Everyone I know has hunted with crossbows forever, none of them do
stuff like that. I shoot recurves and long bows, but I have hunted with crossbows and compounds in the past. Don't really care for them, only because I really enjoy shooting simple stuff.Just pick it up and shoot, like playing catch with a baseball.
Everyone I have talked with on the net that used them except the much older hunters say the same thing, it is a vast thing unfortunately and in all honesty a lot of it is from the crap they have been shown in movies, youtube videos and so on. Even some on TV with some of these guys, I no longer have TV because I no longer follow sports since they started the kneeling crap and then all the unethical crap I was beginning to see on the shows with the kill at all cost to sell my show garbage.
^ Can't say I blame ya S.D, I pretty much only watch historical aircraft and ww2 stuff on you tube when I watch
any t.v. Some shooting stuff too for entertainment, don't watch any turkey hunting except for Claycomb
day by day series and old J.allen smith hunting africa stuff.
Quote from: the Ward on February 28, 2023, 02:13:08 PM
^ Can't say I blame ya S.D, I pretty much only watch historical aircraft and ww2 stuff on you tube when I watch
any t.v. Some shooting stuff too for entertainment, don't watch any turkey hunting except for Claycomb
day by day series and old J.allen smith hunting africa stuff.
I truly miss the history channel when it was still the history channel.
Crossguns for everyone in IL...it sucks.
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Legal in Oklahoma
Quote from: mcw3734 on February 26, 2023, 09:54:27 PM
I just saw that here in Idaho, as of July 2022, one can now hunt upland game birds, including turkeys, with a crossbow. Didn't know that.
Question:
Is spring turkey hunting with a crossbow legal in your state?
If you spring hunt with a crossbow, what can you say about it? What's the ethical range? Any advantages or disadvantages? Crippling issues?
I've heard crossbow hunting in general has grown out east, but honestly I really don't know anything about it.
Back to the OP's question.
I hunt with a crossbow. I think I have taken about 15 gobblers with it over the years. I hunted the early spring turkey archery seasons in NE & KS and thought it would be almost like hunting with a shotgun...NOT.
A crossbow is awkward and heavy. If you move it slightly there is a lot of movement for a turkey to pick up on because it is so wide. Also hard to hold up on your knee for a good length of time. Getting a decent shot at a gobbler is much harder than a shotgun, mostly because of small vegetation that gets in the way. Plus I need the gobbler in a good position and still to take a shot. In other words an almost perfect scenario. I have called in quite a few gobblers that I could have shot with a shotgun but didn't take a shot with my crossbow. My range is less than with my shotgun too. Haven't shot a turkey over 25 yards with the crossbow yet and I don't know if I would take a 30 yard shot, such a small vital area and I just don't like the head shot with an arrow. I would rather have my shotgun tho, and switch to it as soon as firearm season kicks in.
Here is a link to a video on where to aim on a turkey with an arrow. There is an add that you can skip after a few seconds, and some kill shots in the beginning, but it gets pretty informative soon after. Worth a look if you are going to try and kill a gobbler with an arrow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6blN4_l00b0
Crossbows during gun seasons, including turkey seasons doesnt bother me. Crossbows during archery season does. Archery used to be a difficult proposition requiring dedication and persistence. Hence the long seasons usually before any other pressure in the woods. Game departments everywhere have polluted these seasons with early rifle seasons, early youth days, early bear seasons, and full inclusion of crossbows into archery season. The big gun lobbies are somewhat responsible for this imho. Not looking for an argument. This is just how i feel and will continue to.
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Quote from: Teamblue on March 07, 2023, 05:24:04 AM
Crossbows during gun seasons, including turkey seasons doesnt bother me. Crossbows during archery season does. Archery used to be a difficult proposition requiring dedication and persistence. Hence the long seasons usually before any other pressure in the woods. Game departments everywhere have polluted these seasons with early rifle seasons, early youth days, early bear seasons, and full inclusion of crossbows into archery season. The big gun lobbies are somewhat responsible for this imho. Not looking for an argument. This is just how i feel and will continue to.
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Have to agree. Even way back when and I wish I could remember which two kings this was reported to have taken place with but as the story goes one king visits another king and the visiting king notices that the host king has a very large amount of crossbowman, the visiting king asks the host king why this is. The host king replies that a bowman takes years or training, costs large amounts to feed to keep healthy enough to draw the powerful longbows of the time and train, that arrows and bows cost a large amount of money to produce but that crossbows are cheaply made and that any idiot could fire a crossbow. No offense meant, just the way I heard the story told.
Just curious - how many states have an early archery only turkey season for non-disabled adults? How many of these also allow the use of a crossbow by non-disabled adults.
Quote from: Howieg on February 27, 2023, 09:52:45 PM
Unless your over 65 or crippled ,, crossguns shouldn't be spoken of ...
This is pretty much how the text reads in the MA game laws ::)
You need a doctor verified handicap, and are never allowed to hunt with a bow again if you get a crossbow permit here..
Quote from: joey46 on March 08, 2023, 09:44:21 AM
Just curious - how many states have an early archery only turkey season for non-disabled adults? How many of these also allow the use of a crossbow by non-disabled adults.
Virginia has early archery turkey season in the fall. Crossbows included.
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Good to use one here in Michigan. If it's legal go for it. Not gonna dog someone for using a legal means of taking game.
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