Did something change? Can cross bows be used during archery season now for non special needs hunters?

Bill Number: TX81RHB 968 Date: 05-18-2009

ENROLLED


1 AN ACT

2 relating to the use of crossbows for hunting.

3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

4 SECTION 1. Section 43.201(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is

5 amended to read as follows:

6 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (d), no person

7 may hunt deer, turkey, or javelina (collared peccary) during an

8 open archery season provided by law or by the proclamations of the

9 commission and during which season only crossbows, [used by hunters

10 with upper limb disabilities and] longbows, recurved bows, and

11 compound bows may be used unless the person has acquired an archery

12 hunting stamp issued to the person by the department. The

13 commission by rule may prescribe requirements relating to

14 possessing a stamp required by this subchapter. In a county that

15 does not permit hunting with a firearm, a hunter may use a crossbow

16 only if the hunter is a person with upper limb disabilities and has

17 an archery hunting stamp.

18 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a

19 proceeding regarding hunting with a crossbow that is pending or

20 filed on or after the effective date of this Act.

21 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 968 was passed by the House on March

26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 1, 1 present, not

voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

No. 968 on May 14, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, 1

present, not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 968 was passed by the Senate, with

amendments, on May 11, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays

2.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor

Good God!

What is the english translation?

Can non-handicapped persons now use a cross bow during archery season?

A 'yes' or 'no' answer would be appreciated.

Crossbows can now be used by anyone during general archery season (except in Grayson Co.) No gun season there either.
try www.txpwd.state.tx.us for more info

As a former bow hunter I think this is BS.

JC

Me, too! But, they are now legal.

First off, Yes crossbows are legal during the Archery season for non handicapped individuals.

Notice = To All "Archers" in Texas that believe this was a Bull Shit piece of legislation, Please Explain WHY using a "Hold Open" device, That Already WAS legal in Texas is okay and a crossbow isn't, You Fucking Can't.

1. The world is not going to run out and buy cross bows and kill all the deer in Texas.

2. Since 90 something percent of Texas is Private Land, Why shouldn't the people leasing that land hunt the way they want to as long as it is legal.

3. Just because they are legal for non-handicapped hunters now, how many folks do you really believ are going to run out and buy one and charge out into the woods with it?

A. Have you ever priced one of those rigs?

B. Have you ever shot one of them?

C. Do you ever practice with your normal archery equipment at ranges beyond say 50 yards, Nugent does and admits to it.

$. Do you really believe that crossbows are that much deadlier or capable of longer range kills than a compound/recurve/long bow?

From what I have experienced over the past few years seeing the ongoing arguement over the legalization of crossbows for non-handicapped persons, all of the BS and hand wringing is being generated by elitist archers that do not want to share the resource with anyone that does not believe and feel the way they do.

In fact I have met a few "Archer's" that would like to see the use of firearms for deer in Texas outlawed.

I think it is a great deal, maybe folks that can use a crossbow but can't or don't want to use a compound/recurve/long bow will go out and spend the money on a crossbow rig, buy a license and return to the field as a hunter.

That will generate revenue for the stores selling the equipment which works out to money into the economy, it might also generate an increase, even if only a small one in license sales, which will also help the state and the economy.

Now the flaming can begin in earnest.

+1, Crazy.

Let's see. They are heavier, slower and harder to reload, have a slower arrow speed and generally less accurate. And the problem is..... I just never understood.

But it is the same pissing contest the muzzleloader folks get into over inlines. The funny part is that most of the people bitching about it use compound bows. Aren't there too many gadgets on them to REALLY be called bows?

I bought a crossbow on a whim; I'm also learning to use a compound and practicing with a recurve.

As I see it, the crossbow lets one hunt safely in higher population areas, on exactly the same occasions where one could use any other bow safely. The greatest advantage of the crossbow, as I see it, is that the learning curve is much shorter and the device is easier to shoot accurately.

Obviously, the crossbow is the only option for the disabled, but that's an entirely separate issue.

My recurve has no sights, and I've found it much easier to place shots accurately with a sighted bow; but I've also found the complexity of the compound reasonably painful. If one wants to hunt rather than to become an archer, the crossbow is an obvious choice, especially in sub-urban areas. The range limitations are essentially the same for all three devices.

I'll be honest, I enjoy shooting all three, and don't see a good guy / bad guy scenario. In these days of declining hunter populations, anything that attracts new participants to the sport is a good thing.

+ 2 Crazyhorse!

+ 1 Analog

Don't own one but might get one, just "to extend my season".

Would be kinda nice in a ground bling to bring along and get rid of pig w/o any gun fire!!!

Crazyhorseconsulting-

You make some terrific points, and those are my sentiments exactly.

LarryS and Analog -

Well stated, fellows.

Texans bitching about fair chase? You gotta be fuckin shittin me!

MrHawg wrote: "Texans bitching about fair chase? You gotta be fuckin shittin me!"

MrHawg-

Don't generalize crap like that. It's obvious you know little to nothing about hunting in Texas. Until you do, try and load your brains before shooting off your mouth.

About the only advantages to having a cross bow, is not having to draw in the presence of game,and not having to practice much.

quote:

Texans bitching about fair chase? You gotta be fuckin shittin me!

Fair Chase? Fair Chase would be running the animal down an choking or biting it to death. There's nothing fair about using an arrow or a bullet. But then life's not fair now it it?

quote:

Originally posted by M16:

quote:

Texans bitching about fair chase? You gotta be fuckin shittin me!

Fair Chase? Fair Chase would be running the animal down an choking or biting it to death. There's nothing fair about using an arrow or a bullet. But then life's not fair now it it?

Both of these comments had me snickering.

+1 for Crazy Horse

On the topic of crossbows, check out this http://www.scorpyd.com/store.html It is reverse draw technology. I read a review on it a while back. I don't own a crossbow (I do have a recurve) but if I buy one, this is what I'll get.

quote:

In these days of declining hunter populations, anything that attracts new participants to the sport is a good thing.

i agree. what we need are more people buying hunting licenses and willing to vote to keep hunting legal. the "elitist" stuff is only hurting our sport imo.