1) Wal-Mart, Dicks, Cabelas, Bass Pro and the like have killed more archery stores than the crossbow ever could. You assert that crossbow hunters need less tackle. Still, they need tackle. It's going to be bought somewhere. Mostly it will be bought from the efficient sellers. Is the purpose of setting a hunting season to keep mom and pop retaillers in business? If you have a beef with factors that put archery shops out of business, look to big-box retaillers and mail order. Clearly, this is a red herring. Where do you get your 30% number for archery store failure and how can you directly link it to crossbows as opposed to other economic factors (competition, mismanagement, macro economic changes and such)? Your number can simply not be supported by any discernable fact.

2) You have stated that crossbow hunters take the largest numbers of bucks in Ohio. Is that an absolute number or a proportionate number? Were they trophy bucks? Are the crossbow hunters more skilled than other disciplines so that they can take more bucks? By your own admission the Ohio statistics are strange.

3) Rush to set up a season? So that crossbow hunters can get a few crumbs swept from the table and face this battle each year? The OFFICIAL line from the KDFWR is that the flock/herd can easily sustain the pressure from crossbow hunting...the grumblings of the disgruntled employee notwithstanding.

4) What purpose would it serve for the commission to pass a regulation that would hurt the resource or the economics of hunting? The previously floated argument that some had a financial interest has been widely disproven. Are they stupid? Do they want to ruin hunting? Remember they were elected by you and me and selected by the governor. You and I had a say in who they are.

The fact of the matter, Jim, is that your arguments, no matter how often stated do not hold any water. In fact, the only reason that I bother to keep posting is not to change your mind but to keep the new reader informed about the differences in how you see things and how I see things. It's a battle for the minds of the public. One would hope that reason will prevail. That's a scary proposition, being that a relatively loud but small group got this thing derailed for 2005. What do you want to bet crossbow season is a go for 2006?


Terry Sullivan