What’s new with Crossbows?

Crossbow hunting is the fastest growing archery hunting style in North America. In the last several years many states and provinces, including Nova Scotia in 2008, have changed their game laws to either allow all archers to hunt with a crossbow or have made it easier for an archer to obtain a crossbow hunting permit. Many of these new crossbow shooters purchased equipment online or from box stores and did not receive hands on training or instructions in proper crossbow shooting techniques. The Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters has been advising our government throughout the process, including the important issue of crossbow hunter education.

In 2009, the Nova Scotia Association of Crossbow Hunters, http://www.nsach.ca  was formed. This organization supports crossbow hunters needs and provides a unified voice regarding issues. New crossbow hunter education became available via a self-study program, available though the Association’s website or http://www.hunterexam.com/canada/novascotia/. This training satisfies the required crossbow education component for Nova Scotia and is approved by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

We are also seeing important changes in Nova Scotia’s 2010 hunting & furharvesting regulations: “Use of crossbows by certified hunters is legal for hunting all species that may be harvested with a bow or firearm, except deer during the ‘Special Open Season for Bowhunting Deer’”. This makes it legal for certified hunters to carry a crossbow for hunting coyotes, for example, year round (except Sundays). It is also now legal for a certified hunter to harvest bear with a crossbow throughout the bear hunting season, September 13 – December 4, 2010, excluding Sundays. Also in 2010 we saw Canada’s long gun registry rescued, for now, by a bunch of waffling, spineless MPs. Crossbows and long bows are not considered firearms, so owners and dealers do not require permits to possess, acquire, or sell them. Storage requirements are also less stringent than firearms. These factors should help increase the popularity of archery for hunting and target shooting.

The Association hopes to see crossbows become legal for deer harvesting in the ‘Special Open Season for Bowhunting Deer’ in 2011. Given the considerable progress made since 2008, that seems a reasonable and achievable goal.

Safety issues are similar to those encountered with rifles and bows, but there are a few special considerations unique to crossbows. A crossbow is held horizontally instead of vertically like a bow. This makes it necessary for the shooter to ensure that the crossbow limbs won’t hit any vertical obstacles, like trees, when the crossbow is fired. Shooters are also warned to keep fingers and thumbs away from the bowstring path when firing the crossbow.  A “stirrup” on the front of the crossbow enables the shooter to place a foot in the stirrup (on the ground) when cocking the crossbow. It’s very important, to avoid serious injury, that the foot is firmly placed in the stirrup so the stirrup can’t slip off during cocking. If it does, a crossbow stock travelling at speeds approaching 350 FPS may hit you under the chin. Ouch! 

Like any bow used for hunting, accuracy is extremely important to ensure clean kills. Arrows don’t have the impact power of a rifle and will not break shoulder bones. They are designed to damage vital organs and blood vessels, so the hunter should expect a deer to travel 100 yds.or so before falling, and not rush to find the animal. Since an arrow doesn’t damage an animal like a high-calibre bullet, nearly all of the bow shot deer’s meat should be useable.

If you’re even a little bit curious about crossbows, see or test drive one at River Magic in Stillwater.

Please send comments and suggestions to slim@rivermagic.ca.

Please stay on the line …