Arizona Airbows – Yay or Nay?
Just recently the Arizona Game and Fish Department set to reexamining rules, wording and definitions across a broad spectrum of topics but one that caught our eye was the proposed amendment to the department’s crossbow permit rule, see below.
R12-4-216. Crossbow Permit
The objective of the rule is to establish eligibility requirements, conditions, and restrictions for the crossbow permit. The permit allows a person, who cannot draw and hold a bow, to use a crossbow during an archery-only hunt. The Commission proposes to amend the rule to allow a Crossbow Permit holder to use a pre-charged pneumatic weapon, as defined under R12-4-301, using bolts or arrows for the take of wildlife. This change is proposed as a result of customer comments received by the Department. (http://s3.amazonaws.com/azgfd-portal…le-3-NPRM1.pdf)
Now, “pre-charged pneumatic weapons,” aka “airguns” or “airbows” in this case, have been around since Lewis and Clark set out to explore the West, so this is not new technology. What is new are the advancements that allow “airbows” to fire bolts at incredibly high velocities with very little effort and pinpoint accuracy on the part of the shooter. Understanding that a hunter must qualify for a permit to hunt with a crossbow in Arizona certainly limits the pool of folks who are even eligible to carry an “airbow” but there is a buzz surrounding this decision nonetheless.
Naturally, questions and opinions spring up around this topic like either spring flowers or toadstools, depending on your viewpoint. Do these weapons belong in the “archery” category? Do they represent the next evolution of hunting technology aiding in the clean harvest of game or do they cross the border from “fair chase” into unfair advantage? Do they get folks who would otherwise “hang it up,” participating and contributing to conservation via license fees and Pittman-Robertson money? We could continue ad nauseum but it’s time for your voice to be heard.
What say you? Let the debate begin…!
28 comments
Not “no” but “HELL NO!” I can’t believe anyone would even give serious consideration to allowing such an abomination to be a legal weapon during ARCHERY season — handicapped or not. The M1 tank I commanded in Iraq fired a metallic-fletched “dart” out of its main gun to destroy enemy armor. Maybe we should petition Arizona to allow those for deer hunting too…. Idiots!
I was an avid archer my entire life even after losing a leg but crutches are very unforgiving and a few years ago I slipped on ice and tore 3 of the four rotater cuff tendons. Even after surgery I can’t hold and draw a bow. I can put 150 pound crossbows up to my chest and cock them. If you ever tried to carry a crossbow slung over your back with crutches you would see just how cumbersome they are. There are compound bows that shoot as fast as an airbow and I’ve split five arrows with my Mathews and know they are just as accurate. Airbow have the same range limits.I would still shoot a compound if I could but as of yet thats not happening. Airbow aren’t as convenient as compounds but does allow some people to get out and hunt that otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Evidently you are not handicap with limitations and sensitive to gun fire.
I think you need to cool your jets and realize the number of people are limited and what if your ability to hunt was stripped from you! Don’t be a liberal jerk off.
Are you handicapped? I am and so is my friend who lost 2 limbs. In that same b*******, war overseas. Are you going to tell him handicapped or not? And stop him and myself from hunting I can tell by your comment. You only think of yourself you don’t think about other people.
I know a lot of veterans. That could not hunt if it wasn’t for the handicapped permit and being able to use a crossbow or a airbow shame on you.
Sir, Mr. Andersend, you’re a special kind of stupid.
You should think about other people in the world. And I hope someday you are hurt and handicapped. And then you’ll look at this different
I think if the hunter is truly handicapped with a letter from his/her doctor confirming the inability to draw a bow it would be fine.
This is the same argument we had when crossbows were being considered for use by the handicapped. It’s a question of allowing handicapped people to continue hunting or not.
You would be surprised that number has gotten a lot higher. Since we went to warover that Sand pit. I have a lot of veteran friends that it’s the only way they can hunt now. It’s let me keep doing what I love
No issues if used by the truly physically challenged and unable to draw a conventional bow. The number of individuals would be quite small.
Who am I to tell a handicap person what they can or connot use. I believe an air bow would qualify as a reasonable accomadation for a handicap person.
I say use of air bows is just fine. Those of us that have been around a while remember a similar reaction as those who consider them an “abomination” by what we now call traditional bow users when compound bows were introduced. The same happened as conventional crossbows became more popular. CWD may be having a serious impact on game numbers, but crossbows aren’t. Their use will likely have little effect on the amount of game harvested as it isn’t likely that hordes of people will go out and buy one.
They should not allow them. The archery season is a primative type weapon hunt. The air bows are shooting well out over 200 yards. If they cant huntbwith a bow or a crossbow then they can hunt during the rifle hunt. The air bowbis shooting what people should be ahooting rifles at.
My air bow has adjustment for fps and they too are limited on distance , an ethical hunter with airbow will not take shots more then 60 yds.
If Arizona (or any other state for that matter) decides to allow Airbows then perhaps they can copy how Colorado handles hunting with crossbows………. they can ONLY be used during the rifle seasons.
This sounds like the the same complaint tree hunters and compound bow hunters have. So you are comparing a crossbow or airbow to a rifle ? do some homework not even a good compsarison. Air bows and cross bows are not rifles. Do they carry more accuracy then compound bows depends on the shooter.
This is what rifles are for., An “AIR BOW” is not a friggin bow. a bor has a string that is pulled manually by the shooter and then released. AB’s are nothing more than a blow gun on steroids. They do NOT belong in an archery season. If someone has to use a blow gun, then than can just use a rifle. REPEAT AFTER ME: AN AIR BOW IS NOT A BOW, IT IS A BLOW GUN!
About the same effective range arrows cannot defy gravity and energy.
Great arguments from both sides. I have been an avid archery hunter for 30 years. In a case of truly disabled hunters I do not see an issue. Here is my belief. Archery equipment has seen amazing technology changes throughout history. Indians never had laser range finders so they should be illegal? So for those of you saying a stick and string is the ONLY way to hunt then you are failing to be honest about archery and current equipment. I look at this from a perspective of “does this still require an arrow to hit an animal and kill it?” Does an airbow allow an unfair or unique advantage over crossbows that have cocking assists or even a hunters aid(which is legal in AZ)? Does this still humanly/ethically accomplish the task? I beleive so although I hope that analysis is conducted.
Though the manufacturer calls this an air bow any fool can see there is no bow. It doesn’t exist. This is an arrow gun. You can stuff an arrow don the barrel of any gun and get the same result. It is an arrow gun..
It’s about the projectile not what’s launching the projectile.
Just ordered my airbow, cant wait to get out and shoot it. Thanks to ARIZONA for allowing us banged up VETERANS an opportunity to hunt
Amen Brother!!
Yes indeed
Not just veterans, brother myself. And quite a few of my friends have work. Injuries that have handicaps that are not letting us shoot our compounds anymore. I am glad Arizona is looking out for hunters. I feel bad for other states that hunters cannot hunt anymore because of a bunch of air again. Both hunters that don’t think a crossbow is in the same realm as them shame on them. I prayed to see the day when they get hurt. Then understand what we’re all going through
Crossbows should only be allowed during a ride season. It is not a primitive weapon
It’s about getting out and doing what we use to do before health issues prevented some of us of that chance. I would be all for the archery rut hunt to be replaced by the air bow and cross bow hunt for the handicap and let you primitive hunters fight the elements in the later hunts lol
This is a great idea for disabled hunters. It not only can give a disabled hunter the means to pursue their passion, but also add to the quality of life for them. If any hunter disagrees they should take two years off hunting and see how it feels to be deprived of what they enjoy. Let’s make it so!