Hunting and Fishing in NJ - A forum for NJ Hunters and NJ Anglers

http://www.republicanherald.com/arti...970614_spo.txt
Published: Sunday, September 28, 2008 4:15 AM EDT
It was more than 45 years ago, in fact closer to 50, that a troubadour from the north country far penned the lyrics warning “The Times, They Are A Changin’.”

While the former Bobby Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) of Hibbing, Minn., was not talking about the state of bowhunting in that song, today, another guitar player with a vested interest in hunting believes the time has come and gone for Pennsylvania to overall its regulations concerning bowhunting.

Michigan native Ted Nugent, whose views and opinions on hunting and the Second Amendment are as loud and clear as his rock ’n’ roll solos, shared his views on several hunting-related topics during a recent visit to Jim Thorpe for a performance at Penn’s Peak.

Now a resident of Texas, the one-time Motor City Madman is a nationally known proponent and advocate for all types of hunting, but in particular, he’s been a long-time spokesman for bowhunter’s rights.

In Nugent’s opinion — and he has a few — those rights should include the right of all hunters to use not only primitive and compound bows, but also crossbows, in any and all deer seasons.

A certified International Bowhunter Education Foundation instructor, he clings to that belief, even though it flies in the face of the views expressed by the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania and rhetorically asks who would be so “rude” to tell a licensed hunter how they can kill their deer.

“Everybody knows that Pennsylvania must kill a certain number of deer each year,” Nugent said. “I support legalizing crossbows for all open seasons in all states — period.

“Every lie from the anti-crossbow zealots has been proven false for many years, even though they represent a dwindling lunatic fringe. It is a shame that there are such petty, selfish, dishonest people in our sport.

“I pray that the good sporters who know better become more involved and active so as to rid our sport of these suicidal policies that fly in the face of scientific game management and upgraded quality outdoor opportunities for more voting sporters.”

Although hard to imagine Pennsylvania Game Commission board member Russ Schleiden owning Nugent’s “Double-Live Gonzo” CD, this endorsement from such a visible national spokesman should be music to his ears. At this spring’s PGC quarterly meeting, he was the commissioner who instructed agency staff to begin a study into the feasibility of legalizing crossbows for all hunting seasons.

Schleiden gave these instructions fully realizing that the UBP has consistently opposed the use of crossbows in “their” season. While one of the most conservation-minded, pro-sportsmen outdoors organizations in the state, UBP leadership and membership refuses to recognize that, indeed, the times have changed — radically — in the bowhunting industry.

“They are aware that I was going to make the proposal, and I expect they will have a different position,” Schleiden said following the PGC’s April meeting. “I do not own a crossbow, I haven’t talked to crossbow manufacturers, but I believe a change has been long overdue.

“Rather than force people to have a permit, they should be allowed to use a crossbow, and once we get it on the agenda, I think the interest will be there. We want to provide opportunity, so if that means adjusting seasons, we can do that, too.

“I just feel it’s important to provide as many options as possible and recruit new hunters. By legalizing crossbows, there is the potential for additional participation, including the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, and increased license sales.”

Personality, I support Schleiden and agree with Nugent because today’s bows are certainly not what they were even five years ago. Last year, I finally took my first deer with a bow, using a Bass Pro Shops RedHead XSC-33, manufactured by Parker, whose let-off allowed me to hold at full draw for 12 minutes before releasing the arrow.

This spring, looking for a more challenging gobbler hunt, I used a Horton Legend 175 Crossbow to take a jake at 22 yards. Conversely, my Remington 870 Turkey Gun could have dropped that bird at 50 yards.

It’s time for hunters to accept the use of crossbows for all hunting seasons and recognize that because of improvements in bow manufacturing that the times have changed.

Interesting thanks for sharing

ted is a good speaker and i like where he stands for gun issues. but he's not the messiah and this time he's wrong

See I for one don't get this anti-Crossbow mentality. Anything that can increase the amount of people hunting can only benefit our sport. Naysayers only feed the anti-hunting movement. Besides check out the cost of a hunting crossbow, not cheap by any means, so it's not like every Tom. Dick, and Harry is going to run out and buy one. And early bow season is doe only, so it can't be that the nasayers are worried about bucks being taken. I for one think we need to rally around an effort to set antler limits and restrict the amount of does killed after the rut. Hope all those that shoot does in January don't come complaining in the fall about not seeing any deer. Remember that doe you shot in January could have been carrying a future wall hanger... or two.

almaink wrote:See I for one don't get this anti-Crossbow mentality. Anything that can increase the amount of people hunting can only benefit our sport. Naysayers only feed the anti-hunting movement. Besides check out the cost of a hunting crossbow, not cheap by any means, so it's not like every Tom. Dick, and Harry is going to run out and buy one. And early bow season is doe only, so it can't be that the nasayers are worried about bucks being taken. I for one think we need to rally around an effort to set antler limits and restrict the amount of does killed after the rut. Hope all those that shoot does in January don't come complaining in the fall about not seeing any deer. Remember that doe you shot in January could have been carrying a future wall hanger... or two.

Made some good points and very well said.

thanks for posting, we love you uncle ted!

Made some good points and very well said.

you would say that messenger girl

the big deal is the council said there are plenty of deer so you can say bag limits until the bags run out and it is never gonna happen.. and ted is great for the gun right movement but he is far from the messiah of hunting. he likes to shoot a crossgun because his shots are marginal at best and as far as anti hunters go they have been arounf for decades and we are still hunting they will be around for more decades and we will be hunting.. $$$$$ talks thats it period.... this state wont stop hunting because the money is too good..reality check

Seems like I can't get away from Kathy!

This is not about hunter recruitment, hunter recruitment is the 5000 new Hunter Safety students we put through the program last year. This about money plain and simple, if it was about having a choice they could have a choice during firearm season, but they don't want a choice they want MONEY!

I agree withone thing there has to be major overhauls in seasons and bag limits, if not you will see a reduction in the number of hunters buying licenses in this state. There's just not enough deer to support having this many hunters hunting deer for 6 months in this state.

The Division is also fond of stating they made 1.2 million in buck stubs this season, what they are not saying how much money they lost in zone permits? Now that's interesti ng!

Thunderbolt wrote:Seems like I can't get away from Kathy!

Jack, nice to see you here, also. Welcome!!

Well Kathy, we may not agree but at least you're civil about things! Is that other guy on here??? Oh well we'll find out!