SECOND EDITION - North American Crossbow Federation

SECOND EDITION

CROSSBOW FUNDAMENTALS

OBJECTIVE

The intent of this presentation is to make clear how crossbows can be used to recruit, retain and create greater access when used during the archery season.

PROCESS

? FUNCTION & DYNAMICS - Explain the basic functions, dynamics and ballistics of the crossbow

? SURVEYS/STUDIES - Review the experience of states in which the crossbow has been the subject of studies after being adopted as an archery game management tool

? STATISTICS BY STATE - Compare impact of crossbows to other archery equipment

ABSTRACT

Lee Zimmerman - Director

The data contained in this compilation of information is intended to provide the user information about crossbows as they pertain to giving hunters an opportunity to participate, harvest, and hunt. Over the last 30 years crossbow hunting in the archery season has grown from three (3) states to being used currently in thirty one (31) states. These states have seen crossbows contribute to help grow the numbers of hunters due to both recruitment of young hunters and non hunters while helping retain aging hunters. In states that have recently included crossbows in the full archery season, like Indiana and Michigan, crossbows have been shown to increase the number of vertical bow hunters as well. This growth is most likely based on giving the vertical bow hunter other hunters to hunt with such as their friends and family that use crossbows . In states like Ohio, that have had crossbows for over 30 years in the archery season, the total number of hunters using archery equipment is over 70% of the total hunters. The 70% of Ohio hunters using archery is over double the national average of hunters using archery equipment. In both Ohio and Connecticut the archery harvest now is higher than the harvest taken during the regular gun season. This high percentage of crossbow use starts as shown in the following Ohio data with hunters having the earliest harvest success with a crossbow as compared to other forms of hunting equipment. The major growth in crossbow hunters has certainly contributed to the nation wide archery growth as seen on page 5 of this publication in the 2006 and 2011 USFW National Surveys.

Index

Page

1 - Power Stroke - Crossbow compared to vertical bow 2 ? Arrow Trajectory - Drop in inches of crossbow arrow vs. vertical bow arrow 3 - Arrow drop of crossbows by draw weights 4 - Crossbow vs. vertical bow safety, violations, rates of success & recovery rates 5 ? USFW percentage of hunters using bows, muzzleloaders & firearms 6 ? Number of days typically hunted by age of initiation to hunting 7 ? Earliest age of success by crossbow, vertical bow & firearms

8 - MI vs. OH- age of hunting license buyer

9 ? Georgia Crossbow Study- First year crossbows legal in archery season 10 ? National expansion of crossbow programs and educational materials

11 - 19 - Crossbow & vertical bow harvest data by state 20 - 21 - U.S. map of crossbows in archery season 22 ? U.S. map of crossbows with handicap only regulations or use in gun season 23 - Summary

CROSSBOW FUNDAMENTALS

POWER STROKE

VERTICAL BOW VS. CROSSBOW

Power Stroke: The distance the string travels from point of rest to full draw. Crossbows - approx 12" to 14" Vertical Bows - approx 20" to 22"

Draw Weight: The Crossbows require a draw weight that is 2-3 times more than a compound bow to generate the same energy that propels the arrow downrange.

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