Post by Woody Williams on Feb 18, 2006 7:20:31 GMT -5
Tennessee -- Crossbow Harvest Small Compared to Total
After the first year where all hunters were eligible to use
crossbows during any deer hunting season, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) considers the harvest by crossbows to be minimal when compared to the total deer harvest.
“Some hunters expressed concerns that deer harvest would increase dramatically, due to the legalization of crossbows,” said Dan Gibbs, TWRA biologist in Region IV. “After reviewing the harvest report
figures, that is not the case.”
The statewide and WMA figures for 2005 show deer harvests of:
gun* 109,339; muzzleloader* 35,065; archery *17,355; and crossbow *3,968. The total harvest for all seasons was 165,727 deer.
“For several years handicapped hunters could use crossbows and
the last two years, all hunters could use crossbows during gun or
muzzleloader seasons,” said Gibbs. “This is the first year that crossbow harvest was recorded separately from regular archery harvest.”
Over the past ten years, total archery harvest has fluctuated
from a high of 23, 846 in 1997 to a low of 19,176 in 2002. The total
archery harvest in 2005 was 21,323 including regular archery and crossbows.
The legalization of crossbows has allowed some hunters, that
where unable to shoot recurve and compound bows, to take up archery
hunting.
www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_80406.asp
After the first year where all hunters were eligible to use
crossbows during any deer hunting season, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) considers the harvest by crossbows to be minimal when compared to the total deer harvest.
“Some hunters expressed concerns that deer harvest would increase dramatically, due to the legalization of crossbows,” said Dan Gibbs, TWRA biologist in Region IV. “After reviewing the harvest report
figures, that is not the case.”
The statewide and WMA figures for 2005 show deer harvests of:
gun* 109,339; muzzleloader* 35,065; archery *17,355; and crossbow *3,968. The total harvest for all seasons was 165,727 deer.
“For several years handicapped hunters could use crossbows and
the last two years, all hunters could use crossbows during gun or
muzzleloader seasons,” said Gibbs. “This is the first year that crossbow harvest was recorded separately from regular archery harvest.”
Over the past ten years, total archery harvest has fluctuated
from a high of 23, 846 in 1997 to a low of 19,176 in 2002. The total
archery harvest in 2005 was 21,323 including regular archery and crossbows.
The legalization of crossbows has allowed some hunters, that
where unable to shoot recurve and compound bows, to take up archery
hunting.
www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_80406.asp
