Getting Crossbow License in Alberta

[roy9525]

[QUOTE=IronNoggin;4524401]Ahhh yes, the old ABA mantra.

Actually proven in many States to be just what it is: Speculation.

I am not pushing for full inclusion btw, but lets stick to facts please.

I now pack a Lifetime Alberta Crossbow Permit after many many years of re-applying annually, then 5 years. If it weren't for that crossbow, I would still be excluded from archery seasons due to repetitive shoulder injuries. Overall I believe the process in Alberta to be a good one.

Cheers,
Nog[/QUOTE

[roy9525]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

Ahhh yes, the old ABA mantra.

Actually proven in many States to be just what it is: Speculation.

I am not pushing for full inclusion btw, but lets stick to facts please.

I now pack a Lifetime Alberta Crossbow Permit after many many years of re-applying annually, then 5 years. If it weren't for that crossbow, I would still be excluded from archery seasons due to repetitive shoulder injuries. Overall I believe the process in Alberta to be a good one.

Cheers,
Nog

If the ABA doesn’t want crossbows in bow season maybe they would like all zones put on draw. Allowing them wouldn’t make any difference. I believe the success rate is due to more hunters. Tired of the ABA.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by roy9525

If the ABA doesn’t want crossbows in bow season maybe they would like all zones put on draw. Allowing them wouldn’t make any difference. I believe the success rate is due to more hunters. Tired of the ABA.

Actually as part of the policy in Alberta higher archery only season success does lead to draws. Yes you are right! Adding more hunters to the archery only season with crossbow inclusion shifts the balance and the harvest rates go up, creating draws in many zones… basically eliminating OTC archery hunting opportunities. These policies, have nothing to do with the ABA.

I don’t know of any other area that does things like Alberta and has an arbitrary 15% share harvest threshold. Many of the comments here show that people aren’t aware of the policy here in Alberta. If you understand how the policy works you would understand the possible negative effects.

LC

[Demonical]

The WMUs I will be hunting both are draw for moose, for rifle, but there is an archery bull moose season Aug 25-Sep 23.

I'm planning on taking the crossbow out to try to get a bull moose.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Demonical

The WMUs I will be hunting both are draw for moose, for rifle, but there is an archery bull moose season Aug 25-Sep 23.

I'm planning on taking the crossbow out to try to get a bull moose.

Those zones are always at hazard of being closed, 348/507 and recently 346 have had the 15% exceeded and have gone to full draw.

LC

[wind drift]

So, the concern is having to share limited draw opportunities, and the risk that crossbows will result in increased archery harvest via higher success and increased participation. No problem. Redefine archery gear as any stick and string weapon, but don’t permit them to be used for certain draw hunts, such as antlered mule deer and antelope.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by wind drift

So, the concern is having to share limited draw opportunities, and the risk that crossbows will result in increased archery harvest via higher success and increased participation. No problem. Redefine archery gear as any stick and string weapon, but don’t permit them to be used for certain draw hunts, such as antlered mule deer and antelope.

One concern. So you want to further remove opportunity by eliminating the archery antelope draw? That doesn't make sense…

LC

[wind drift]

Well, that’s not what I said.

To repeat, simply update the legislation to define all stick and string weapons as archery gear, but don’t permit crossbow use for certain licences, or zones or even times. BC does this. Defining crossbows as firearms makes zero sense.

[roy9525]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Actually as part of the policy in Alberta higher archery only season success does lead to draws. Yes you are right! Adding more hunters to the archery only season with crossbow inclusion shifts the balance and the harvest rates go up, creating draws in many zones… basically eliminating OTC archery hunting opportunities. These policies, have nothing to do with the ABA.

I don’t know of any other area that does things like Alberta and has an arbitrary 15% share harvest threshold. Many of the comments here show that people aren’t aware of the policy here in Alberta. If you understand how the policy works you would understand the possible negative effects.

LC

As crossbows are not allowed unless medically only they are not contributing to higher success rate. So what is causing higher success rates? Maybe higher numbers of bow hunters period is causing more success rates. I dont know. Not going to get into ABA discussion.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by roy9525

As crossbows are not allowed unless medically only they are not contributing to higher success rate. So what is causing higher success rates? Maybe higher numbers of bow hunters period is causing more success rates. I dont know. Not going to get into ABA discussion.

Yes that’s correct, that’s my point… If crossbows are available to the general hunting populace it would simply serve to reason the harvest rates would go up and this “new found” opportunity, which would greatly effect the OTC archery only season it would be cutoff within a few short years because harvest goals would be met and exceeded… exactly the point. The current archery hunters are closing zones without the aid of crossbow inclusion. The policy of 15% harvest threshold is too low compared to the number of active archery hunters.

LC

[CNP]

Originally Posted by wind drift

Well, that’s not what I said.

To repeat, simply update the legislation to define all stick and string weapons as archery gear, but don’t permit crossbow use for certain licences, or zones or even times. BC does this. Defining crossbows as firearms makes zero sense.

Bingo

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by CNP

Bingo

They aren’t.

LC

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Yes that’s correct, that’s my point… If crossbows are available to the general hunting populace it would simply serve to reason the harvest rates would go up and this “new found” opportunity, which would greatly effect the OTC archery only season it would be cutoff within a few short years because harvest goals would be met and exceeded… exactly the point. The current archery hunters are closing zones without the aid of crossbow inclusion. The policy of 15% harvest threshold is too low compared to the number of active archery hunters.

LC

This is so simple yet many don’t seem to understand it but LC is correct

Simply put more hunters = higher harvest = exceeding quota = general archery season is is no longer viable as a management tool = closures/draw

Fighting for crossbows to be included is a sure way to loose more general archery opportunities and causing them to go draw

I think the present system of bows and disabled crossbows is best for trying to retain opportunities instead of going straight draw only

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

... The current archery hunters are closing zones without the aid of crossbow inclusion. The policy of 15% harvest threshold is too low compared to the number of active archery hunters.

As previously noted, changing that arbitrary harvest threshold should be one of the main focuses of you and your group.

Nog

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

As previously noted, changing that arbitrary harvest threshold should be one of the main focuses of you and your group.

Nog

And the other user groups will be in opposition saying it’s not fair and the cycle will continue

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

And the other user groups will be in opposition saying it’s not fair and the cycle will continue

Bingo, the ABA is a small cog in the wheel… people assume the ABA can make changes on their own, that’s not how it works.

The NDP Government sat on 4 years of proposals… did nothing, and they had to be re-proposed.

The current Government hasn’t done much better… but you know the whole Covid thing. People love to poke blame at the ABA but they don’t really have a clue how it works or what they do because they aren’t involved as part of the membership or executive and use all sort of assumption to justify why they aren’t involved.

So they just have to accept what happens…

LC

[MrDave]

Funny how some of you are trying to make it sound like just about anyone can get a Disability Crossbow License. First you must have a disability to get the license, second you must be a good hunter to get your animal. I'm allowed 3 whitetails in my zone, just like rifle hunters and bowhunters. We are literally over run with them, I saw around a hundred whitetails in a half mile radius this spring. And the Sky Is Falling people are worried about loss of opportunity lol. I have more farmers willing to give me access to behind their homes than I ever would have believed, because of my ability to kill the pests.

As for the fellow saying I should pull a bow with my teeth, that's hilarious. Apples to oranges. Must be nice to not suffer from disc disease. Not everyone who hunts using the Disability Crossbow License has such a minor disability.