Crossbow issue to be revisited – PennLive.com

BY MARCUS SCHNECK mschneck@comcast.net

After fierce debate among sportsmen and members of the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners, crossbows are legal for use in archery seasons for bear and deer this fall and winter.

However, the agenda for this week's meeting of commissioners is expected to include preliminary consideration of a proposal from Commissioner Ron Weaner, who describes himself as an “avid archer,” to again restrict crossbow use, even before the new legalization.

Under his proposal, crossbows would be permitted during the first two weeks of the statewide early archery deer season; only by disabled hunters with a permit to use crossbows for the remainder of the early archery season and the late archery season; for all deer seasons, including the early and late archery seasons, in wildlife management units 2B, 5C and 5D; only by disabled hunters with special permits during the two-day archery bear season; and in muzzleloader deer hunting seasons by hunters with a license.

When he requested consideration of the proposal at the conclusion of the April commissioner meeting, Weaner said, “If it can happen for this year [which began July 1 for the new hunting license year], I'd like to see it happen this year.”

However, if commissioners give preliminary approval to the proposal this week, it would need to come up for second consideration and final approval in the future.

All materials offered to hunters for this fall and winter's hunting seasons list crossbows as legal throughout all archery seasons on deer and bear. Click Link Below for Full Story.

via Crossbow issue to be revisited – PennLive.com.