Public Hearing on HB 968...
 

Looks like the Public Hearing the latest "crossbows in October" bill has been set for Tuesday, March 10.

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLoo...81R&Bill=HB968

What's the game plan?

Great on a full moon.

Is it true that states like Alaska, Arkansas and 1 or 2 more that added cross bows to their archery only season ended up making the archery season longer?

Contact each member of the committee by phone, and email and let them know your position on the bill. I sent a letter from LSBA to each of them via email today and will followup on Monday with phone calls. Here are the contact numbers.

Mark Homer 512-463-0650
Donna Howard 512-463-0631
Dawnna Dukes 512-463-0506
Tracy King 512-463-0194
Tim Kleinschmidt 512-463-0682
Edmund Kuempel 512-463-0602
Brian McCall 512-463-0594
Larry Phillips 512-463-0297
Kristi Thibaut 512-463-0514

If any of these folks happen to be your representative a personal visit would go a long way.

I will post up the email address when I get home this evening and a copy of the letter I sent.

The email format goes like this:

mark.homer@house.state.tx.us

Here is a copy of the letter I sent each of the members:

In 1975 there was an agreement made between the bowhunters of Texas and the legislature that in exchange for a fee (the archery stamp) the bowhunters would have a season established for archery only hunting. This effort resulted in the establishment of the Special Archery Season and the birth of the Lone Star Bowhunter Association (LSBA).

Since that time there have been numerous attempts to open the season to other forms of hunting such as muzzleloaders, crossbows, and rifles. Each time the LSBA has had to defend the agreement that was made. This is another one of those attempts.
The LSBA opposes the provisions of HB 968 which will allow the use of crossbows during the Special Archery Season. Crossbows are not recognized as archery equipment. By their own admission crossbow manufacturers boast that their equipment shoots “like a gun.” If you need confirmation of that fact please take a moment to view the video at: The LSBA is not opposed to the use of crossbows for hunting. The current regulations which allow the use of crossbows during the General Season and by upper limb handicapped persons during the Special Archery Season are adequate and are strongly supported by the LSBA. The only people who will benefit from this change to the regulation will be the crossbow manufacturers and a minimal number of hunters who will choose to hunt with them.
There will be an argument made it will increase opportunities for women and children to hunt during archery season. This argument was rendered mute when the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commissioners eliminated the minimum draw weight for archery equipment last March. In fact I have heard several success stories from this past season of kids as young as 7 taking deer with archery equipment.

There will be an argument made that it will increase license sales. I seriously doubt that. I believe the majority of the people that will be hunting with crossbows in the Special Archery Season will be folks that will also be hunting with guns during the General Season and who would have bought a license anyway. I have talked with TPW and they have no way of accurately determining the impact on license sales aside from a guess. My guess is that there will be no increase in the number of new hunters and NO increase in license sales. There exists no army of potential new crossbow hunters. The truth is that the only ones desiring this measure are rifle hunters who just want to hunt in the October SPECIAL ARCHERY SEASON, but who won’t learn to shoot a bow!!

The original agreement was crafted by a lot of hard work from dedicated bowhunters and legislators. The LSBA is asking you to honor their efforts and reject HB 968.

Sincerely,

Jack Jetton
President
Lone Star Bowhunter Association
281-910-1432


Just remember to remain respectful in your letters and phone calls.

I like the way my question as gone un-answered & the pres of the assn has read around it like never seeing it. I guess that why people refer to bow hunters as elitist?

http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm

Here is how to find the senate & house rep for people

Busted you got something to say to me you have my number. I haven't answered your question because I don't know the answer. If I did I would have.

Jack, If I had something to say to you I would call. I was pointing out the fact that the president of my association skated around the question like nothing was asked at all. A simple "I don't know" would have worked.

OK let me re-phrase. If they offered to extended the bow season like they have done in other states if crossbows were allowed would that sway anyone's opinion on them in our season?

No! Where exactly would you extend it? I'd like to see a youth archery season the weekend prior to the special archery season, but where would you extend the archery season? I'm not for crossbows in archery season, especially since they are only going to improve in technology.

I see what your saying..It just seems when the anti's pull their divide & conquer (which they do every 6 months it seems) it would be nice to let one blow up in their face. I mean every time they can separate hunters & make us fight amongst ourselves they won in one way or another. I dont know where they could extend it. I was just trying to come up with an offensive look at it instead of always feeling like we are on our heels.
I need to go back to work before I go nuts.. You can only rearrange the shed so many times.

Lots of good quotes on that video...looks like a gun, shoots like a gun, "cock it", "load it", "anyone could be stacking arrows in just a few minutes"...yeah, that AR-15 lower unit makes a real good riser for a bow. LOL :D

Thanks for posting, Jack.

More letters going out now, phone calls on Monday.

I would like to go and speak at the hearing as an individual but I won't be able to attend the hearing Tuesday due to work. I hope some others can attend to represent the LSBA as a whole.

BAR, nobody here wants to fight, Jack wasn't ignoring ya buddy. I appreciate where you're coming from, while the anti's might benefit in some minor way from this type of division in our ranks, they are not to blame...it's Generation Asterisk. ;)

BAR,

You're wasting your breath.There is no middle ground when it comes to LSBA's stance on archery season.

Fixed that for you, Travis. ;)

Eventually this too. SHALL PASS!:D