Air Gun coming to archery seasons in AZ

[Huntermichael]

Greetings all:

 

If you haven't heard, the air gun has been approved for use with crossbow permits during archery seasons.

 

R12-4-216 Crossbow Permit

The Commission proposes to amend the rule to allow a Crossbow Permit holder to use a pre-charged pneumatic weapon, as defined under R12-4-301, using bolts or arrows for the take of wildlife. This change is proposed as a result of customer comments received by the Department.

 

It's time for the archery community in Arizona to unify together and put a stop to this.

 

Please take at look at the attached document and if you agree with this stance, keep reading.

 

ABA Air Bow Position Statement.pdf

 

Here's how YOU can make a difference:

 

1 Write a letter to our delegates. Tell them how you feel

 

2 Tell your friends, ask them to write a letter if they agree.

 

3 If you are involved in any other hunting/archery organization or community, inform them of the situation by passing along the attached document. Then ask them to write a letter, or public stance statement to show unity amongst groups.

 

4 Come to the next commissioners meeting April 6 & 7th in Phoenix. Stand behind us as we stand up to oppose this.

 

Send your letters to:

Jay Cook - jcook@azgfd.gov

rulemaking@azgfd.gov

 

Hope everyone is having an excellent day

Cheers

[el diablo]

So its basically only for champ permit hunters then correct? If a hndicapped person cant shoot a bow they likely cannot set up a cross bow themselves. Guess Im not seeing the big deal. Enlighten me.

[lancetkenyon]

I didn't think crossbows were legal during archery season. Meaning this would not be legal during archery season either?

[GreyGhost85]

Crossbows are only legal during archery season for handicapped hunters that qualify for a license. The pneumatic weapons they are referring to have to shoot arrows as well and do not really offer much advantage over a modern crossbow. I am assuming the reason behind this is handicapped people that qualify for crossbow licenses have difficulty cocking their crossbow. The Benjamin Air Bow is the type of weapon they are describing. We have bigger issues to worry about than handicapped people shooting an airbow.

[PRDATR]

The sky is falling.

[bonecollector777]

So you want to punish people that already have a hard time hunting. Get outta here. There are strict guidelines on handicap people being able to get a crossbow permit. This simply helps them have another option of weapon to use that helps them enjoy hunting and make it easier to hunt. Instead of using energy from limbs to launch an arrow it's letting them use a weapon that uses air to launch and arrow. Big deal. Hopefully you just misunderstood what you read and don't truly want to punish those that already have a hard time hunting due to no fault of their own. If you did understand that and still want to stop them from being able to use pneumatic weapons then you need help.

[trphyhntr]

My elbow hurts

[bonecollector777]

Just read your proposal you attached. Crossbow killed animals have never been able to be entered into pope and young anyway so who cares if pope and young says you can't enter airbow kills? Also according to your definitions crossbows aren't considered "bows" because it's not made or one strip of material held together by a string at two ends. Your proposal makes it sound like we're arming regular perfectly capable hunters with airbows to have an advantage over the animal and other hunters. You forget the hunters using these weapons generally have several other issues normal hunters don't have to deal with regarding walking/stalking/drawing a weapon.

[bonecollector777]

Make sure to go after crossbows all together rather than just stopping airbows. You know because pope and young says so.

[GreyGhost85]

Funny. Author of this post is posing behind a high fenced kudu. What is more sporting? A handicapped person using an airbow or shooting a captive animal?

[thegunsmith2506]

I would be more concerned with how easy it is to get the permit. This is really not an issue.

[Huntermichael]

Thanks for all your kind words gentlemen. Looking forward to meeting you all in the field some day. I'll be sure to come back and post here with you stand up citizens more often.

 

This is not for CHAMP holders. This is for anyone who goes to the doctor and says their shoulder hurts, and wants to shoot an animal from 200 yards with a gun during an archery season.

 

Yes there are people who cannot draw a bow, and yes the crossbow has been made an exception for them.

 

However, the air gun creates an unfair advantage over other archery hunters and the quarry. Some of us do believe in fair chase. And before you go laughing because you think I hunt "high-fence", spot and stalk wild animals with a bow on a 200,000 acre property is still fair chase and by no means easy.

 

Individuals with mobility issues who cannot "walk or stalk" are eligible for a champ permit, where they may use any firearm, gun, or bow that they choose.

 

I have no issue with a guy using an air gun to hunt, how about they just do it in a general hunt where guns are appropriate.

 

Also, I did not mention anything about P&Y scoring or recording air gun or crossbow harvests.

 

Greyghost: if you think Kudu are captive animals, ill bet you've never seen one jump an 8 foot fence.

[Flatlander]

Yeah, xbow permit is really not that hard to get. I know several guys who have them that dont have any trouble with normal every day activities.

[trphyhntr]

road hunting with an airbow in January = Dream hunt

[GreyGhost85]

200 yards? No. What is the difference in one of these and a crossbow that shoots 450fps? I agree crossbow permits should be harder to get, but for law abinding citizens that are actually disabled, these are not an issue. Go after g&f not being so loosey goosey with crossbow permits, not the people that need them.