IMO, the impact of crossbows is grossly under rated and under noticed. Archery seasons are traditionally long and separate from gun seasons because it requires skill to utilize the weapon, and requires very close range. That is circumvented with crossbows. A crossbow effectively doubles traditional archery range but doesn't require archery skills. Yet they're allowed in archery season.
That's not an argument for nor against them. It's only pointing out the obvious. I'd have to assume much of the increase in older buck harvest is in large part credited to crossbows and/or bait. In states that allow baiting, anybody can take a big buck with a crossbow, no hunting skill required. Two of my neices, both non hunters and one literally a child, shot very nice older age class bucks this season. Both did so because somebody sat them in a blind with a crossbow, overlooking a pile of corn. And perusing through social media shows that same story over and over and over. It is what it is, and probably isn't going to change.
I'm neither here nor there about it, but recognize that it's a real thing. However, I do sometimes wonder what it teaches our young hunters. In a day of instant gratification hunting was a lesson in humility and patience. Even that has now been circumvented. I'm happy for my neices because they're happy, but I fear it's a false sense of accomplishment. What have they actually achieved? They like to compare their antlers with ones I have, which is fun, but inside I know they never got to experience the accomplishment mine represent. My trophies were hard earned and represent something substantial. And those girls are completely ignorant to it. They've each got trophy collections that rival most men who've hunted a lifetime, but neither one could tell you a white oak from a maple. Crossbows and corn piles.
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