QuoteOriginally posted by Bowwild:
 Neither are they under duress in most eastern states.

In NC, we just lost a week of archery season so Muzzleloader season could start a week earlier and last longer.

The wildlfe resource commission is under great pressure from the automobile insurance companies to get more deer killed to reduce accidents, and since bow hunters are not a high success rate method, and have a long season, the target, so to speak, is on our backs.

I would consider our season "under duress".

I think this "automobile insurance company pressure" thing is a factor for sure, but not nearly as influential nor as serious as the pressure being applied by manufacturer's who mostly use it as a reason to sell opportunists more equipment and to ask for a bigger slice of the pie from primitive weapons seasons that were fought for and earned by bowhunting pioneers. Maybe I'm wrong but I have always thought the insurance theory is mostly a cover up excuse to put the blame on someone else while asking for more opportunity to sell "tools."

Case in point, Oklahoma Limited harvest bear season.  Year one, 20 bear quota.  If 20 bears are not killed by the beginning of black powder season, then the black powder rifles get a crack.  After black powder is over then it's back to bow only until 20 are taken.  19 bears were killed that first year.

Year two 33 bears taken the first day.  Year two was the first time crossbows had been allowed as archery equipment in the state without a special handicapped permit.  

Lost BOwhunting opportunities for a lot of people who had purchased the $100 tag but couldn't hunt until the weekend.

Bass Pro and the other stores couldn't keep enough cross bows in stock that first year.  

Apathy and indifference abound among the typical bowhunter.  I hope Fred Eichler uses his platform wisely, we could use the help!