Illegal crossbow use in Utah

Redbluff77

Redbluff77

Active Member
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I hear the Utah DWR, Utah game wardens, and the state attorneys general office is probably going to start cracking down on the illegal use of crossbow in the state of Utah. As it stands, anyone can use a crossbow with a magnified scope during an any weapon hunt in Utah.
Disabled hunters must have a permanent and physical impairment so severe that he/she cannot use conventional archery equipment. Severely disabled hunters can get a certificate of registration from the Utah DWR to use a crossbow during archery season. Even so those severely disabled hunters are legally only allowed to use a fixed scope 1x, non magnified crossbow scope during archery season in Utah. The rare exception is if a person gets a certificate of registration from the Utah DWR to take wildlife with a telescopic sight if they have a vision impairment leaving them with worse than 20/40 corrected visual acuity in the better eye. These bad eye sight/ vision permits are very hard to get in Utah. A few people have been abusing the privilege of using magnified crossbow scopes/ crossbows during archery season. These people are trying to game the system in drawing limited entry deer/ elk tags in Utah while using illegal crossbow scopes. This problem is really out of control. The Utah DWR is cracking down on people trying to get a crossbow permit during archery season with excuses like a bum shoulder, temporary disabilities, etc false excuses The crossbow regulations aren't clearly written in the big game regulations and that will most likely change soon. Yes, I'm severely paralyzed and I'm a disabled hunter. I don't have an opinion on this new change but I am just relaying this accurate information from a few severely disabled hunters that are getting robbed of great hunting opportunites Thank you
 
Sorry To Hear You are Disabled & Best Of Luck on Your Hunts!

The Same Thing was going on With People Putting any Scope they Wanted on Their SmokePoles when The Law Said No More than 1X!

They Fixed that!

Now You Can Put any Scope You Want on Muzzle-Loaders except Night Vision Type Scopes!

Just Curious?

Anybody know how Many Cross Bow Hunters We Have Here In Utah that are physical impaired?

And Yes,on Any Legal Weapon Hunts,Anything Goes!

They Might Change The Rules & The Laws but I Don't see where the Enforcement will Change?
 
"""I've never even seen anyone using a crossbow in this state."""

I Have!

Actually seen a couple that were Legal!

I've Seen Many Using Some Kinda BS Excuse So They can Drive around on the Extended Archery Hunt & Shoot Their CrossBow's out the Window!

Been Probably about 8-10 Years ago I Met a Guy on SJ that was all By Himself Hunting Archery Elk with His Cross Bow!

You Didn't Even Have to Wonder if this Guy Was Legal or not!

He Was Missing Limbs & Scars on His Body Like You've Never Seen!

Said He'd Got Tangled up in a Boat Prop!

How He Lived I'll Never Know?

His CrossBow was made out of Some AR-15 Pieces!

I Shot it!

It Was Lethal Accurate!

It Was the Damndest CrossBow I've ever Seen!

I Can't remember His Name,I Wanna say Maybe Billy & From Colorado maybe,Anybody know him?

I Was already Helping a Hunter & Woulda Loved To Help Him!

Just Couldn't Figure Out How He Was gonna Take Care of a Bull if He Got One while He was Hunting all alone?

Told Him Where We were Camped in case He Did Get a Bull We'd Damn Sure Help Him!

Never Heard From Him Again?

Anybody Might Know Him?
 
Again, don't have an opinion on this issue. Some permanently disabled hunters are disappointed that people are trying to get crossbow permits approved to use for archery season with excuses like shoulder surgery, rotator cuff surgery. I don't make the laws in Utah, but it sounds like those conditions aren't going to fly for crossbow permits anymore. The bigger issue which happened last year in Utah, is "a hunter gets drawn for a premium limited entry paunsaugunt mule deer tag after 20 years of applying" and that disabled person has a legal certificate of registration to use a crossbow during archery season which is great. That disabled person shoots a big buck using a magnified/ telescopic scope, without having the rare impaired vision Certificate of Registration. In reality that is illegal and unfair to the other disabled people who wait 20 years to draw a Pauns. mule deer tag and they follow the rules and use a non telescopic/ non magnified 1x power crossbow scope which only shoots 45 yards accurately compared to 60 -80 yards with magnified scopes.
 
The Utah RAC committee, Utah DWR, and Utah Game Wardens really need to update the big game rule book and regulations in regards R657-12 to using telescopic sights and crossbows for the disabled hunters. The rules aren't clearing stated and the certificate of registration applications are hard to find and download. I can assure you the Utah DWR and the above groups will take action on this issue.
 
Let's get some stuff straight.

First all crossbow scopes have some level of magnification. Unlike rifle scopes the magnification is actually how you sight the crossbow in. Once the crossbow is sighted in the magnification isn't altered or you won't hit anything ever again. So if you want to tell people they have to use some other form of sight for a crossbow that's fine. But once you tell them an optic is legal than magnification has to become legal. That's how crossbow scopes work. It's nothing like optics on a rifle.

Second, a shoulder surgery rotator cuff surgery is %100 a viable reason for not using normal archery equipment anymore. I know several people that used to use standard archery equipment and it is absolutely %100 impossible for them to still do so because of shoulder injuries and operations. The DWR, or any internet dude, suddenly deciding they are more knowledgeable than physicians which have almost a decade of orthopedic studies and experience is absolute idiocy. Not only is it idiocy but it violates federal discrimination laws.

Most of the people I know that have had rotator cuff surgery are just trying to get to a level of functionality in normal every day life. Things like opening doors, feeding themselves, writing, dressing themselves etc.. those are their goals. Most know there is very little chance of them pulling a bow ever again. A shoulder cuff repair is a life altering experience.

Too bad if you have to share the woods with other people you don't consider as disabled as you.
 
So,
I have suffered an injury in my life that left me paralyzed on my right side. Have no use of my right arm at all. Have killed 2 deer, a lion and a turkey with my bow. I use a mouth tab. So no one needs to use a crossbow right? ?
Look, people want to hunt. If a Dr. fills the form out and the DWR oks the COR, then go for it. Before my paralysis I had 2 labrum tears in my right shoulder. There was no way I could draw my bow for 6-8 months. (I planned my surgeries for January so I wouldn’t miss the Bowhunt ?)

Me being paralyzed the DWR actually denied my COR application the first time. I had to appeal it! So I know they take it a bit more seriously than you think.
This past season I actually got my COR for a crossbow. I found it more difficult to hunt with as I had to have a tripod to hold it up.
I asked a DWR officer about scopes and magnification. He had no idea and said he would research it. He got back to me and said he couldn’t find anything for those of us who qualify. So people just use whatever.
Honestly, I have no problem with someone using these fancy crossbows. There are so few of us out there. As far as a limited entry, I say doesn’t matter anyway. Few hunters, and we are at a disadvantage anyway. Even for the guys that can hold one up.
I just hope I can draw my LE deer tag soon and use my crossbow that shoots 200 yards they will have by the time I draw. ?
 
Doing good! Trying to burn every point and hunt as much as I can before I can’t anymore!
That SJ tag is just out of reach. Probably
3-4 years. By then I wouldn’t doubt they have a 400 yarder!
 
I think rotator cuff surgery or shoulder surgery should qualify one to get a disabled crossbow permit in Utah.
I know Wyoming allows crossbows during archery season and lot's of people use them. I was just listening to a recent episode of the "Meateater" podcast and they mentioned some people are trying pass a law in Montana which would allow the use of crossbows during archery season. I'm curious, do you Montana bowhunters want to allow disabled hunters to use crossbows during archery season, or crossbows for everyone during archery ? Some might say just keep crossbows in the any weapon hunt category !!
 
a arrow is a arrow that what archery is.
Bow now are lots nicer now then the one's I used to shoot, MAYBE the guys with these new bow's need to go back to wood arrows too. How about about a crossbow season that happens after archery season or better yet it happens before the season for hunter over 65 that can't pull back a bow.

LOL
 
It's not a arrow. On a crossbow it's called a bolt.
I don't really care if somebody hunts with a crossbow, but get the terminology right.
Actually, I do love to correct people.
"I let my arrow fly"
Don't you mean bolt?
"Well, yeah"

LOL
 
So?

Would It Be Fair To Say?

And This Isn't Aimed at Anybody That's Handicapped!

This Is Directed at TARDS That Are Breaking the Laws!

A DOLT Shooting a BOLT!
 
Actually, you're wrong. Under modern conventional, and accepted, terms of archery (since 1900) if it's over 16" it is an arrow. Under that, it is still considered a "BOLT". Since modern Xbows shoot 20 or 22" arrows, its archery with some leeway!!
 
I just found this forum a year after but Im one of those rotator cuff surgery survivors from 10 years ago, and I definitely plan to get a crossbow permit for Utah. Worse surgery recovery and rehab I've ever had and I feel lucky to get my shoulder back even to this point compared to others my age (67) who've had it. But to try to pull back a compound 20-30 times an evening to get ready to help ensure an ethical shot isn't happening. Easy for those people with good shoulders to say what they think should happen. but just like all of you, I can only get one deer tag a year, and that's if I'm dang lucky. And if I can't hunt with a crossbow I'll do it with a rifle and guarantee I'm going to take more deer out of the Utah herd in the next 10 years with a rifle than I ever could with a crossbow.
 
elkassassin said:
"""I've never even seen anyone using a crossbow in this state."""

I Have!

Actually seen a couple that were Legal!

I've Seen Many Using Some Kinda BS Excuse So They can Drive around on the Extended Archery Hunt & Shoot Their CrossBow's out the Window!

Been Probably about 8-10 Years ago I Met a Guy on SJ that was all By Himself Hunting Archery Elk with His Cross Bow!

You Didn't Even Have to Wonder if this Guy Was Legal or not!

He Was Missing Limbs & Scars on His Body Like You've Never Seen!

Said He'd Got Tangled up in a Boat Prop!

How He Lived I'll Never Know?

His CrossBow was made out of Some AR-15 Pieces!

I Shot it!

It Was Lethal Accurate!

It Was the Damndest CrossBow I've ever Seen!

I Can't remember His Name,I Wanna say Maybe Billy & From Colorado maybe,Anybody know him?

I Was already Helping a Hunter & Woulda Loved To Help Him!

Just Couldn't Figure Out How He Was gonna Take Care of a Bull if He Got One while He was Hunting all alone?

Told Him Where We were Camped in case He Did Get a Bull We'd Damn Sure Help Him!

Never Heard From Him Again?

Anybody Might Know Him?
Click to expand...
Oh ya I know who you're thinking of! Lietenenant Dan from Forrest Gump right?
 
So, how far can cross bows shoot?? With Magnification? I know archery guys that go past 100 yrds, with accuracy. Do crossbows go further??
 
I had a very close acquaintance whom got a doctor's note claiming his inability to draw a bow and he was able to archery hunt with a crossbow and harvested some very nice bucks.

He would post his numerous gym pictures working out doing dumbbell rows with 150lb bells and 200lb cable rows and was built like an IFBB professional bodybuilder.

Some people are like electricity and water, they will use the least path of resistance unless fully contained.
 
So what's the problem Slam? I'm not being a smartass. Your story has merit but it is misfocused.

What is the problem?
 
I gotcha. I know this dude is working the system. I know people work the system with loopholes, intellectual dishonesty, and flat out lies. I didn't need your story to know that.

So what's the problem? Don't over think the question. It is in no way a trick or an attempt to make you look foolish.

If he lies to the government about a disability you are not harmed. If he goes hunting you are not harmed. I am not saying there isn't a problem here. In fact I fully believe there is a giant problem here. But until you can put your finger on that problem nothing will change for the better.
 
Tri, if you fully agree there is a giant problem here then why are you asking Slam what the problem is? That would be like me reading your question and then asking you what your question is?

So what is your question?
 
Shadow said:
Tri, if you fully agree there is a giant problem here then why are you asking Slam what the problem is? That would be like me reading your question and then asking you what your question is?

So what is your question?
Click to expand...

Because I am learning if I just give yall answers you will want to argue. If you learn to ask and answer the right questions you will actually start to find ways to solve real issues.
 
I just received my Utah disability crossbow/ draw lock COR permit this year in the mail. In 2023 it specifically states on the permit " Magnifying scopes can only be used on crossbows during an "any legal weapon" hunt. This document does not allow magnifying scopes ( greater than 1x magnification) on crossbows during archery hunts. They never used to write that on the permit. "A lot of guys in Utah have been gaming the system" the game warden said !!
 
Interesting discussion.
My recent MRI revealed that both of my shoulders will soon need total shoulder replacement. I've already had rotator cuff surgery on both and I haven't been able to pull a bow back for maybe 8-10 years now. Even though I've had an archery deer permit (dedicated hunter) during that time, I've stopped hunting archery season because something about a crossbow, just hasn't seemed right, and I envision someone crying foul if ever they see me toting a "bolt flinger" on the mountain.

In my opinion we crossed the tipping point, many years ago, regarding what constitutes a legitimate reason for a primitive weapon season and the definition of a "primitive weapon"...be it archery or muzzleloader.

Ultimately, we are all hunters who love to pursue big game. We all have a choice within the law of how and when we apply to do it, and however loosely the laws are written, we each can decide what is ethical and right in the way we hunt.

Some will always game the system, but looking down our noses at how someone else views "ethical and right" doesn't help us, or the cause of hunting. It just pits us against each other and adds fuel to the anti hunting fire.

I hope everyone here has a great hunting season, regardless of how you choose to carry it out.
 
Utah needs to be like Wyoming.
It is a stick and string hunt, doesn’t matter if bow is vertical or horizontal.
Maybe making crossbows legal would help pull people in to the hobby of archery and those people would come out of the muzzleloader and rifle pools.
 
littlebighorn said:
Interesting discussion.
My recent MRI revealed that both of my shoulders will soon need total shoulder replacement. I've already had rotator cuff surgery on both and I haven't been able to pull a bow back for maybe 8-10 years now. Even though I've had an archery deer permit (dedicated hunter) during that time, I've stopped hunting archery season because something about a crossbow, just hasn't seemed right, and I envision someone crying foul if ever they see me toting a "bolt flinger" on the mountain.

In my opinion we crossed the tipping point, many years ago, regarding what constitutes a legitimate reason for a primitive weapon season and the definition of a "primitive weapon"...be it archery or muzzleloader.

Ultimately, we are all hunters who love to pursue big game. We all have a choice within the law of how and when we apply to do it, and however loosely the laws are written, we each can decide what is ethical and right in the way we hunt.

Some will always game the system, but looking down our noses at how someone else views "ethical and right" doesn't help us, or the cause of hunting. It just pits us against each other and adds fuel to the anti hunting fire.

I hope everyone here has a great hunting season, regardless of how you choose to carry it out.
Click to expand...
Sir I was also told I would eventually need total shoulder replacements. I didn’t even know they could do that. I rifle hunt and hope I got a few more left in me. Hang in there, I know from experience you’re in pain daily. Good luck on your hunts.
 
How about first half of archery season long and recurve only.
Then second half of season would allow compound and crossbow.
 

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