The question isn’t just “Is a crossbow a bow?”—it’s what archery season is supposed to mean. We sit down to unpack New York’s decision to allow crossbows throughout the entire archery season, why the change matters, and how it collides with tradition, ethics, and the rapid march of hunting technology. From shop stories about blown limbs and mis-cocked rigs to real talk about broadhead tuning, safe handling, and shot selection, we focus on the one thing that truly decides outcomes: preparation.

We explore who benefits most from crossbows—new hunters, kids, seniors, and those with shoulder injuries—and why access can strengthen the entire hunting community. At the same time, we challenge the idea that “easier” always means better. Do faster bolts and crank systems encourage risky long shots? Are electronic ranging sights, live trail cams, and blood-tracking apps pushing fair chase too far? We compare the realities of drawing a compound at 20 yards to flipping a safety on a crossbow, and ask whether season structures should evolve—separate windows, tech limits, or combined seasons guided by hunter input and biology.

Our take lands on balance: welcome more people into the woods, raise the bar on education and ethics, and draw lines where technology undermines the hunt rather than where people find a way back into it. If you’ve got strong feelings about crossbows diluting the spirit of bowhunting—or you see them as a vital on-ramp—this conversation is your place to sharpen the argument, not just repeat it.

Enjoy the episode, then tell us where you stand. Subscribe, share with a hunting partner, and leave a review with your best case for or against crossbows in archery season—what line would you draw?

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