posted on October 28, 2009 02:40
An Unstoppable Movement
It’s been less than one year since the Game Commission legalized crossbows here in Pennsylvania. Since that time the Pennsylvania Crossbow Federation has been rallying and leading an unstoppable movement throughout the commonwealth. For the first time crossbow hunters in Pennsylvania have a united voice to represent them at the state capitol. Since its inception the Pennsylvania Crossbow Federation has sent delegates to every Board of Commissioners meeting to testify on behalf of the grass roots crossbow hunters in the state.
The support we’ve received in return has been overwhelming. As our membership continues to grow and crossbow hunters continue to fill the much needed void in our ranks, we’ve been able to accomplish and overcome several obstacles during our short time as an organization. The first of which was the “Optics Ban” the Board of Commissioners placed on all crossbow hunters. After weeks of lobbying, a letter writing/phone call campaign and a special “notational” vote held by the Commissioners themselves, the “Optics Ban” was rightfully repealed. 
Then came the long and heated battle in which certain Commissioners tried to impose their own personal agendas on the entire hunting populous of Pennsylvania. After months of rancorous debate which included radio shows, newspaper interviews, meeting with legislators and Commissioners, and another letter writing/phone call campaign, the Pennsylvania Crossbow Federation as a whole was able to move on and solidify itself as an organization.
In July the Pennsylvania Crossbow Federation became incorporated and an official state chapter of the American Crossbow Federation. One month later the first annual Pennsylvania Crossbow Festival was held in Northwestern, Pennsylvania. Drawing hunters from all parts of the state as well as Ohio. The event was a huge success on many levels. Due in large part to the support of our sponsors. Many of the leading crossbow manufacturers sent reps and donated product for the event. A special “thank you” to Horton Crossbows, Barnett Crossbows, Ten Point Crossbows, Parker Crossbows, Excalibur Crossbows, Hawke Optics, Hunter Safety Systems and Lone Wolf Treestands. Several vendors were also on hand selling their products.
Thousands of dollars in prizes were handed out and one lucky attendee even won a Ten Point Crossbow! Our offices have already received enquiries about hosting next years event. Stay tuned to the Horizontal Bowhunter magazine for dates and details because next years festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. The preceding events paved the way for crossbow enthusiast to embark on a historical moment in the states rich hunting history. The crossbow frenzy reached a climax on October 3rd when tens of thousands of crossbow hunters took to the fall woods for the opening day of archery season.
Free from past stigmatisms, Pennsylvania bowhunters now have the freedom to use their weapon of choice in all of Pennsylvania’s big game seasons. We thank all of our members and sponsors for their support over the past year and for helping us bring these much needed changes to fruition. We look forward to representing you in the future and leading this unstoppable movement into every aspect of Pennsylvania’s hunting heritage!
Game Commission seeks help from PCF
After corresponding with the Pennsylvania Game Commission concerning the crossbows rightful place in Pennsylvania’s future, the Game Commission has decided to include all crossbow harvests (that meet the required minimums) in with PA’s current archery records. There was some debate as to whether or not crossbows would have their own category, but it was decided that they would be listed in the archery records with an asterisk next to the entry.
The Game Commission has asked the Pennsylvania Crossbow Federation to help them secure previous crossbow harvest that may be listed elsewhere. They are also asking that future crossbow entries be forwarded to: PA Game Commission - 2001 Elmerton Ave. - Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797. To date we have located several previous crossbow harvests that will be eligible for PA’s records.
One impressive find was the 2004 harvest of a Montgomery County non-typical whitetail that scored 197. This buck will become the new Pennsylvania archery state record. For additional information go our website at www.pacrossbow.com. We also encourage all successful hunters to forward us a photo of their crossbow harvest so we can list them on our website.