The much-anticipated Crossbow Deer Hunter Survey report from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is sure to be well-read-and well-received-by those companies and individuals involved in the manufacture, marketing and sale of crossbows for use in deer hunting.

An advance copy of the 19-page report, set to be officially released this Thursday at the regular meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, was graciously provided to The Archery Wire by MDNR Public Information Officer Ed Golder yesterday.

The survey analyzes the impact of the crossbow since its legalization for use during the regular archery deer-hunting season beginning in 2009, through the 2011 season. The data contained in the report was gathered from a sampling of 2,000 hunters who opted to use a crossbow during the 2011 archery season.

Through the issuance of a crossbow permit stamp, the DNR has able to accurately track the growth in crossbow use, as well as determine the success rate for those opting to carry one afield.

It's no surprise that during the three years covered in the survey data, the number of crossbow hunters-and the number of deer harvested by crossbow hunters-increased exponentially.

The percentage of Michigan hunters taking part in the archery hunt opting for crossbows increased from 18.6 percent in 2009, to 29.5 percent in 2010 and to 36.8 percent in 2011. During that same period of time, the number of crossbow hunters grew from 56,915 in 2009, to 90,615 in 2010, and to 118,573 in 2011.

While the number of deer taken by crossbow hunters during those years rose from 24,882 in 2009, to 38,310 in 2011 and to 54,902 in 2011, the percentage of success remained nearly the same, hovering around 37 percent.

In 2008, the year before crossbows became legal during the archery season, bowhunters enjoyed a 42 percent success rate.

As for the doomsday predictors who asserted that permitting crossbows in the woods would result in a decimated deer herd and a drastically reduced gun harvest, well, those claims just don't hold up.

Further, the survey data indicates the crossbow is helping attract more hunters, while aiding in the retention of older ones and recruitment of younger ones.

"Authorization of crossbows during Michigan's archery deer season appeared to be an important factor for recruiting and retaining a number of new archers," the report states, "increasing the recreational opportunity for those (who) had previously hunted in the archery season, and improving the quality of hunts for archers using a crossbow."

Other factoids gathered from the Michigan Crossbow Hunter Survey:

- 88% of the crossbow hunters indicated their experience hunting with a crossbow had met all or most of their expectations.

- Around 65% of the crossbow hunters improved the quality of their hunt.

- 77% of the crossbow hunters agreed that in comparison to other types of bows (1) crossbows were easier to use, (2) it took less time to become proficient with crossbows, (3) they were more accurate with crossbows, and (4) they were more confident they could harvest a deer using a crossbow.

- About half of the crossbow hunters surveyed agreed that (1) using crossbows allowed them to hunt more often, (2) they would not hunt during the archery season if crossbows could not be used, and (3) they would not want to hunt in the archery season if crossbows could not be used.

- About 52% of crossbow hunters reported using crossbows increased how often they hunted in the archery season, and 27% indicated using a crossbow had increased the number of deer they took in the archery season.

- About 96% of the crossbow hunters planned to use a crossbow to hunt in future archery seasons in Michigan and 57% of crossbow hunters planned to increase the amount of time they hunt in future seasons.

As lawmakers and game managers in other states-most namely Wisconsin and Illinois-consider expanding crossbow-hunting opportunities, they would be well-served to spend some time reading the new report from Michigan, rather than listening to the alarmists who associate crossbows with Armageddon, Beelzebub, melting polar icecaps and the decimation of the American whitetail deer.

-J.R. Absher
Editor, The Archery Wire

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