I would rather it didn't! That's when they give us more rules!!

 

both aspects have their pros and cons.

 

both aspects have their pros anc cons.

but i dont know if i like it either. but u gota take if from both ways

 

True

 

I see it as more computation, Less fish (I know that's the goal but come on no bowfisher wants less fish haha), More people that can be disrespectful, exc

 

The pro-arguement would be more people on your side, for more voting power if the sport came down to a vote (either, county, state or nationaly).


Most people in the general public, doesn't even know that bowfishing is legal now, it wouldn't bother them if it all ended tomorrow. At least new people getting in the hobby will help with pecentages by letting their friends/family know more about the sport. Thereby getting the message out to the masses.

 

The old rules still apply today and I try to abide by them.If you want to keep a good spot good then keep your mouth shut.I was hunting with my uncle when I killed one of my first big bucks.After we loaded it he shut the tailgate and I let it back down.He put it back up with a slam,then he sternly told me something I'll never forget.....We don't advertise!

 

this is true!

 

Con = places more crowded, more disrespectful fish dumping, more laws ...

Pro = more bowfishing supplies sold turns into more vendors making new stuff, more kids getting off the cell phones and computers...

Change is inevitable, it's our job to teach all the newbies the way our sport should be enjoyed

 

Thar pretty much sums up my thoughts on it. There's ups and downs to everything, and I'd rather see more people coming into the sport than our numbers shrinking.

 

It seems every year bowfishing grows by leaps and bounds,many new companies getting involved,more tournaments,lots of new people getting into the sport,etc. My opinion is its a double edge sword,want to see it grow to the level of regular fishing/hunting but feel like it should keep a low profile so as not to attract unwanted attention from the antis and dogooders.The old what do you do with them question always leads the way with all new people learning about the sport and makes me uneasy when i hear it asked.Sooner or later the give them away or bury them answer ain't going to cut it anymore if the sport keeps growing the way it is now.

 

Look what happened to deer hunting though, its disgusting commercialization (sp) and all the popularity ruined it, one of the reasons I love shooting fish is because its such a low key sport, I would rather it stay that way.

 

I see your point but here is my view.

A lot of us including myself have worked HARD to promote the sport and get it the legitimacy yall enjoy. After all...It is very likely that someone introduced YOU to bowfishing and made it popular with you. Whether that was by taking you or whether it was a video or tv show you watched. There was a time when there were very few serious bowfishermen, no forums to play on, and no place to just go buy equipment.
The benifits you enjoy of getting on this site, buying a bow, reel, or arrows any time you want, or comparing prices from a dozen different companies are a DIRECT result of our hard work introducing the outdoor community to the sport and the accompanied growth.
The only way to maintain our rights to bowfish is by continues POSITIVE exposure for our sport. Please continue to introduce newbies to the sport. There are plenty fish to shoot. The common carp population is booming and the silvers are taking over.

Please dont be selfish. Remember, someone shared with you..pass it along.

 

I see your point but here is my view.

A lot of us including myself have worked HARD to promote the sport and get it the legitimacy yall enjoy. After all...It is very likely that someone introduced YOU to bowfishing and made it popular with you. Whether that was by taking you or whether it was a video or tv show you watched. There was a time when there were very few serious bowfishermen, no forums to play on, and no place to just go buy equipment.
The benifits you enjoy of getting on this site, buying a bow, reel, or arrows any time you want, or comparing prices from a dozen different companies are a DIRECT result of our hard work introducing the outdoor community to the sport and the accompanied growth.


The only way to maintain our rights to bowfish is by continues POSITIVE exposure for our sport. Please continue to introduce newbies to the sport. There are plenty fish to shoot. The common carp population is booming and the silvers are taking over.

Please dont be selfish. Remember, someone shared with you..pass it along.

I see less commons but you are right the silvers are talking over!!!!

 

well put Steve

 

Like garguy said.... dude som1 got u into bowfishing (unless u were the 1st bowfisher ever) an personally I'm very happy sum1 showed me into the sport.... an I ain't going to lie I try to get every1 I no an meet into it........

jmo

 

Personally I don't see any good that can come out of it.Nobody introduced me to the sport.I shot fish 25 years ago before seeing it on tv and before knowing what a bowfishing reel was.Always fished,gigged and bowhunted.Just put two and two together and have been doing it every since.I've taken a lot of people and showed them how to do it and got bit in the ass for it many times.The only time I even screw with taking someone is when they show a lot of interest in learning about it.Every time one of them dumb bastards throw fish at the ramp or on the bank the damn lynch mob come down on me and another guy.Everyone around thinks were the only two that do it because we've done it for so long but we get the blame and I guess we should.

 

i sure as heck dont like it i dont take new people anymore

 

this is true because he kicked me out of the boat before a tourney because he thought i couldnt shoot, then his motor blows up...karma lol jk BC

 

It's a double edged blade.

 

Growth is good for the sport. I have introduced many to the sport and will introduce as many more as I can. I'm not greedy for fish it is ment to be enjoyed with friends, and others who enjoy the bowfishing.

 

Some of it depends upon where you live and how many fish are available to shoot. There are next to none on our side of the mountains so a 3 hour trip to eastern Wa will end up costin me 200$ let alone the maintenance of everything. I always go to the same lake and shoot night and day until I'm dead dog tired. If there is anybody else on that lake the fish will do their best to hide and shooting is not near as good. Do I want other people there...selfishly...no! It just can not support other people. Would love to live in an area as some of you do where there are many lakes and rivers full of fish just waiting to be shot and party it up with other bowfishers as well, but that ain't happenin.

 

As was said by many above, it's a double edged sword. It wouldn't be so bad if everybody did it right, unfortunately there are a lot of people that are just too damn lazy to follow the rules and end up ruining it for the rest of us. On the bright side, maybe as more and more bowfishing gear is bought the product prices may drop a little.

 

The sport has grown in leaps and bounds around here in the last two years especially. The more people do it, the more crowded the waters are getting. This is not that big of a problem. The problem around here has been lazies dumping fish at the ramp and on the roadsides. There just has to be a better way to police this. Im all for growth, but not at the expense of my enjoyment of the sport (as selfish as that may seem). If a negative light continues to be cast, there will be further regulation (which may help aid in dumping), and could ultimately lead to the sport diminishing.

I have started taking more and more kids bowfishing in the recent years, and have enjoyed that more than anything.


Clay

 

Like some said the more in it the more laws and regulations I'm afraid of other n that I have no probs

 

When i started you only seen small touranments in little archery clubs the 3D shooters were growing leaps and bounds. Then a few started getting published in archery mag. i think 3 were shown in the 70's and buddy they were packed with shooters my first tourny was on lake belton near Waco Texas there were over 120 teams most from Texas all but us. The 3D scene went with tournaments every weekend and now around here you have to look real hard to even find a 3D tourny. When the recuve shooters split from the 3D shooters it has almost fell apart here. Anyway back to bowfishing it first blew up in Texas with two major tournys a year then Okla. and Alabama and has grew ever since thats what caused the B.A.A. to come about from a few tournys. with the oldest tournament in the U.S.A. was the carp-a-ree in lake Seminole in Florida/ Georgia. Bowfishing has grown you guys are not the first to fling arrows it's been happening way before all of us but its now in the hunting world spotlight it just needs to be in a positive manner where ever it happens by the weekend shooter or the tourny scene or by the people who make videos the reason bowfishing is known by more is because of people showing the world what bowfishing has to offer a family not just the guys. I have never been on a lake to crowded to bowfish even if a tournament was going. The fish dumping needs to be policed by us thats one of the biggest black eyes we get we have hauled off others fish off boat ramps before its not fun but i did not want our sport to get a black eye. Please just keep bowfishing in a positive manner no matter what kind of it you do. For better outdoors take a kid hunting & fishing it's our future. Randy

 

If you do not like the positivity and the popularity of the sport then you are a fool. Quit griping and *****ing about the number of people and how their isent any fish for you. Grow up start educating people and promote the sport to show people how it should be done and preserved for the future to come. If you can't kill fish that's your problem.

 

This topic may be the one and only reason living in Southern California is a good thing right now. I have been working to get the sport legalized here and now there are about ten lakes opened. Once they open I am the only guy out there much of the time. I know that will change but that's a good thing since even more lakes will see the added revenue the sport brings not to mention a free way to keep the carp numbers somewhat in check. In this economy these lakes are missing an opportunity to cash in on our love of the sport by keeping it illegal.

 

I have no problem introducing people to the sport, I have and will continue to, but I dont ask everyone I meet if they ask me and show interest I'll take them, and if i take them to a good spot they understand if they wana keep going they shouldnt tell anyone haha.

 

op: