By Bill Cooper

In my 35 years as an outdoor writer, never have I been the victim of libel until the response of one individual to my crossbow article in the September issue of the Traveler. Libel is a written or printed statement tending to injure a person’s reputation unjustly. This individual strayed far from the issues at hand to attack my reputation and integrity in news print. I totally agree with Editor Styron that it is sad when people who disagree with a point choose to ignore facts as stated and instead attack a person’s integrity. This individual went so far as to cancel his subscription, maybe in hopes of getting me fired. (more…)

Dear Emory,

If the crossbow story missed the mark so did the respondents. First permit
me an explanation.

I am 66 years old. I built my first bow from a hickory limb, bailer twine
string, early in the Korean War. Around the end of that war an older cousin
from St. Louis gave me a self bow he had made as a shop project. Wow, a real bow. I thought I had arrived. (more…)

It was with great interest that I read criticisms of the crossbow hunting article I wrote in last month’s Traveler. Of particular interest to me is Mr. Goodman’s assessment of me and the editor of Traveler, Emery Styron.

Mr. Goodman suggested that the article material was unfit to be printed. Must I remind him that this is the United States of America, where freedom of speech and freedom of press are two of our dearest rights under the U. S. Constitution? I intend to continue both for as long as I breathe. (more…)

To the Editor,
It was with great disappointment that I read Mr. Cooper’s article about crossbows that you saw fit to publish in your magazine. Mr. Cooper obviously wants to take as many shortcuts as it takes to get an easy deer during bow season. Mr. Cooper wants to skip all of the hours of practice that is necessary to become proficient with a bow and instead rely on a crossbow and his misplaced rangefinder, and then has the nerve to sling mud at the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for denying him and everyone like him the chance to take the easy way out. (more…)

Dear Editor,
I for one am opposed to allowing the use of the crossbow in archery season except for those who have a true disability and cannot shoot a bow.
Both writers mentioned the fact of crossbows being heavy and awkward to use and store, but we are led to believe they will be able to be used by women and children? By the time they are able to handle a heavy crossbow, with a little practice they should be able to draw and accurately shoot a bow. You do not need to shoot a high poundage bow to take a deer. (more…)

I have been informed that you are pushing for the expansion of the use of the crossbow in Missouri to more than the handicapped. This is just plain wrong.
Archery season was meant to be a primitive equipment sport from the start. Then the Allen compound bow came on the scene and was allowed to be used as a bow. No one ever thought the compound bow would evolve from the original Allen (piece of junk) to the state it has today when it was first allowed. (more…)

Dear Editor:

With all due respect to Mr. Cooper, I feel that he himself has “missed the mark” with regards to the crossbow issue in Missouri.

Taking into account its long history and effectiveness as a weapon, the crossbow certainly has a place in the hunting community. The crux of the matter lies in the fact that once the crossbow is cocked, it remains ready to fire with absolutely no effort on the part of the hunter. This is a very important distinction in its classification as a firearm. (more…)

Before I get to the point of my e-mail, I will tell you that I have been a subscriber for several years and in the past have really enjoyed your paper and always looked forward to each issue. Now you can cancel it.

In the September issue, I read several articles promoting the use of crossbows. The first article was a perfect example of why they don’t belong in archery season. It isn’t so much the weapon as it is the mentality that comes with it. Mr. Cooper starts off stating how easy it was to “become proficient” with it. Later in his story he shoots himself in the foot by misjudging the yardage on a close shot and luckily for the deer, missed totally. Are you telling me that a person with Mr. Cooper’s 30 years’ experience can’t estimate 20 yards? (more…)

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece, along with two stories about crossbow hunting were published in the September 2008 print edition of River Hills Traveler, and produced a number of letters to the editor protesting Mr. Cooper’s views. Those letters are posted as entries below. We invite our online readers to participate in the discussion.

By Bill Cooper
Hunters and soldiers have been using the crossbow since well before the birth of Christ. The Chinese first used them in combat at the battle of Ma-Ling in 341 BC. They were still being used by Montagnard peoples and U.S. Special Forces during the Vietnam Conflict. In the last 20 years, crossbows have grown in popularity in the United States sparking a hot controversy among hunters and wildlife managers concerning the sporting qualities of the weapon and whether or not they should be legal for hunting. (more…)