Illegal crossbow use in Utah

[Redbluff77]

I hear the Utah DWR, Utah game wardens, and the state attorneys general office is probably going to start cracking down on the illegal use of crossbow in the state of Utah. As it stands, anyone can use a crossbow with a magnified scope during an any weapon hunt in Utah.
Disabled hunters must have a permanent and physical impairment so severe that he/she cannot use conventional archery equipment. Severely disabled hunters can get a certificate of registration from the Utah DWR to use a crossbow during archery season. Even so those severely disabled hunters are legally only allowed to use a fixed scope 1x, non magnified crossbow scope during archery season in Utah. The rare exception is if a person gets a certificate of registration from the Utah DWR to take wildlife with a telescopic sight if they have a vision impairment leaving them with worse than 20/40 corrected visual acuity in the better eye. These bad eye sight/ vision permits are very hard to get in Utah. A few people have been abusing the privilege of using magnified crossbow scopes/ crossbows during archery season. These people are trying to game the system in drawing limited entry deer/ elk tags in Utah while using illegal crossbow scopes. This problem is really out of control. The Utah DWR is cracking down on people trying to get a crossbow permit during archery season with excuses like a bum shoulder, temporary disabilities, etc false excuses The crossbow regulations aren't clearly written in the big game regulations and that will most likely change soon. Yes, I'm severely paralyzed and I'm a disabled hunter. I don't have an opinion on this new change but I am just relaying this accurate information from a few severely disabled hunters that are getting robbed of great hunting opportunites Thank you

 

[treedagain]

How are they robbing you?

 

[Redbluff77]

How are they robbing me?
Again, don't have an opinion on this issue. Some permanently disabled hunters are disappointed that people are trying to get crossbow permits approved to use for archery season with excuses like shoulder surgery, rotator cuff surgery. I don't make the laws in Utah, but it sounds like those conditions aren't going to fly for crossbow permits anymore. The bigger issue which happened last year in Utah, is "a hunter gets drawn for a premium limited entry paunsaugunt mule deer tag after 20 years of applying" and that disabled person has a legal certificate of registration to use a crossbow during archery season which is great. That disabled person shoots a big buck using a magnified/ telescopic scope, without having the rare impaired vision Certificate of Registration. In reality that is illegal and unfair to the other disabled people who wait 20 years to draw a Pauns. mule deer tag and they follow the rules and use a non telescopic/ non magnified 1x power crossbow scope which only shoots 45 yards accurately compared to 60 -80 yards with magnified scopes.

 

[treedagain]

Rob? No they drew the tag
Is it illegal if a Doctor signs off on that permit?
Are you saying prosecution of the doctor?

 

[Redbluff77]

No, I'm just reinstating the laws so people understand them.

 

[Shadow]

I wouldn’t consider shoulder or rotator cuff surgery an “excuse” to use a crossbow. I had rotator surgery in January and I’d be shocked if I can draw a bow come August.

 

[elkantlers]

There are a lot of liar's that shoot a crossbow. Just sayin'.

 

[elkassassin]

 

[desperatehills]

I think this ranks #341 in troubles in Utah. If a warden sees a hunter with a crossbow and wants to investigate the legal use of it then great. I hardly think it warrants a special task force

 

[Grosventre357]

It looks like a few of the good ole boys in southern Utah will finally be exposed for using crossbows illegally. I know of a few hunting guides that have clients and Instagram-hunting flat brimmer heroes that have admitted to using a crossbow during archery season. They laugh about gaming the system with just a doctor's note and no disability. In 2022 and 2023 all Utah crossbow/drawlock COR disability permits will now have written on the permits " Magnifying scopes can only be used on crossbows during an "any legal weapon" hunt. This document does not allow magnifying scopes greater than 1x magnification) on crossbows during archery hunts. Now, most of these Utards will play dumb when the game warden is writing them a citation. Others will cry wolf and say ban all crossbows in Utah. ?