Are Airbows Coming to Your State?
It’s been 5 years since the first Airbow showed up, loud and proud, at the annual ATA Show. If you attended the show, you no doubt heard the weapon being demonstrated on the range through the 3-day event. It’s gotta be the loudest weapon to ever grace the range at an ATA event.
Later that year, we posted an article addressing all the excitement and controversy this new weapon was creating. Some thought this Airbow, which isn’t really a bow at all, would be the death of the archery industry as we know it. Others saw it as nothing more than another non-bow weapon trying to wiggle its way into archery hunting seasons across the country.
So after 5 years, we want to take a moment to revisit this most controversial of weapons to see how states are welcoming, or shunning, its use for hunting purposes.
You can see the Action Alert letter below…
ACTION ALERT: KEEP “AIRBOWS” OUT OF OKLAHOMA’S ARCHERY SEASON!
Dear ATA Member,
We need your help encouraging elected officials to VOTE NO on legislative efforts to include “airbows” in archery season! Legislation is currently moving swiftly through the Oklahoma legislature that would allow arrow-shooting airguns to be used during archery season. Click HERE to ask your Oklahoma State Senator and State Representative to VOTE NO on legislation that would allow airguns in the archery season.
Your ATA position on arrow-shooting airguns, often but inappropriately referred to as “airbows”, is that they lack the basic components of standard archery equipment (e.g., a string system and limbs) and should therefore not be authorized for use during archery hunting seasons. The Airgun Sporting Association (ASA), which is the trade association for the airgun industry, agrees! ASA’s “Guidelines for State Wildlife Agency Regulations” clearly conveys that “Arrow shooting airguns should not be considered “archery” equipment”. These sentiments prevail among related industries, constituencies, state legislatures all across the US, and even on Capitol Hill with the Congressional Sportsman Foundation.
Dan Forster
Vice President and Chief Conservation Officer, Archery Trade Association
What Exactly Is An Airbow?
To give you a better idea of what this weapon truly is, here’s a look at the specs on a typical airbow, or Pre-Charged Pneumatic (PCP) Airbow, as some prefer to call them.
The Pioneer Airbow by Benjamin
- Powered by 3000 psi of compressed air
- Integrated pressure regulator delivers 8 consistent shots at 450 FPS
- Bullpup configuration, short 33.5” overall length
- Ambidextrous top cocking bolt
- BONUS: Realtree AP camo decals included
- Comes with 3 custom arrows with field tips, 6×40 mm scope, sling and quiver
- 160 fpe with 375 gr arrows @ 450 FPS
- Length: 33.5 inches
- Weight: 7 pounds
You may recall the video where Jim Shockey put the weapon to use on what appears to be a high-fence bison hunt for testing purposes. After putting two arrows in the bison with the Airbow, his remarks were, “That changes everything.”
But has the Airbow truly changed anything at all? Are states now allowing their use as a viable weapon in archery-only seasons?
The answer is, no.
However, there are a number of states that continue to add the Airbow to their list of weapons allowed for hunting, along with other weapons like rifles, pistols, muzzleloaders and others. And, as mentioned above, states like Oklahoma are making a more aggressive push for inclusion of the Airbow into archery seasons.
But best we can tell, at this point, the Airbow is still shunned as legitimate archery gear for archery-only hunting seasons across the country. Exceptions includes states like Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington that allow the use of the Airbow during archery-only seasons for hunters with a disability. And there is an application process for any hunter seeking such classification.
See the map below for a look at the states that recognize the use of an Airbow for specific hunting seasons (not archery-only seasons).
With that said, another state that is experiencing legislative efforts to push Airbows into their hunting season is Iowa. Yes, Iowa! It’s one of the most conservative states in the country when it comes to keeping things tight on how and when you notch your deer tag.
In fact, it’s one of the few states where the use of crossbows are reserved only for hunters at least 65 years old, or those who have a physical handicap that prevents them from shooting a typical bow.
What about you? What are your thoughts on the Airbow? Should they be allowed during archery seasons? Comment below, and let us know what you think.