Why crossbows should be legal on bison hunts

Let me continue my effort in last week’s column to tell you about the two proposals I submitted to the Board of Game for consideration at next year’s statewide meeting.

In case you missed it, my first proposal was to allow crossbows in hunts on state game refuges, in state management areas, in so-called “weapons restricted” hunt areas, and on special hunts when muzzleloaders and/or shotguns are also allowed (along with bow-and-arrow equipment). The second proposal asks to allow crossbows in the drawing permit bison hunts around the state.

Basically, I use the same arguments in the second as I did in the first — if a firearm is allowed with bow-and-arrow, why not allow crossbows?

There’s a second part to the bison “methods and means” proposal. Currently, regulations for bison permit hunts allow a centerfire rifle or handgun, a muzzleloading rifle, or bow-and-arrow equipment for hunting, as long as the particular implement meets specified criteria. Both the muzzleloading and bow-and-arrow requirements are the same as the standard requirements for hunting big game in Alaska. The centerfire rifle/handgun criteria are more specific then any general statewide requirements.

The regulations for centerfire rifles and handguns to hunt bison require a minimum 200-grain or larger bullet, which retains at least 2,000 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. A 30-06 rifle with a 220-grain bullet is about the minimum that meets this regulation. Those criteria essentially eliminate the legal use of a whole class of centerfire cartridges that were used 140 years ago to virtually destroy millions of plains bison on America’s grasslands: the blackpowder centerfire rifle cartridges.

Modern ballistics calculations are based on the kinetic energy, or foot-pounds, of energy a particular load develops when it is fired. The specific formula uses the velocity squared of the load in the figuring. When a bullet is traveling at 2,600 to 3,000 feet per second (fps), and that velocity is squared, you can see how these 2,000 to 5,000 foot-pounds of energy are created. The high velocity contributes to tremendous hydrostatic shock transmitted to the animal when the bullet strikes. That’s what kills — shock and tissue damage.

Blackpowder rifle cartridges follow a different process. The most popular cartridges during the bison-market-hunting days of the 19th century used larger-diameter and heavier bullets than today’s blackpowder rifle cartridges. The previously popular bullets moved more slowly toward their target than the smaller, faster bullets that beeline in.

Let’s look at the .50-90 cartridge. The “Big Fifty,” as it was known to professional bison hunters, fired around a 450-grain bullet, half an inch in diameter, at about 1,350 fps. The momentum generated by that large bullet during its flight to the target developed tremendous penetrating potential, usually total penetration.

A half-inch-diameter bullet of any kind would punch a hole about twice as large as that of a 30-06 bullet, and a 50-caliber bullet wouldn’t have even started to expand yet. The 50-caliber bullet also weighs twice what the 30-06 bullet does, leading to deeper penetration with resulting tissue damage and bleeding.

I shot an adult cow bison with my 50-90 Sharps rifle. The first shot hit broadside just behind the front shoulder at about 215 yards, resulting in total penetration through both lungs. My second shot was a little low and the bullet damaged the front “knee” joint, passed through the brisket area and lodged in the offside front knee joint at about 265 yards. My finishing shot was another broadside lung shot at close range, and I saw the bullet dig into the ground on the offside of the animal.

The ballistics of that particular 50-90 load would marginally meet the current centerfire requirements, but with blackpowder probably would fall somewhat below 2,000 foot-pounds at 100 yards. However, total penetration at over 200 yards would seem to indicate the load was more than adequate to kill the 1,000-pound animal.

I’m proposing the Board of Game legalize specific blackpowder cartridge calibers for bison hunting. I suggested the specific calibers most commonly used in the 1870-1880 bison-hunting era, but I’m looking at different “intent” language to simplify things a bit. I’ll be submitting that intent language in the form of an RC, or record copy, when the meeting comes around.

Hunting in Alaska is supposed to be about opportunity for the most folks possible while maintaining a healthy wildlife resource. Restricting types of hunting tools simply because of prejudice or misunderstanding is not in the best interest of the future of hunting. If the tool can kill humanely under normal circumstances, there’s no valid reason to prohibit it.