Controversy Over Pneumatic Arrow-Shooting Device Intensifies
ATA: Airbows Are Not Archery Equipment
The Archery Trade Association (ATA) last week issued a statement that stirred-up the debate over one of the most controversial new items introduced in the hunting and shooting-sports genre in recent memory: the Crosman Corporation's Benjamin Pioneer Airbow®. The airbow is a precharged pneumatic device utilizing 3000-psi compressed air to launch a carbon fiber arrow up to eight times on a single charge -- at purported velocities of 450 feet-per-second.
At the request of its members and representatives of state wildlife agencies, the ATA Board of Directors released its position statement on airbows following its bi-annual summer board meeting in Washington, DC, July 11-12.
Citing a lack of “basic components of standard archery equipment,” including a string system and limbs, the ATA statement concluded the device does not fall under its definition of archery equipment.
Further, the ATA statement continued, “the airbow (unlike archery equipment) is not subject to federal excise tax, the basic funding mechanism for state wildlife agencies, which means no portion of the proceeds from airbow purchases contribute to the state wildlife conservation activities supported by Pittman Robertson funds- at least not to ATA’s knowledge.”
The archery industry’s primary trade association went on to submit that potential hunting seasons and regulations governing the use of airbows should be relegated to each state’s wildlife agency and its hunters. Presently, under state regulations, the device is legal to use only in some predator hunting applications in selected states, but is not legal for any standard big game hunting seasons at the present time.
In days following the ATA release of its airbow policy statement, the Crosman company crafted and released its response. While the company admitted pneumatic devices such as its Airbow® are currently exempt from federal excise tax under Pittman-Robertson, it claimed it is proactively pursuing the removal of the tax exemption for certain large bore pneumatic weapons, including the Airbow®.
“The Airbow® may not meet the ATA’s definition of ‘pure’ archery equipment; however, hunters that currently use archery weapons and firearms continue to petition their state wildlife and legislative leaders to make it a legal alternative to use in their preferred seasons,” the Crosman response read. “Consumers are drawn to the Airbow® because its performance compares closely to, if not exceeds, most crossbows. Furthermore, both consumers and state officials that have experienced the capabilities of the Airbow® firsthand recognize it as a safe alternative to crossbows.”
Last week, the Associated Press reported the Maryland Department of Natural Resources was considering how it will regulate the Airbow, and if it will be permitted for deer hunting – and if so, in which season
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