I know in Pa where I am from and I have a buddy in hunting law enforcement (won’t say who or what branch in case you have met him) and we are both avid hunters and both saw a huge drop in hunters during the rifle season this year. We both believe that the cross bows are the reason and more and more hunters are hunting earlier with cross bows and don’t want to make it to rifle season. Think about most shots in mountainous thick areas in these parts, 50-70 yards is likely and you can do it in camo, in warmer weather and what we think is less competition with a rut and more deer, or deer movement. Why would anyone want to try to rifle hunt anymore when a cross bow has all the advantages?
He also said he has found he is more busy checking hunters in archery, most with cross bows vs 5 years ago.