[Archers] crossbow & laws

[RGaddy]

Many colleges and universities have a policy that allows "weapons" or
firearms to be kept on campus in a specific location.  Some times this is
with the Physical Plant, PE Department, campus security office, or the Dean
of Students.  People should consult their campus handbooks for that
information.

Some campuses are so paranoid that they won't even allow baseball bats or a
golf club in the dorm rooms since these could be a potential weapon. At my
own college, I have seen the policy change twice in five years...I expect
them to ban chairs next, since we had an assault involving the use of a desk
chair recently!  One of my former household members got permission to keep
his bow (not a crossbow) in his room after pointing out that his roommate
was allowed to keep three baseball bats because they were defined as
"athletic equipment".  My household member made the argument that his bow
was also "athletic equipment" since he shot competitively with the SCA on a
regular basis, and produced records of his shoots.  The Dean of Students at
the time bought the argument. the next Dean did not.

One possibility is to store your cross bow in the trunk of your car.  This
may meet the law in your area, but be aware that it may also keep you from
parking in campus owned parking and reduce you to "public" parking.

Depending on the particular crossbow, you might have a "easy" way to render
it "inoperable" and store it in your room, with the rolling nut in your
car.... but this is a pain.

If all else fails, get a faculty member to keep the bow for you at their
home, if you have no other group members living off campus to store it.  I
have kept an armory of bows and arrows for college members of my group over
the years!

The one thing you do NOT want to do is to become the test case in your area!
Having served on my own campus's "Conduct Review Board" (the judicial arm of
the campus) I can tell you that most will go by the letter of the law, and
the student code, and can be more severe than the local law enforcement
might be.


As far as having bows at an event on campus property, this opens a new can
of worms.  If you college has (or has had in the past) an archery program
(usually with the PE department), then somewhere they have regulations in
place since they have had competition shooting.

Most laws allow possession of "weapons" (even firearms) for the purpose of
an organized competition held by a recognized group.  I think the SCA will
qualify as a recognized group.  The big thing here is that you want no
surprises to the administration, campus security, or the local police.  Your
plans should be clearly spelled out in writing when you apply with the
campus, and a copy sent to the local police.

I have found that MOST people want to work with anyone who approaches things
like this in a responsible manner.



Ld Rupert the Persistent