crossbow hunting question

I read this on another forum and was wondering what the regs were for our state. I have used a crossbow the last two year since my surgery. Just wondering if i legally need to discharge my crossbow before traveling even though there's no bolt loaded to fire? Thanks

Run down of what happened: I normally compound hunt, but my father encouraged me to take his xbow because I had previously seen a large buck just out of range. I was out hunting on public land in NJ, and had my vehicle parked on a trail (1/4 mi from any public road) and hunted a spot for the morning. Got back to my truck and wanted to continue hunting, but move my truck because I was blocking part of the trail. Put the cocked xbow in the open bed of my truck and moved my truck slightly down the path and out of the way. As I got back out, a state trooper flew up on me down the trail and started yelling, and seeing the cocked xbow, began taking pictures like it was a crime scene. Im assuming a hiker called 911, because the trail is not visible from any local roads. The trooper acknowledged seeing me get in my vehicle, move, and then get back out. He forwarded the information to a conservation officer, who charged me with hunting from a moving vehicle and possessing a loaded weapon in a vehicle.

I got home and looked up up the rules to crossbows and the digest states that a crossbow can not be cocked in a vehicle, which should technically exclude an open bed. After talking to the conservation officer, he said that the digest only paraphrases the full regulation and it applies to in or on a vehicle. But how would a hunter even know that. I feel that this situation is somewhat unjust, because I am being charged the same as having a loaded firearm in my lap, while driving down a road.