I hope they restrict crossbows next hunting season.

[Bosshoss]

Just my 2 cents worth,but I've hunted 3 different states over the years,and I've killed a good many deer with everything from stickbow to rifle,only thing I haven't got one with is a handgun,and that's because I've never chosen to hunt with a handgun,mostly,anymore,I use my compound bow and my muzzleloader,why? Because they are what I like to hunt with anymore,from my experience,a crossbow,due to the shorter limbs and draw length,has no more power,range,or killing capacity than a compound bow,they ARE easier to use in that they are held different,but that's it,I've actually found them to be more awkward to carry in the woods,I still need that deer within 20-30 yards or less to be effective,can I hit point of aim at 50-60 yards with it? Sure,very easily as a matter of fact,but you still have to judge range and adjust for arrow drop,and the arrow or "bolt" doesn't get there any faster,actually,my compound is faster than my crossbow,I think a hunters ethics matter much much more than whether they use a stickbow,compound bow,or crossbow,but that's just my opinion

I agree 100%
Crossbows have their own challanges that are different than regular archery equipment, but challanges none the less.
My biggest surpise was how loud they are and how fast a deer can duck and arrow out of one. Even at 20 yards I aim for a heart shot and it usually hits lungs. About 4"higher than I aimed. First Deer I shot with crossbow was 35 yards and he was relaxed and had his head down feeding. I aimed for his heart and he ducked and the arrow went thru his back above his spine. Just fat and very little blood on arrow. NO blood trail and spent about 6 hours looking for him. Hope he survived.
I can hit a 2" bull everyshot with my crossbow at 50 yards, but I would NEVER shoot at a deer at that range. I'm a little gun shy at anything over 30 yards after the way that buck dropped out from under that arrow.
Guess I will aim lower and if they duck I'll still hit and if the next one doesn't duck at least it will be a clean miss.

 

[bubba31]

I agree 100%
Crossbows have their own challanges that are different than regular archery equipment, but challanges none the less.
My biggest surpise was how loud they are and how fast a deer can duck and arrow out of one. Even at 20 yards I aim for a heart shot and it usually hits lungs. About 4"higher than I aimed. First Deer I shot with crossbow was 35 yards and he was relaxed and had his head down feeding. I aimed for his heart and he ducked and the arrow went thru his back above his spine. Just fat and very little blood on arrow. NO blood trail and spent about 6 hours looking for him. Hope he survived.
I can hit a 2" bull everyshot with my crossbow at 50 yards, but I would NEVER shoot at a deer at that range. I'm a little gun shy at anything over 30 yards after the way that buck dropped out from under that arrow.
Guess I will aim lower and if they duck I'll still hit and if the next one doesn't duck at least it will be a clean miss.

Lol,yea they are quite a bit louder than a conventional bow

 

[HICKMAN]

There seem to be two camps............hunters of deer who use bows, and those who use bows and hunt deer.

something we agree on.

I'm still a novice deer hunter. I've used bows, shotguns and muzzleloaders in my attempts at getting better, so that I could maximize my time in the woods and learn.

This year it's all crossbow and muzzleloader.

Don't get me wrong, someday I want to be a skilled bow hunter. But when you don't really get into the game until your 40's... it takes a bit.

On the other hand, my son is learning as I do.

 

[LPPOsecurity]

It's thoughts like this one that keep screwing up our country, quit asking for a god damn regulation on everything just because you don't like it

 

[Lagrange]

I dont understand why anyone would care what equipment someone else is hunting with. Ultimately I would be concerned with quick humane kills. One thing that bothers me more than anything is people who grab a weapon and head out into the woods without taking the time to familiarize themselves with the weapon they've chosen. We owe it to the animals we take, or attempt to take, to be as effective and humane as we can possibly be.

 

[.452browning]

I could have hunted with a crossbow when they were restricted but chose to hunt with a compound bow because I can easily use a compound bow. I see no problem with using a crossbow.

 

[HICKMAN]

I dont understand why anyone would care what equipment someone else is hunting with. Ultimately I would be concerned with quick humane kills. One thing that bothers me more than anything is people who grab a weapon and head out into the woods without taking the time to familiarize themselves with the weapon they've chosen. We owe it to the animals we take, or attempt to take, to be as effective and humane as we can possibly be.

they don't care, they want THEIR woods in early season from THEMSELVES...

That's the problem with "sport" hunters.

 

[Willie]

Kind of curious....

The anti-crossbow folks on here....how many crossbwers do you actually know that you can make such sweeping generalizations?

 

[avboiler11]

Kind of curious....

The anti-crossbow folks on here....how many crossbwers do you actually know that you can make such sweeping generalizations?

Probably the same number of centerfire rifle hunters they know to suggest allowing a 30-06 in the Indiana deer woods would cause a river of innocent human blood...

 

[Willie]

Probably the same number of centerfire rifle hunters they know to suggest allowing a 30-06 in the Indiana deer woods would cause a river of innocent human blood...

Good point....

30-06s are coming a little bit at a time...

 

[HICKMAN]

funny how we can't use them on deer, but can for yotes...

 

[patience0830]

crossbows do not make it easier..
they are not cheap,
they are not as quick for a 2nd shot..

there are plenty of deer out there..

+1
I hunted with a borrowed C/B one year I had an injury and couldn't seem to get the darned thing to my shoulder w/o the deer seeing all that movement.

 

[Hookeye]

I've shot X bows and a couple of my hunting partners use them.

IMHO the PSE Tac 15 is an impressive chunk of machinery.

One of my buds runs a Parker, he said he gets nice groups at 50 yards, easy.
Another runs an Excalibur, and he claims 2" at 50 yards. Both are good shooters of bows and guns though.

Heck, I remember spending a few days way back shooting PSE Foxfire StarFire X bows (when they were new). Noisy, but pretty accurate. BTW I think a trackless system superior.

IMHO, if your X bow can't outdo a compound you're shooting a POS.

 

[Mrmonte]

they don't care, they want THEIR woods in early season from THEMSELVES...

That's the problem with "sport" hunters.

Pretty general statement Hickman. I spelled out earlier why I dont think crossbows should get lumped in with archery gear but thats not the point. You already think anyone who does not see crossbows as archery equipment is just greedy.

What is a sport hunter? I wonder if I fit that label? I hunt all season long, Bow, Shotgun, and usually ML. I shoot does for me and my family. I rarely fill my buck tag because id rather shoot no buck than hang my tag on a little one just to say I tagged my buck. I personally could care less what anyone else puts their tags on.

 

[Willie]

I've shot X bows and a couple of my hunting partners use them.


IMHO the PSE Tac 15 is an impressive chunk of machinery.

So are a lot of the mdern day compounds..

One of my buds runs a Parker, he said he gets nice groups at 50 yards, easy.
Another runs an Excalibur, and he claims 2" at 50 yards. Both are good shooters of bows and guns though.

Heck, I remember spending a few days way back shooting PSE Foxfire StarFire X bows (when they were new). Noisy, but pretty accurate. BTW I think a trackless system superior.

IMHO, if your X bow can't outdo a compound you're shooting a POS.

Really? So are your hunting partners part of the "immediate gratification culture", in "today's Obama is a Saint pop culture", are "evidence of our hunting and general culture erosion" or do they "work at it to enjoy the “bonus season”?

Bench rested yes a crossbow is superior. Off hand? No way Jose...

 

[Zoub]

ALL of them said they were selling MORE crossbows than compounds. One dealer said it was like 10 crossbows to every compound.

Are you old enough to remember when the movie Deliverance came out? It had a HUGE affect on Bow sales. Massive. But obviously not all the buyers were hunters.

Having just recently sat down and watched all of last season of the TV show Walking Dead, I think that is your answer to Crossbow sales. It is not about hunting. I have seen a lot of talk about Crossbows for the past year. I had no clue it was a hot Zombie killer until 2 weeks ago.

You won't see 10x crossbows in the woods this year versus last year, but you may see one. I have yet to see one myself.

This thread in general reminds me of anal retentive Trap shooters who would choose to act like pricks rather than help a new shooter. They forgot how they got there in the first place.

Don't hate the bow, love the hunter.

 

[paddling_man]

I hope they restrict whining next season.

 

[HICKMAN]

You already think anyone who does not see crossbows as archery equipment is just greedy. .

Why else would they care if we are in the woods when they are? There is NO other reason other than they don't want anyone else in the woods with them before gun season.

What would you say to opening up October to January to ALL weapons?

What is a sport hunter? I wonder if I fit that label? I hunt all season long, Bow, Shotgun, and usually ML. I shoot does for me and my family. I rarely fill my buck tag because id rather shoot no buck than hang my tag on a little one just to say I tagged my buck. I personally could care less what anyone else puts their tags on.

sport hunters only care about the size of the antlers. Commonly seen on most tv shows.

 

[hornadylnl]

You already think anyone who does not see crossbows as archery equipment is just greedy. .

Why else would they care if we are in the woods when they are? There is NO other reason other than they don't want anyone else in the woods with them before gun season.

What would you say to opening up October to January to ALL weapons?



sport hunters only care about the size of the antlers. Commonly seen on most tv shows.

A Sport Hunter buys Scent Blocker (tm) underwear all the way up to the laundry detergent. He spends hundreds of dollars every year on the latest and greatest bow rig. He plants acres and acres of food plots. He plans his vacations around hunting seasons. And most importantly, they think every other hunter does the same.

I personally won't get into the bow hunting game because of the cost. I can buy one hell of a shotgun or rifle for the cost of setting up a bow. To me, bow hunting is like paying $30,000 for a hand shovel when $25,000 wil buy a backhoe.

I don't care if you hunt with a bow, a pointy stick, grandpappy's scattergun or an AR15. I just get tired of the elitist Zumbo hunters who want to force everyone into their style of hunting. Why don't the bow hunters trade seasons with firearm hunters for a few years?

 

[Willie]

........Why don't the bow hunters trade seasons with firearm hunters for a few years?

Why? Because some want the prime time Jewell of deer hunting (the rut) all to themselves....