Crossbow

[nodeerhere]

Ok guys. So I'm a bow hunter. It's my passion. And I have been reading all this stuff on the crossbow. And I'm not trying to start any arguments. But this crossbows seem to be a pain. Have to discharge bolt at end of hunt. Kinda bulky. Having trouble sighting them in. I guess what I'm asking is what are the advantages over a compound bow. Besides the fact u can shoot farther. 

[Reb]

I do both bow and crossbow and besides the obvious distance advantage the other nice thing is you cock it and its done until you shoot.,  I have a 410fps crossbow and once the scope is dialed in 50yrd shots are easy,and were easy from the start without practice.  With my compound  I will not shoot over 30yrds hunting but with the crossbow I'll do 50yrds,aiming is just like a rifle or shotgun with a scope.

Edited October 6, 2018 by Reb

[CharlieNY]

It's a myth that you can shoot farther with a crossbow. Compounds and crossbows have the same effective killing range. For decocking all you need is a special decocking bolt that you shoot into the ground. It only goes in a few inches and is easily pulled out. The big advantage with a crossbow is the lack of movement you make before shooting compared to having to draw a regular bow.                  valoroutdoors.com 

[Moho81]

I don’t use a crossbow but from what I have heard they are suppose to be more accurate, you can shoot father given your skilled enough and my favorite part about them is if you are older or have a physical ailment that stops you from shooting a compound a crossbow still gets you in the woods.


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[GreeneHunter]

Just my opinion ..... I am not a bow hunter , never was . Last year I went bow hunting with a compound bow (the bow was given to me as a present several years before) and luckily enough I scored with a small doe . I went back out two weeks later with a crossbow I bought four months prior and scored - from the same ladder stand - a six pointer .  Comparing the difference between gun season and bow season is like there is two seasons . I saw at least twice as much activity during bow season compared to gun season . Again I am not a bow hunter but the experience required to hunt with crossbow is the ability to look through a scope and pull the trigger ..... that's it folks ! Oh and sign the little downloadable/printable form that states "I know what I'm doing" . The advantage of a crossbow - to me - is getting out in the woods during the end of bow season and taking a deer - period !

[Jdubs]

Scoped, cocked and shoulder-fired weapon that can potentially hit a deer with more kinetic energy than a bow.  Many models on the market now that can fire a bolt >400 fps.  

On paper, there are advantages, but the individual hunter's skills will always be the deciding factor.  You might hate the xbow or love it.  

[wolc123]

The single biggest advantage is not needing to draw with a deer in close.  Shooting at a non-alert deer is similar to shooting at a paper target,  The odds of that deer being in the same place when the arrow strikes as when it is released is many times higher when that deer is not alert and expecting trouble.   This single factor has the potential of vastly reducing the number of "bad-hits" which result in failure to recover the deer before something else (like coyotes) find it.   

The second biggest advantage is the ability to fire from a rest.  That eliminates the unweildy/front heavy problem many complain about.  If you want to see how much more accurate you can shoot from a rest compared to without, get yourself a $ 30 Daisy red-ryder from Wallmart, and go out on the back porch and try it yourself (offhand vs from a rest) on a target about 10 yards away.  Measure (5) shot group diameters fired each way.   

The third biggest advantage is the telescopic site.  That is a big deal, especially with older hunters who's vision aint what it used to be.

The fourth is that a lot less practice is required to gain and maintain proficiency.  That is not a big deal for young single guys, but time starts running short after you get a family and a full time job.  When and if I retire, and if full inclusion does not happen, I might consider trying a vertical again.   

The bottom line is, a crossbow puts more of the variables, that determine wether a not a shot is successful, in the firm control of the hunter.  If that hunter was a "born-killer", then he will always prefer the crossbow over the vertical bow, because the crossbow eliminates challenge, and that is what the killer looks for.  If he was a "born-fighter", then he may very well hunt just for that challenge.  Because there always has been and always will be "born-killers" and "born-fighters", there will always be a place and a demand for vertical bows.

How do you know if you are  "born-killer" or "born-fighter" ?   Easy test : Do you catch and release fish or take them home and eat them?

Edited October 6, 2018 by wolc123

[nodeerhere]

9 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

The single biggest advantage is not needing to draw with a deer in close.  Shooting at a non-alert deer is similar to shooting at a paper target,  The odds of that deer being in the same place when the arrow strikes as when it is released is many times higher when that deer is not alert and expecting trouble.   This single factor has the potential of vastly reducing the number of "bad-hits" which result in failure to recover the deer before something else (like coyotes) find it.   

The second biggest advantage is the ability to fire from a rest.  That eliminates the unweildy/front heavy problem many complain about.  If you want to see how much more accurate you can shoot from a rest compared to without, get yourself a $ 30 Daisy red-ryder from Wallmart, and go out on the back porch and try it yourself (offhand vs from a rest) on a target about 10 yards away.  Measure (5) shot group diameters fired each way.   

The third biggest advantage is the telescopic site.  That is a big deal, especially with older hunters who's vision aint what it used to be.

The fourth is that a lot less practice is required to gain and maintain proficiency.  That is not a big deal for young single guys, but time starts running short after you get a family and a full time job.  When and if I retire, and if full inclusion does not happen, I might consider trying a vertical again.   

The bottom line is, a crossbow puts more of the variables, that determine wether a not a shot is successful, in the firm control of the hunter.  If that hunter was a "born-killer", then he will always prefer the crossbow over the vertical bow, because the crossbow eliminates challenge, and that is what the killer looks for.  If he was a "born-fighter", then he may very well hunt just for that challenge.  Because there always has been and always will be "born-killers" and "born-fighters", there will always be a place and a demand for vertical bows.

How do you know if you are  "born-killer" or "born-fighter" ?   Easy test : Do you catch and release fish or take them home and eat them?

Depends on the fish! Walleye and perch! Taking them home! Everything else I throw back

[wolc123]

Just now, nodeerhere said:

Depends on the fish! Walleye and perch! Taking them home! Everything else I throw back

After I learned how to handle and cook bass, I would throw walleye back before them.  I could never do it though, because my wife still prefers walleye.  I can tolerate them early in the season when they are feeding on the bottom.  After they start suspending under that zoo-plankton their meat takes on that weedy flavor that I don't particularly care for.  

[Nomad]

To me the biggest advantage is, I have trouble drawing my compound these days . Personally I’d rather tote a compound, but the Xbow , at least I know I’ll be able to fling an arrow .

[nyslowhand]

^^^ BIG ditto!!! 

I AM a Xbow hunter for past ~4yrs. There are basically 2 major advantages of using a Xbow over a new gen compound bow. Remember how many arrows you had to shoot to get a new sight pin s/u dialed in? And how many you shoot each year to get back into the consistency groove? Think I shot ~ 10 arrows with my Xbow before the scope was dialed in out to 50yrds. Disclaimer - This depends on Xbow mfger & quality of scope!!! Maybe 3-5 more practice shots to get BHs zeroed in. I only shoot my Xbow <10X each year, just to be sure & re-familiarize myself with its functioning. Other big advantage is you don't have to come to full draw when a critter comes in once you cock your Xbow. Shooting at target/game at additional yardage is not that big a factor over modern compound bows. I added maybe 10yrds with Xbow compared to my self-imposed, ethical shot distance with a compound bow. Anyone that's shot a Xbow at/beyond ~50yrds knows this, whether they'll admit it or not. Pull the trigger, THWACK sound and you watch the arrow arc thru the air for an eternity towards the target.

If you do the mental exercise or even a paper spreadsheet of Pros vs Cons, the cons out weigh the pros maybe 2:1 or even 3:1. Determining factor for me was same as above member's post. After decades of compound bow hunting, you all will come to a point where you find the need to reduce draw wgt, impose closer ethical shot distances and most obvious is a much shorter full draw hold time. Xbows wouldn't be my weapon of choice, but it does keep me doing what I love, bow hunting in the fall woods.

[turkeyfeathers]

Held a crossbow today for the first time . They ain’t light that’s for sure. Loud too from my understanding.   

 

[JRod 8G8H]

Last year was my first year with the xbow.. I feel comfortable out to about 45 yds... My mathews about 30 yds.. The advantage also is not having to draw when it's near freezing outside. I've definitely been busted trying to get my bow back after sitting there frozen for several hours