Do you feel the same about a kill if you or someone else used a Xbow vs. a vertical bow? Do you still want to put an asterisk by that kill in the back of your mind if someone used a Xbow on their kill or are the kills interchangeable? I hear a lot of people say "hunt with what makes you happy as long as it is legal", and I agree with that. But do you fully embrace it by considering Xbow kills and vertical bow kills the same? I'm not even talking about the hogwash people say all the time, "Its cheating". "It’s not bowhunting". bla bla bla. I'm talking are the kills equal in your mind? Be honest now fellas.
The way I look at is people, myself included, shoot deer with guns so crossbows do not make a difference to me. Thats just my opinion
as long as it is a legal weapon, I don't care what they use. Be proud of it. Still harder than using a gun! I think it also important for people who can't bow hunt anymore to keep at it w/ the crossbow.
Its all the same to me. I could care less that they are using a crossbow, longbow, compound, or a firearm. We are all hunters and I support anyone who wants to pursue an animal with their desired weapon as long as its legal and they respect the animals they are persuing.
I'm not an elitist, could care less if it was a crossbow or compound. Now, if it's 80 yards with a scope I might add a "yeah, but" to it but the weapon doesn't matter. I do have to give traditional archers more credit though, I've never used one so is not a biased opinion.
I think you are missing the point. Nobody argues that gun hunting is the equivalent to bowhunting. But many people make the case that Xbow hunting is the same as vertical bow hunting. And many others do not. Take this for example, A guy shoots a really nice buck locally by you that you would give your left nut to kill. Then you find out he shot it with an Xbow. What is your initial reaction? Do you put an asterisk by that kill or think the same about it if it was kill with a vertical bow. My point? I think most vertical only bow hunters still look down their nose at Xbow hunters based on casual conversations with people.
One thing I noticed I am doing..........If I am flicking through the channels and start watching a hunting show as soon as I see a x-bow I change the channel. I guess after nearly 40 years of using a vertical bow I don't care for a x-bow. IMO I don't think of x-bows as archery. I think they should only be used during gun seasons with a gun license. I don't think there is the skill required to use it as do a vertical bow. My neighbor (age 51) got a X-bow this summer. He never shot a bow before but shot lots of guns. The first session he was shooting groups 3" at 40 yards, just like a gun to me.
Like you said, I am someone who is all about being legal and don't care if someone hunts with one during bow season. But when it comes to skill and accomplishment I honestly don't compare it to a vertical bow. It has sights/scope and trigger like a gun and is "loaded" whereas with a vertical bow the form, aiming, and shot are much less forgiving. I will say though, I keep my thoughts to myself on it. I do not think down on others who use a crossbow nor do I put an asterisk by it. I just mean in my personal goals and hunting I don't compare them to a vertical bow.
Having to draw a bow makes the kill that much harder, and the draw is the essence of bowhunting in my humble opinion. Hunting with a recurve bow makes the kill that much more difficult. And so on and so on. That being said, and I have stated my opinion on this topic many times, I dont care if the woods are full of crossbow hunters and I am the only bowhunter left. I am bowhunting. That is what feels good to me.
Yes. You got my point now. I think if most bowhunters are honest, they feel like you and you hit the nail on the head. I'm trying to stay away from, should the Xbow be legal or not. We are all past that. Do you think it is a great of an accomplishment though if you are being honest.
I added more to my initial post. I separate my hunting goals from that of others. I would never take away from THEIR accomplishment but in my head, yes, my first reaction to a crossbow kill is..."couldn't they have killed it with a vertical bow?"
Funny. I am 100% in support of Xbows to be used during archery season. I only hunt with a vertical bow at this time. I may dabble with an Xbow for fun once I can find a lightly used one. But I feel mostly the same way. I do put the accomplishment at a step lower than if it was killed with a vertical bow. I also put a traditional bow kill above my vertical bow.
I feel that the greater accomplishment is with a vertical bow. I have nothing against a crossbow hunter but to me it is not the same. Im sure the day will come that I have to switch to a xbow, and it will still not be the same. So to answer your question, no I don't think the kills are equal.
This. I have the same feeling toward crossbow hunters as I do rifle. It's great that they are out hunting and have killed something, but it wouldn't equal a vertical bow kill.
In my own mind on my own kills, I think I would add the asterisk after a Xbow kill. At least until I can't use a compound or traditional bow. Once I have to switch in order to keep on hunting that asterisk will no longer apply. Hopefully that is many years from now. HOWEVER, I don't hold that feeling on anyone else. Anyone who is happy with their trophy I am happy for them and would not make a judgment on how it was done as long as it's legal. Everyone should hunt with what they are comfortable and happy with.
Now my mind is working. I walked in a mile to hunt today. No crop fields, no easy roads, just big woods. Would I consider a guy shooting a crossbow who shoots a mature buck in the heavily pressured bigwoods a good hunter? Yes. Would I feel the kill were as impressive as a compound bow? No I would not. Would I feel the kill using a compound bow were as impressive as a recurve bow? No I would not. We could go on and on. What if a guy used a recurve bow to kill a 120 inch buck on a game preserve that was loaded with 120+ class bucks.....would that be impressive? Would that be impressive as compared to my scenario above where a crossbow hunter killed a mature buck in the heavily pressured big woods? No it would not. Do you see where I am going with my thoughts? There are guys on here right now that "only" kill 80-90 inch bucks every year in hard to hunt spots that could hunt circles around many guys who kill 120+ inch bucks every year in much easier spots. That also translates to some guys who hunt with crossbows. Their set ups are great and so is there working knowledge of the deer woods. I could continue but you get my point.
