Yeah, I had some learning experiences last fall. I waited too long in all three examples I listed. That boar was the worst screw up of the three; he came from behind me and to the left of my ladder. I had about a five second window where he definitely couldn't have seen me draw and I blew it.
Regardless, whether you use a compound, a compound with a drawlock or a crossbow, you get only one shot. Success that is the result of proficiency, competence, and ethics determines the difference between a "hunter" and "shooter". Either bow at 350 fps gives a whitetail at 30 yards 1/4 sec to make you miss the vitals. It only needs about 1/6 sec. It makes little difference which device is used to accelerate the projectile, it will be three times as long before impact as the arrival of the sound. Be a hunter.
in my opinion you should go for what makes you comfortable, people always talk but you should know what is good for you and not what looks good in your hand.
It all depends on what you like, go to a bow shop and if they allow you to use, try some and see what you like the most.
hunted with bow for 20 plus years. indiana now treats them as archery. I'm getting older now. last season was my first season with a xbox. two deer taken and had a blast. still keep the Mathews switchback xt on the ready. guess I fit in with number 5 of the crossbow article. don't care what others think.
Something that requires zero skill to use apparently. NOT to be confused with the truly gifted, highly skilled, odd defying, master woodsman, modern compound bow user. It is so much harder to use a modern compound bow. With a mechanical release, solid anchor point at full draw, peep sight, 85% let-off.........Not to mention the agonizing hardship of drawing back the bow. OMG!! Let us not forget the challenge of bending at the waist, for proper form. That must be practiced 10 out of the 12 months of the year in order to rise up to the envious pedestal of being a modern compound bow hunter. THEY are the ones who rise to the insurmountable challenge of hunting deer with a modern compound bow. We should all bow down in the presence of such skilled greatness. I'm sorry I breathe the same air as the modern compound bow hunter. Your skill is the envy of us all. REMEMBER modern compound bow hunters, every deer you take with your compound is a trophy,and a testament towards you...the MAN. Lead the way, rise to the challenge of taking a deer with a modern compound bow. Your superior skill of a modern compound bow hunter will guide you to your destiny of being such a skilled woodsman. I salute you, and your extremely challenging bowhunting endeavour. if you can dream it, then you can do it. I dedicate this song to you the modern bowhunter who puts down crossbow hunters,
crossbow shamers can go sit on a mechanical broadhead to see if it deploys correctly for all I care. hopefully one of those new NAP (saw an oportunity for a sponsor plug here) quad somethings..... I think I posted this in the correct thread category......please kindly troll elsewhere.
Same argument I have politically. You guys cry that we need to respect you and your choices yet bash us with the same breath. Swamp you are a huge advocate of crossbows being the same as bows yet you race to explain you have a medical need for it. Which seems to be the norm on here for this debate. I am very glad each and every one of you hunt. I also will never bash you for it. If you are proud of it, own it man. In this debate "cross" is a adjective and is hence a descriptive qualifer. But just like my libertarian views dictate politically, I say..... Go forth and be happy.
It takes more skill, practice, and time to shoot a compound bow than a crossbow. But the same can be said about a recurve over a compound.
Great post my friend! I guess I'm quick to use the medical excuse because of the crossbow associated stigma. the stigma is the stereotyping used by bowhunters. You can see it in every crossbow debate thread. aka, Crossbow hunters are lazy, looking for the easy way out, requires no skill. Why is it ok for bowhunters to stereotype and quick to judge someone who uses a crossbow? So I guess I attack when attacked? I don't like being strereotyped by my peers/fellow hunters. I put my time in, in the woods. I hunt on the ground, on the deer's level. I find the stigma to be hypocritical that modern compound bow users are quick to point out that crossbows are easier to use for the kill. (which is what it all boils down to) YET it's ok for modern compound bow users to shoot bows with 80-90% let off, peep sights, mechanical releases, using Ozone, heck being 20' up in a tree out of the deer's element? So in a nutshell, aren't modern compound bow users doing the same thing? Thinking critically and logically how are crossbow hunters and modern compound bow hunters that much different? Granted there are slob crossbow hunters, shotgun hunters hopping in the mix. I agree with Terry, (TC racing) that they will be weeded out. Recurve and traditional archers are in their own class, and should not be disrespected by being compared to modern compound bows. I shot traditional for years, instinctive style with no sights. I was never at the point of confidence in my ability, to go hunting with it. There is no greater satisfaction in archery then having an arrow go where you want it to using traditional instinctive style shooting. It is extremely rewarding. I look forward to and appreciate these debates, as long as logic and thinking are involved. One sentence answers and stereotypes are shortcuts to thinking. That is the REAL easy way out, and the REAL problem.
The margin of skill level between crossbows and modern compounds is very slim, and slimming more every season. Recurve and compound bows are night and day different.
