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5 Types of Bowhunters That Should Be Shooting a Crossbow

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by Bowhunting.com Staff, Jul 16, 2018.

  1. buttonbuckmaster

    buttonbuckmaster Grizzled Veteran

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    I think the article missed one increasingly large number of hunters. The average Joe on a budget hunter. Many of the bows now start at $800 bare. Fully loaded 350+ fps crossbows are on ebay for less than $275. I think that will have a major impact on choosing a weapon in the future.
     
  2. Wiscohunter

    Wiscohunter Die Hard Bowhunter

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    This is a great point. I went to Farm and Fleet the other day and they had about a dozen nice looking crossbows hanging up. All set up. Scope, quiver, bolts. Most were $300-400.
     
  3. tc racing

    tc racing Grizzled Veteran

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    I think this is the same conversation every year. it will never end! good grief! I agree to disagree on this topic. as long as hunter numbers continue to drop I think my success rate will increase.
     
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  4. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Many hunters these days are generally greedy, selfish, toddler like, d-bags. My deer, my spot, mine...mine...mine. It'd be funny if it wasn't so depressing.

    Bow Season is the easiest time to kill deer.
    Compounds are fairly easy to kill deer with.
    Crossbows are too.
    Trad killers are pretty much bad-a$$.
    Quit judging people, just go hunt....take somebody with you.
    If anyone thinks they are not killing deer because of other people, they likely have a bunch of other excuses as well ;)

    I've really missed this place.
     
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  5. axtell343

    axtell343 Grizzled Veteran

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    I'm gonna leave this here, just in case anyone here feels high and mighty, this should put you in its place.

     
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  6. Sota

    Sota Legendary Woodsman

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    I bought and paid for my land busted my but over the years to improve the property, yeah it is my spot, my deer it is all about me and I earned it. I really don't care what another uses to hunt with because they won't be hunting my property.
     
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  7. Fix

    Fix Grizzled Veteran

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    What a perfect time to address that comment.
    Up before the dawn this morning and by 530 I was discing a 2 acre field with my wheeler and a 3ft disc. Discing up $100 worth of soybeans that a 6 week draught killed. So last week I killed the field ( again) this morning disced then hand spread 300lbs of fertilizers and $100 in various brassica. I'm about to take a shower and go to a party where I know for sure I will be asked about my land and up coming season. All by people that will ask to hunt my $hit by never offer to help.
    When they hear about my inevitable buck they always say...."Well I hunt public" and "You're so lucky "
    F that. I bust my @SS for every oppertunity I get. And every deer out there is MINE MINE MINE.
    As for the bow season is the easiest time kill deer....must have never hunted during a gun season.
     
  8. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Well I did preface that with “many hunters”. Also, technically the actual deer...not yours or mine for that matter.

    Between my brother, my father and myself we have 4 properties 2 real small pieces (5&8 acres) & 2 other pieces (35 & 90) acres. The land is ours, we work it heavily. Im thrilled to death to have that resource not because of the deer but because we are able to share it with family and friends and that’s what it’s been about our entire lives.

    Not knocking anyone for having their own little honey hole at all. I get it, I have plenty. I guess the difference is (to me) I’ll put somebody in one of best stands in the middle of the rut without a second thought, because that just might get them hooked. I feel like that’s as important or more important than killing a buck.

    Not saying you guys don’t do that, just saying that approach and the old school “hunt camp” mentality seems to be giving way to big buck growing and hunting in general being more an individual pursuit. jmo

    Bow season is far easier in the states I hunt. I get up to 10 weeks in the woods before the pressure, I can hunt heavy food sources, and the pre-rut/rut is basically bowhunters until bp comes in.

    Shooting one with a gun is easier though, we just see far less deer after general firearms opens.
     
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  9. tc racing

    tc racing Grizzled Veteran

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    so what happens when you get your buddy hooked then he continues to hunt your spot every chance he gets. even when you want to hunt it he is there before you. then he decides to bring his buddies, then his buddies bring their buddies, on and on. give people an inch and they will take a foot. less hunters equal less pressure and more opportunities. I don't discourage people from hunting but I also am not encouraging them to start either. in PA the woods already has more than enough hunters.
     
  10. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Well I’ve never really dealt with that bad of a scenario and I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. I fully understand your approach, it’s a very common one these days and that’s your prerogative.

    We’re just opposite and that’s ok , I highly encourage anyone I can and take new people as often as possible.
     
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  11. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I find it interesting you stated PA has plenty of hunters while all data shows a decline in license sales for years now and major revenue loss for the state (numbers=$=influence).

    Also, “more than enough hunters” hasn’t been enough to get past those opposed to hunting the approx 1.5 million deer on Sunday’s.

    Good read from Bowhunting.com:
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bo...umbers-hunters-may-impact-hunting-future/amp/

    We hunters have way bigger challenges than Bow vs. x-Bow.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2018
  12. virginiashadow

    virginiashadow Legendary Woodsman

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    NEW, map scouted Cumberland State Forest today. Started with coffee this afternoon and now Im map scouting with beer. Been fun. Looking forward to the challenge.
     
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  13. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Good stuff! Beer will help ;)

    I’m hanging 2 cams in one of the wma’s I mentioned before. I’m a little nervous about it but they’re not too expensive and I’m putting them on the Swamp perimeter so hopefully no one else is crazy enough to go in there right now. #mosquitos
     
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  14. virginiashadow

    virginiashadow Legendary Woodsman

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    I'm gonna throw a few out here in the next few weeks. This year is going to be an adventure.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
     
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  15. NEW61375

    NEW61375 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Cumberland looks pretty sweet, I was just checking it out on HuntStand. That place is huge, it’s not real far from Appomattox-Buckingham SF and Featherfin WMA which are a couple of large chunks too. Sometimes that much acreage is kind of intimidating (to me anyways ;) ) I try to do my map scouting then start with driving all around it and through it (where possible) and see what the local farmers are growing, especially for early season. Good luck, it’s some pretty country for sure!

    Let me know if you’re going to get to hunt Pickett, you won’t be far from me & welcome to come meet up and hunt.
     
  16. HuntinKB51

    HuntinKB51 Weekend Warrior

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    Aren't we all just hunters heading out in the woods doing what we love to do? Enjoying what God has blessed us with, having fun, making memories! What difference does it make weapon we choose to use as long as it is legal and you are happy with it! Get out there and do what you enjoy!!
     
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  17. vermontwhitetail

    vermontwhitetail Grizzled Veteran

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    I am a bow hunter. I used to be adamantly opposed to cross bows in Archery season and had always thought that there should be a seperate season for crossbows. That is, until I tore my rotator cuff in 2016. I spent 2016 and 2017 with a crossbow in my hands with a special permit due to my medical condition(Crossbows are not permitted in VT unless you have an injury or are over 50). This two years of injury time as well as the fact that NJ(my travel to State) allows crossbows for everyone during archery season has changed my view on the topic. I have shot many deer over the last two years with my cross bow. All of them have fallen within sight of my stand. The energy that the crossbow puts out just can't be duplicated with my Bear Lights Out compound. I am short and therefore only have a 27" draw length. Due to my injury I have also had to reduce my draw weight from 65 to 60lbs. Also, now that I'm 50 I've noticed my eyes are just not what they used to be. My max range with my compound is 30yds. I can get out to 50yds with the crossbow and very accurately. My arrows launch at 250-260 ftps with the compound and 350 ftps with the crossbow. So, in the interest of putting meat in the freezer and doing it ethically I will probably stick with my crossbow for hunting whitetails.

    My children 8, 10, 13 also can not pull the required weight to hunt with a compound yet. So, in the interest of getting them hunting and enjoying it, I have been taking them to NJ to whitetail hunt with the crossbow. I also petition the VT F&W to open crossbow hunting up to Youth hunters, but to date the requests have fallen on deaf ears.

    All of this said, my shoulder has healed sufficiently and I can draw the 60lb compound and often take it with me in the woods during turkey season. My children and I spend countless hours shooting our compounds at home in the back yard and at the club 3D range.

    My personal opinion is that Archers should not be fighting each other over this topic. If you don't like crossbows then don't use them, but don't stand in the way of another Archer to switch over. To each their own when it comes to putting game on the table!
     
  18. Don’t Poke The Bear

    Don’t Poke The Bear Newb

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    I agree with this 100%. It doesn’t matter what a persons physical capabilities are, Hunt with whatever makes you happy. I have no problem with anyone who uses a crossbow. The emphasis should always be focusing on the legal and ethical harvest of our prey.
     
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  19. Cayden

    Cayden Weekend Warrior

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    If it gets more people in the woods hunting I'm all up for crossbows.
     
  20. bloodcrick

    bloodcrick Moderator/BHOD Prostaff

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    I had a crossbow once !! We made them from a jay hawk kit in wood class when I was a softmore aloooooooog time ago. made the stock out of pine. I sold it to a class mate before I could even shoot it. !! actually wish I still had it!
     

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