I shoot a crossbow, I used to shoot a compound...270, 308, and a Barrett Health reasons A.S. 2 broken shoulders,broken sternum Plus various pins and screws...I can't take the recoil from any of my firearms...Arthritis in my hands got so bad I can't even hang onto the string much less draw it... With a crossbow the mentality needs to be one shot one kill, Because by the time you re-cock your prey is generally gone and it can be a bear re-cocking in a stand. I shoot a BCX with a 185 draw weight whatever you decide ...shoot what you want and DAMN THE TORPEDOES BTW your your take care of your body You won't always be 10 FEET TALL AND BULLET PROOF
Hunters who hunt legally are brothers whether you hunt with gun, spear, bow etc... We can not become divided by personal choices. Chose your weapon and enjoy...Grasshopper!!
Agreed...its those who think they can take that 100yrd shot that have crossbows as bad name.... Stay below 50 or even 40 and all is well.... No beef with crossbows
And those gunners that shoot running game at 100+ yards. When I bow hunted I limited myself to 30 yards because I just wasn't good enough past that.
This thread was started 3 years ago, surely the kid has gotten his shoulder fixed by now....and has ditched the crossbow
Whatever your accurate with. If you buy a compound bow and never practice your just going to wound a bunch of animals so use a cross bow but even that you'll need to site it in and practice some.
Atlatl hunters look down on all of the above. Yes, atlatls are legal during archery season in Missouri. So to all of you crossbow haters that are hunting with your Matthews compound bows, put those things down and pick up an atlatl. If you aren't willing to do that, then don't concern yourselves if another archery hunter chooses a crossbow which doesn't differ a whole lot from today's high tech compound bows. My wife can't pull a heavy enough draw weight to archery hunt with a compound and at age 48 she isn't ever going to be able to so her only hope at archery hunting is for Missouri to make crossbows legal during the regular archery season. We hunt on private land that you won't be hunting on anyway so why do you care if she uses a crossbow? She hunts during rifle season and muzzleloader season but depending on what's going on she may only get to hunt 5-7 actual days in the woods each year. If she could use a crossbow, she could double that amount of time or more. I just don't get the opposition to it. You're basically saying "Hey, 48 year old woman who hunts on her Dad's private land and can't pull back a vertical bow powerful enough for deer, you can't hunt with a crossbow either. So there! I showed you!" What is there to gain with that attitude?
Compounds these days have more gadjets and add ons than you can count there range easily outdistances most xbows. The ONLY advantage to a crossbow is that you can precock it. My opinion. Harder to hunt with xbow
I would much rather use a compound bow to hunt in the stand with. But down on the ground I normally take the crossbow. If it's got strings limbs and cams I'll shoots it. Guns..... never owned one never will. Not against them in anyways. But if I had to vote I'd take gun season out of hunting anytime lol. Just a personal opinion lol Mike4christ
Crossbows aren't for me but hunting is hunting and we are all in this together. If it doesn't take us down.... I'm for it.
90% of the anti-crossbow talk is nothing more than attitude. Some think that because the have a high $$ compound that is the only bow to use. Most have never picked up a crossbow let alone shot one. The dreamers that think having a rotator cuff repaired will make it like new or better are living on a cloud. I don't happen that way. Very few people get back the movement and strength they had before the injury. Last time I killed a deer was about 50 years ago with a 30 lb long bow and Herters Cedar Arrows. Last fall I wanted to be back hunting again. Tried a compound at 60 lbs draw. Could pull it about 2" Dropped it down to min of 30 lb. Could not hold it or pull to full draw. Had right shoulder repaired 4 years ago. I now hunt with a cross bow and will continue to do so. I will have just as much fun with a $300 crossbow as the big $$$ boys with their fancy compounds. To each their own.
sounds like you need new freinds ,they sound like a bunch of tools,shoot what you want and hunt how you like , if it has a string on it i hunt with it!!
Make decisions in your life that make you happy. Choose to hunt and don't worry about what other people think. At 15 I'd imagine your shoulder will heal and most likely be ok given some time. You'll draw a compound bow again. Way more harm can be caused because of your pride and overdosing on pain pills.
My issues with xguns are the added hunters that have shown up on the public land I bow hunt. Over the last 3 years even I can honestly say the number of people in the woods during bow season has at least tripled on the public land I hunt. It has made it very difficult to get away from people or to even hunt the same spot year to year with people hanging stands 50 yards away from you. So my reasons for not liking xguns are personal and selfish I guess you could say because I want to have decent hunting. More people in the woods = poorer hunting for everyone. If I had a big chunk of private with lush planted bait plots I wouldn't give two rips about them. My $0.02
Get a cross bow, I have a torn rotator cuff and switched, best decision I've ever made. Quick very ethical kills and very accurate too.
I think if you can shoot a compound or a trad bow during archery season then that is what you should have to use. During gun season im for it because its no diff than a black powder if you ask me.
I know this is an old thread but let me lay it out. I just had shoulder surgery. I'm struggling with the fact that I will have to hunt with a crossbow (possibly forever). I really want to go out hunting during archery season (because there is nothing better) but can't draw and hold my compound. Why am I struggling? It doesn't make sense. I should be happy there is an alternative out there but so many other hunters put down crossbow users that it has actually developed a bias in my mind. I didn't even know I had it! Listen all you crossbow haters. I'm hunting with a crossbow this year because I love hunting. I'm not going to sit at home because some misguided people think it's "cheating". People can and should hunt with whatever they want as long as it's legal in their area. Stop trying to guilt trip and belittle people because you think your method is superior. One day you might end up in a tree with crossbow in your lap like me.
As a Libertarian my philosophy is now and will always be.....I don't give a sh!t. Use whatever it takes to get you in the field hunting. Hunters are perpetually being discriminated against and is one of the only groups that's it's "ok" to hate. That being said I love that you're hunting kudos just know that you're a gun hunter not a bow hunter. If you wanna still be... Elite ... Then there better not be a scope on that xbow and you should not be shooting over 50 yrds.
All in all if you spend enough time in the field you will find that a compound or a crossbow or a longbow or a recurve will all take the game animals you are after. If you spend enough time shooting you will find one is no different then the other. The only thing that separates the group is EGO plain and simple. Shooting any weapon is as hard as YOU make it. When compounds first came out all the guys shooting stick bows( all there was in the early 60's) said the deer population would be wiped out in short order. That didn't happen. In fact its the compound that brought the popularity to bow hunting as we know it now. Crossbows are fun and they have their place, I would rather see someone shoot a crossbow and make a good clean ethical shot then succumb to peer pressure and wound something only to have coyotes finish it off. The argument about crossbows and long distance is no different then compounds and long distance. Its stupid and gives everyone a black eye but once again EGO fuels the fire.
