What is bad about it being more effective? Isn't that a good thing? There are a lot of generalizations about xbow hunters, just like there are about firearm hunters. But they are just that, generalizations. Just because it requires less practice doesn't mean someone automatically practices less. I takes minutes to have any new compound shooting great too, but that doesn't mean I practice less now than I did 15 years ago. I see WAY too many hunters coming into bow shops a day or two before the season wanting to setup or shoot their bow for the first time since the season before. I certainly don't assume all bowhunters are this way though. I'm not sure about the blistering speeds either. Most xbows I have seen do not exceed the speeds of today's compounds. Would it be wrong for someone to hunt with a compound that shoots 330 fps? I don't want it to seem like I am picking on you specifically. The dislike by bowhunters in general towards xbow hunters seems to be based on generalizations and assumptions. Al it takes is a one or two horror stories to assume all xbow hunters operate the same way. I would assume almost everyone on this site is a pretty serious bowhunter. I would also assume that most of us hunt with others that are pretty serious so we assume every bowhunter is like us. That is far from true. MI has over 300,000 bowhunters with plenty of bad ones in that group.
My main concern is because it will add more people to woods that are already crowded. Some places REALLY crowded. Then just on principle that I don't for a second feel that it is "archery" equipment.
I didnt read the whole thread, When it come to how much skill/preperation needed to harvest a whietail deer, and by rank of how EASY it is, i feel like this: trad>>>>>>>>compound>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>crossbow>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>firearm Facts are facts, and the numbers of harvests with each weapon can prove it,
I think what Isaac is trying to get at is the "sloppy hunter" syndrome, I know we all try and act like "perfect hunters" online, but these are the FACTS for our area of Northeast Ohio: Crossbows are used like band-aids for people who dont have the "time" to practice. Now i understand that not everyone can practive as much as they would like, but there is a point where you need to be ETHICAL. We have some public wildlife areas by us that we go rabbit hunting on in the fall. You wouldn't even believe the yahoos we see hunting deer. I once retrieved an arrow from a guy who took an 80 something yard shot with his "brand new crossbow" at a running heard of deer...he couldn't figure out why he didnt hit one?? Also, i know there are hunters out there who can use a crossbow ethically, and i have no problem with these hunters, this post is not for you... Some guys say hunting is for "fun" and we should encourage more people to get into the outdoors. I am all for that, but these new hunters need to be taught how to hunt ethically and legally, And where me and Isaac live, that is SO hard to come by.
I don't think that is something that's exclusive to where you live... I'd argue that the large majority of places are like that overall...
Having shot a recurve on and off over the years and even more so this summer, I would say the skill/preperation would look more like this, IMO: trad>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>compound>>>>>>>>crossbow>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>firearm I think the gap between compound and crossbow is much smaller than the gap between trad and compound when it comes to practice and preparation needed to harvest a whitetail.
I guess it would depend on where they were legal, etc. Im not AGAINST crossbows, per se, I think they should have their own season, not including handicap hunters of course, And i also believe that their should some classes, or a test at least, before your allowed to use them. See my above posts as to why.
I think the percentage of slob cross-bowhunters would not be any greater than the percentage of slob compound bowhunters. Why does everyone assume that there will be a higher % of slob xbowhunters? Go to your local walmart and see how many compound bowhunters are in there 2 weeks before the season getting new arrow so they'll be ready when the season opens.
Wouldn't you rather these people use a weapon that is more accurate with less time involved? These type of hunters will hunt regardless, I would rather they used something that requires less practice (xbow) than entering the woods with a compound they hardly practice with.
It was just a suggestion, and i dont see why compound hunters would need to stop. Somewhere, we need to draw the lien between ARCHERY and FIREARM. What do we do when xbows start going over 500 fps...600 fps?
You got that right, there are plenty of guys who don't touch their bows all year until a few weeks before the season starts!
My guess is kill more deer.:D This is the same argument trad hunters used when compounds came out. Will someone just admit they don't want a xbow hunter killing THEIR deer already!?:p One more smilie for good measure.
Like i have said, as long as a hunter understands his weapon and hunts ethically, i would be happy.... From what I have seen, with MY eyes, in MY area, crossbow hunters make up 60-75% of the "slob hunters" during archery season. When i first started hunting, it was all about fun/games/killing deer, but now, after meeting hundreds of hunters and spending hundreds of hours in the woods, i have started to realize the need for ethics :D
