Elsie

Two years ago I dislocated my shoulder and good ole authritus has set in. This past bow season I missed out on four very good shots on four very nice bucks. All because I struggle with the draw. My shoulder feels like bone-on-bone and really hurts bad when I try to draw my compound bow.

I have been considering a crossbow and have been lurking at several websites to learn a little bit about them.

Almost every bow hunting discussion group gets hounded by ney-sayers on the crossbow. I don't understand it. Crossbows have been around for many, many years and, to me, it's just another part of hunting. Do the folks who poo-poo the crossbow really think that the people who crossbow hunt are stealing their game?

I guess I just don't understand.

Onewithbow

i guess people say that because they believe its not fair to other bowhunters. it doesn't require as much skill as a regular bow. i was tempted to buying an excaliber crossbow but then my friend gave me a compound bow so....

DJH -------

Dear Friends of the Crossbow – We have added a new news item to our website entitled "Crossbows – Myth & Facts. It was originally written ten years ago by me mentor and adopted "Big Brother", Ottie Snyder. What is very interesting is that I recently updated it and was stunned by the fact that the anti-crossbow camp is still using the same banal arguments against the crossbow that they were using ten years ago. This is a crossbow site and we believe that every one of you should be armed with the real facts. Click on the link below, which will take you to the article on the HBM website and then print out this document.

Once you have a hard copy in your hands, make copies of it and spread it around to everyone who shares your passion. It is a powerful, common sense outline of the real fact to help us all overcome the emotional conjecture that is being used by those who oppose expanding the crossbow hunting opportunity. Facts are facts and anyone with a semi-open mind and one ounce of logic will quickly see that the general public has been hoodwinked by the anti-crossbow folks for many years. It is just one more tool to help us further the cause of advancing the crossbow as just one more option for the modern hunter of big game. If there is anything else that I can do to help you in your struggle, please feel free to call or email me. I am deeply committed to making the crossbow just one more choice for everyone who chooses to use it all across the North American Continent.


http://www.horizontalbowhunter.com/news/news.asp?ID=114

smokepolehall

I guess its like everything else some like it others don't. The reasons vary fer each, but thats their opinion. I have an Excalibur Phoenix and i think its the cats meow,greatest thing to come down the pike! I have my compound bow outfit up fer sale or trade. I won't be buying another one ever! You know the saying different strokes fer different folks![8D]

Planter

15 Years ago I had to black powder hunt with a TC .56 snoothbore shooting roundballs. Now the woods are loaded with top of the line Knights and TCs mounted with 2x7 glass. Times change. I now have a Xbow permit for life and really don't care what the other guy thinks. Whatever your outdoor indevor, just remember we are each others best friends.If we argue with each other, it takes time away from defending our rights to the Antis.

Elsie

I don't understand the "it's not fair to the other bowhunters" part. When you guys use your crossbows, does it make them miss out on their hunting? Does it make their arrow veer off course? Oh well, like you said, just like you said Smokepolehall - different strokes.

Dnk

Yup, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I think thats called jealousy. That and ignorance about the abilities of crossbows (they think its a mystical bolt of lightning). The reasons are endless. DJH has heard it all I'm sure.
I'll bet that traditional bow hunters look at the compound hunters the same way but if they champain against the compound they'll have no alies.
Onewithbow, try hunting with a crossbow once and see if it really is that much easier, I think you'll change your mind. The real difficulty and pride is in the hunt not the equipment.
There are many against the crossbow but the tides are turning and we'll never know the truth as to why because this current hate will be like a ripple in the pond.
Some day it'll be forgotten and laughed at like ideas about witches, vampires and other retarded ideas.

Windwalker7

I'm not a X-bow hater, but I do understand what folks have against them. I don't use a crossbow but my father does.

I think that most X-bow haters feel that X-bows have an advantage over compound bows because they are easier to use than a compound.1. You don't have to draw back the bow when the deer is in range. 2. You just sight it in and wait for hunting season. Compounds require pratice to become accurate. Practicing form and follow through.

Then there's this argument.

Most longbow or recurve users feel compounds have an advantage over them because they can hold back the bowstring and aim. Most compound users use sights while most long bow/recurve users shoot instinctivly.

I think that if crossbow users would put away the crossbow andhunt with a compound, they'd understand how much more difficult it is to get a deer with a compound compared to a crossbow.

AND, if all compound users would put away their compound and sights and hunt with a longbow, shooting instinctivly, they'd discover just how hard it is to get a deer that way.

If guys did this, they'd understand, much better, why the OTHER GUY feels they had an advantage.

The same as muzzle loaders.

Flintlock open-sighted smoke poles are alot harder to kill a deer with compared to using a scope sighted inline with 150 grs of powder, 209 ignition, saboted bullet and sighted in at 150 yds.

Don't want to start any arguements. Just stating why guys have a problem with X-bows.

moxie1884

If you SPELL the word CROSSBOW, the last three letters are BOW, and it is a part of one word, CROSSBOW. There are Long BOWs, Recurve BOWs, and Compound BOWs. All are two words - Something BOW. If those things are BOWs, then a CROSSBOW is definitely a BOW.

A Compound bow is a mechanical device, made to look like a BOW. A compound is not the true choice of of the traditional archer, with its up to 85% let off, pulley's, and cables, along with special arrow holders, fancy sights, etc. This is made for those who want it to be EASIER to hunt with, requiring less PRACTICE, and may increases the chances of a QUICKER, CLEANER KILL. A MECHANICAL BOW is not a true BOW.

Many of the supposed sportsmen and women who have the anti or negative attitude towards crossbows, use a mechanical bow because they cannot or will not use a traditional bow. They are NARROW MINDED with BARRELED VISION when it comes to being a true sportsman or woman. They are only interested in themselves, not the sport itself. selfishness governs this persons thought process. To share and build the sport is never a part of their plan; yet, they use a compound bow [mechanical] to hunt deer with. This same person belongs to an association that promotes that same NEGATIVE ATTITUDE and they call themselves sportsmen.

It would be interesting to see how these people would react if the law were passed to restrict compound bows to the firearms season because the compound bow is a mechanical device?

I'll get off my soap box now.

Dnk

Well said Moxie