I've bow hunted (compound) for nearly 30 years. I shot a small 8 point buck out of a tree stand the first morning I ever bow hunted and was hooked. I began bow hunting as a way to extend my hunting season. I had a streak of about 10 years where I was fortunate enough to kill a deer with my bow every bow season. However, I always put down my bow and picked up my rifle come general season if I was still hunting for a trophy buck.

I just purchased a crossbow for two reasons: 1) I have had much less time the past few years to put in the practice and prepare for bow season as I have had in the past. 2) My daughter, after taking outdoor ed in school and is an accomplished rifle hunter, is interested in hunting with a crossbow.

This weekend, I set up the crossbow and got it sighted in. A few things I quickly realized compared to a compound bow. 1) Sighting in was quick and easy. The sight is just like you have on a rifle and I was able to dial it in and hit the bullseye at 20 yards after just a few shots. 2) It is very accurate and does not require the amount of practice that shooting a compound does. 3) it seems much faster and shoots much flatter than my 300fps PSE. 4) It is much louder, as mentioned, than my compound 5) I don't see anyway possible to [censored] the crossbow from a tree stand or tripod safely. I would limit to hunting from the ground or in an elevated box stand. 6) As also mentioned, reloading and not being noticed seems impossible unless you are in an enclosed blind.

I will continue to hunt with a compound bow as well as a rifle. With that said, I am really looking forward to trying out the new compound as early as this weekend. I now know that when my time is more limited, I have a physical impairment, or I want my daughter to be able to hunt during archery season, I now have an ethical and legal alternative. I have not officially hunted with it yet, but to me the crossbow will still have all the elements of bow hunting with a compound (i.e. getting close, scent control, playing the wind, patterning deer movement, etc.), but does not require as much time practicing to become proficient. It is still hunting and much more challenging than hunting with a rifle. My two cents.

True, but when you're drawing a bow, you're about to shoot. It's extremely difficult to draw the bow and point it at yourself. On the other hand it's common to [censored] the crossbow well ahead of time rather than to wait until you're about to take a shot. Combine this with a defect like the one in the link and there's a SERIOUS chance someone could hurt themselves or someone else. People rarely draw their bow when someone is in front of them. So YES safety is a bigger issue with a crossbow. I'm not trying to be anti-crossbow. I'm trying to be helpful and cover ALL of the bases.

Pablo

I owned a Remington like that.

By the way, my compound is faster than my crossbow. And as those who hunt with a crossbow already know, toting a CB through the woods sucks. If a hunter really doesn't have the heart for hunting with a crossbow, after a couple of trips, they'll hang that sucker up for good.

But you didn't mention any of that in your post, you just posted a recall notice of one model from one mfg. It would be like saying cars aren't safe because Ferrari had a recall. You should have included what you wrote in this post in the original.

haha

You know what? I apologize. You're absolutely right. I should have. I saw the other post and thought, "Oh yeah, I left out safety concerns." I quoted the post and, like a dummy, assumed the safety differences were a given. My bad.

Pablo

So you use a recurve? You know, kind cheating without one

You are quite correct, you must treat a crossbow the same as a rifle, and once it is loaded its is LOADED. You also have to remember not to get your fingers in the way of the string when shooting, as posted here the other day. I am careful with mine but I think I'm more nervous with it than I am with a rifle.

I don't have anything against crossbows. But I don't have a very high opinion of the law that allowed crossbows during archery season. They are easier to use because much less practice is required and it is easier to kill an animal with one because doing away with the need to draw is a big advantage.

The law regarding crossbow use during archery season did and does not increase new hunter recruitment. It is simply a means for folks who are normally rifle hunters to get an early start without having to take the practice time it takes to become proficient with a bow. New deer hunters almost always begin with a rifle.

I am somewhat of a traditionalist, so my opinions (as usual) kind of go along with that.

I don't see it being much different. You are still limited to the same range. Yes, it is already drawn, but you can sit in a pop up with a screen or a really tall stand and not be seen drawing a compound. You still have to practice and I bet crossbows result in cleaner kills per shots fired.

In any event it gets hunters in the woods which is a good thing.

Bows seem like cheating to me. I personally like the challenge of chasing down deer and catching the deer with my teeth but only when they're running. No challenge when they're standing still head down in a pile of corn. May as well cheat and use a bow if you're gonna kill one standing still.

Call me an elitist if you will, but when I hunt, it's incisors or nothing. If you're using your molars to increase the chance of a successful hunt you may as well use a bow.

Let me just say your crossbow does not have to be loud. on 10-4 I set up in a folding chair next to a cedar tree and my back against the neighbors barbed wire fence. Yes I made a set on the fence line. I cut some tall weeds and wove them thru the fence to give me something behind me. yes I made the fence line part of my blind. I made 2 mistakes . I did not have my ranges correct and I had my bow sighted in at 30, 40 and 50 yds. I shoot a wicked ridge warrior with the 10-point bowjax installed. Had 4 bucks come in what would be 20 yds from me and I let bolt fly on a big 10pt. Arrow flew right over his back. the 3 other bucks startled but he just came to attention and checked the air. they never looked in my direction and I was exposed from the chest up. they settled down and went to feeder which I had stepped of at 50 yds. Pull crossbow of stick. placed but under my chin and hand drew. I placed another bolt and let fly. went right under his chest. deer startled from arrow hitting gound and brush. the big 10 and big 8 ran toward me and turned at 20 yds out and walked back to the creek and woods to my left. they settled down again and as I was drawing the bow again they came back. let the third bolt fly and right over his back. the arrow crashed thru the trees and the startled and walked back into the woods to not come back again. none of these bucks looked my direction because of the nose from the crossbow. now yall can bash me all you want but I was using evercalm as my cover and was wearing a full HECS suit. some of yall say they do not work. the following sunday I sat and did not see anything but waling up the county rd back to my camper 2 teenage boys were riding their horses. as we approached each other the horses started freaking out and rearing up. they both said they had never acted like that before.
but back to subject. your crossbow does not have to be loud.

what ever is legal use it. I go through stages where I want to be very traditional as well as years where I shoot a modern bow. I have even shot a crossbow in regular hunting season. To each his own.

great story, might want to re-check them sight pins...

JSHOUSE I picked up a range finder and reset the bow to 20, 30 and 40 yd. just hope I see him again as the group has probably broken up and they are starting to roam.

Which made the crossbow quieter? The evercalm, or the suit?

If you can comprehend what you read i have the
10 pt bowjax installed to quiet my xbow. I expected
Some wise cracks about the suit, the evercalm and
The fence line. So predictable.

Well as I aged found that drawing and holding a compound bow at full draw was a bit much. Went to Cabelas and bought a Cross Bow with a crank to [censored] the sucker. Seems to weigh a ton but use a bipod to set up for shot. Bless you young studs that can hunt with a Compound bow. But the Deer Season is coming that U will join the old timers with cross bows. That is if you want to do the Archery bit. We just need to be thankful that there is an option for all to extend our enjoyment of getting out doors and having a good time. Just take that macho stuff and shove it.

Agreed

keep doin you

Unless somebody is a crossbow hunter, they probably dont know what a 10 pt bow jax is. Had you explained what it was, I wouldn't have been such a smart [censored].

Kind of predictable like someone setting a bling on a fence, knowing a comment would be made about it, yet posting away? Why even mention the suit or fence blind.......... unless you were wanting someone to comment on it?
AS for comprehending, how many on here that don't use a bowjax know what one is?

Texmel For me its a messed up shoulder that stoped me from hunting the OSB couple years ago... Don't do no good ta complain...