thoughts about xbow hunting
Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude
thoughts about xbow hunting
well, i have been xbow hunting for all of three weeks. my thoughts? honestly--it seems much easier to harvest a deer in comparison to my compound. i have taken 8 shots at whitetails and have 7 CLEAN KILLS. this may be because i have a new place to hunt, but it seems way to easy. i live and hunt in virginia-which allows xbows in archery season for the first time. ive hunted from the SAME STAND the whole 3 weeks. i killed 2 does this morning and im thinking about going back to my bow. ive stacked up a large meat processing bill ($690, so far) but its worth it..my 10 pt has performed flawlessly--all deer were down within 60 yards. the xbow allows for perfect shot placement(no more gut shots, YEAH). ANYWAY jsut thoguht i would share this.
Guy I worked with today hunts with a Recurve bow, and thinks the Crossbows should be put with the Shotgun season. I tried convincing him that there's hardly an advantage over vertical bows. Only thing is you don't have to hold the draw weight back.
Honestly though, I'm going to switch to a Compound Bow, I just don't know when. Think I might get a used one.
Honestly though, I'm going to switch to a Compound Bow, I just don't know when. Think I might get a used one.
Re: thoughts about xbow hunting
That's the beauty of the countries we live in....freedom of choice.taxman wrote:well, i have been xbow hunting for all of three weeks. my thoughts? honestly--it seems much easier to harvest a deer in comparison to my compound. i have taken 8 shots at whitetails and have 7 CLEAN KILLS. this may be because i have a new place to hunt, but it seems way to easy. i live and hunt in virginia-which allows xbows in archery season for the first time. ive hunted from the SAME STAND the whole 3 weeks. i killed 2 does this morning and im thinking about going back to my bow. ive stacked up a large meat processing bill ($690, so far) but its worth it..my 10 pt has performed flawlessly--all deer were down within 60 yards. the xbow allows for perfect shot placement(no more gut shots, YEAH). ANYWAY jsut thoguht i would share this.
The only question I would ask is with the 8 shots and 7 clean kills if you had your compound instead of your x-bow would they have all been possible shots?Your choice is exactly that your choice~!
Regards,
Robin
Wildlife Management & Reduction Specialist
Re: thoughts about xbow hunting
"DITTO"Sandman wrote:That's the beauty of the countries we live in....freedom of choice.taxman wrote:well, i have been xbow hunting for all of three weeks. my thoughts? honestly--it seems much easier to harvest a deer in comparison to my compound. i have taken 8 shots at whitetails and have 7 CLEAN KILLS. this may be because i have a new place to hunt, but it seems way to easy. i live and hunt in virginia-which allows xbows in archery season for the first time. ive hunted from the SAME STAND the whole 3 weeks. i killed 2 does this morning and im thinking about going back to my bow. ive stacked up a large meat processing bill ($690, so far) but its worth it..my 10 pt has performed flawlessly--all deer were down within 60 yards. the xbow allows for perfect shot placement(no more gut shots, YEAH). ANYWAY jsut thoguht i would share this.
Your choice is exactly that your choice~!
Regards,
Robin
cbow
The main plus for a crossbow vs a compound is the lack of haveing to draw on a deer. Up in a tree stand thats not that big of a deal. On the ground level not haveing to draw is a big plus. As far as accurracy all of my buddies who have compound bow hunted from 1 to 20 years can out shot my crossbow while we shoot both weapons free hand no rest. The crossbow is just not as soild feeling while shooting free handed. If I can use a rest of some sort I can stay with them most of the time accuracy wise. Overall I bow hunted for nearly 20 years before I switched to a crossbow do to a neck injury and find the max range,arrow drop ,accuracy from a crossbow to a compound to be very close to the same. The lack of draw is the only thing thats much different performance wise.
Taxman,
Maybe you're not giving yourself enough credit for being a good hunter. It is after all you who put yourself where you could shoot these deer.
Maybe you're not giving yourself enough credit for being a good hunter. It is after all you who put yourself where you could shoot these deer.
You can take the man out of the woods but you can't take the woods out of the man.
"Celebrate your harvest with a Bloodtrail Ale(tm)!!"
"It CAN Be Done!"
"Celebrate your harvest with a Bloodtrail Ale(tm)!!"
"It CAN Be Done!"
Hunted with both, have been an avid bowhunter with compound's for years. In the last 20 yrs I have faced 2 seasons which I "elected" to use a crossbow instead of compound, and in both cases I believe there were no advantages or disadvantages that offset the other to state one is easier than the other.
I have predominantly shot speed bows like Hoyt supertecs(325fps IBO) and found that in the field it is completely quiet and allows shots from treestands that simply cant be done with a crossbow.
Crossbow, you may not have to draw, but is somewhat loud on the shot, can't be manuevered around in the treestand(tree is in the way behind you) and is heavier to keep on target for extended periods because of shooting stance and muscle resolution differences.
Anyone who claims there is an advantage between the two is simply naive to all of these characteristics which they can only gain by taking them both afield.
Most people are coming to a personal conclusion based upon perception.
Reality is based upon this experience, and without it, an opinion can simply be ruled as nothing more than speculation, or a misconception.
Without experiencing both one must look to the facts such as statistics from Ohio game harvests. These reports are fair, unbiased by manufacturers, bowhunters and establish a near identical harvest rate for both weapons during the same times of the year, furthermore they point out a near 50% break between crossbow and long bow hunters.
Many believe the crossbow has advantages being it is easier to learn/master.
This again is nothing more than a misconception.
Crossbows still require the same range adjustment that compounds do.
Crossbow KE and trajectory has reached about the same apex that compounds have and both coincidentally are pushing about 350fps with 350grn arrow. Can they make a compund faster, sure at the expense of noise and shootability, can they make a crossbow faster? again at the expense of noise and shootability, BUT because the crossbow only has about 1/2 the draw that compounds have, they are much less efficient at transferring that energy to the arrow and subsequently that energy is dissipated into vibration and noise.
I believe that crossbow and compund bows may make minor technological advances in the years to come, but I highly doubt it will be much in the form of speed, but more in the industry's direction of shootability and noise suppression.
For anyone who believes a crossbow is easier to master to actually take game with afield, they are mistaken. Is it easier to consistently hit targets at 20 yds for a beginner....yes, but that hardly equates to an advatange while bowhunting:)
I have predominantly shot speed bows like Hoyt supertecs(325fps IBO) and found that in the field it is completely quiet and allows shots from treestands that simply cant be done with a crossbow.
Crossbow, you may not have to draw, but is somewhat loud on the shot, can't be manuevered around in the treestand(tree is in the way behind you) and is heavier to keep on target for extended periods because of shooting stance and muscle resolution differences.
Anyone who claims there is an advantage between the two is simply naive to all of these characteristics which they can only gain by taking them both afield.
Most people are coming to a personal conclusion based upon perception.
Reality is based upon this experience, and without it, an opinion can simply be ruled as nothing more than speculation, or a misconception.
Without experiencing both one must look to the facts such as statistics from Ohio game harvests. These reports are fair, unbiased by manufacturers, bowhunters and establish a near identical harvest rate for both weapons during the same times of the year, furthermore they point out a near 50% break between crossbow and long bow hunters.
Many believe the crossbow has advantages being it is easier to learn/master.
This again is nothing more than a misconception.
Crossbows still require the same range adjustment that compounds do.
Crossbow KE and trajectory has reached about the same apex that compounds have and both coincidentally are pushing about 350fps with 350grn arrow. Can they make a compund faster, sure at the expense of noise and shootability, can they make a crossbow faster? again at the expense of noise and shootability, BUT because the crossbow only has about 1/2 the draw that compounds have, they are much less efficient at transferring that energy to the arrow and subsequently that energy is dissipated into vibration and noise.
I believe that crossbow and compund bows may make minor technological advances in the years to come, but I highly doubt it will be much in the form of speed, but more in the industry's direction of shootability and noise suppression.
For anyone who believes a crossbow is easier to master to actually take game with afield, they are mistaken. Is it easier to consistently hit targets at 20 yds for a beginner....yes, but that hardly equates to an advatange while bowhunting:)
Matrix 405/Vixen stock -XB 30
Matrix 380/Vixen stock - XB 30
Offspring-XB1
Maxpoint- XB1
Matrix 380/Vixen stock - XB 30
Offspring-XB1
Maxpoint- XB1
I don't understand the point. Do you want it to be harder to hit your target?? Do you wish you missed the target entirely, or that you would make a few more slow kills? If you wish your shots were not so accruate, take one or two vanes off your fletching. Maybe you could sight with your bad eye.
If you just want to give the deer a fighting chance that you might spook them with the draw, leave you bow uncocked until you have a deer in range.
Frankly, I cannot imagine shooting 7 or eight deer in one season, but if that is your goal, I would think that you would want something that was accurate, quiet and humane.
People who practice enough can kill game with spears and blow darts. My hunting buddy is a champion vertical archer, and he could split my arrows all day long. Is it more challenging for him than it is for me? Would it be any easier for him if he used my crossbow?
I hunt in two places. The first is in an agricultural area where I could have killed four deer my first night out. The other 3 literally stood under my stand after I shot the buck.
The other place I hunt is in wilderness area. We really need to scout and there are not so many deer there. Sometimes we drive them, sometimes we use scents and calls. Sometimes we sit for a week and don't see anything. I think that maybe your issue is that the game come to you too easily, not how hard or easy it is to hit them.
If you just want to give the deer a fighting chance that you might spook them with the draw, leave you bow uncocked until you have a deer in range.
Frankly, I cannot imagine shooting 7 or eight deer in one season, but if that is your goal, I would think that you would want something that was accurate, quiet and humane.
People who practice enough can kill game with spears and blow darts. My hunting buddy is a champion vertical archer, and he could split my arrows all day long. Is it more challenging for him than it is for me? Would it be any easier for him if he used my crossbow?
I hunt in two places. The first is in an agricultural area where I could have killed four deer my first night out. The other 3 literally stood under my stand after I shot the buck.
The other place I hunt is in wilderness area. We really need to scout and there are not so many deer there. Sometimes we drive them, sometimes we use scents and calls. Sometimes we sit for a week and don't see anything. I think that maybe your issue is that the game come to you too easily, not how hard or easy it is to hit them.
im hunting in an "urban area" where i can shoot 2 antlerless deer per day. the season started 9-17 and last until 3-31-06. i can only take 3 antlered deer. i dont consider myself a great hunter by no-means. i just have a lot of time and perservierence(sp). i usually take between 15-19 deer each year--but this year will probably be higher. as for the deer that i have taken this year--i dont know if they would of spooked on the draw if had used a compound bow. maybee, maybee not.. c ant wait till my jerky gets done.
Taxman,
As you've already read from some of the post different bows have their advantages and disadvantages depending on your setup and hunting area. The only thing I find disturbing about your initial post is that you say your 10 pt performed flawlessly and (no more gut shots, YEAH). On the other hand you say it seems much easier in comparison to your compound.
Personally, I don't care what legal equipment a guy uses so long as it produces a quick, clean, and efficient kill. Period! If you find your compound more challenging then use it, that's your choice, but I would not be too quick to be using a piece of equipment that I was not certain that I could hit the vitals. I'm not saying that it happens to you alot, I don't know, I'm just saying that I personally try to make the kill as efficent as possible.
Good hunting.
As you've already read from some of the post different bows have their advantages and disadvantages depending on your setup and hunting area. The only thing I find disturbing about your initial post is that you say your 10 pt performed flawlessly and (no more gut shots, YEAH). On the other hand you say it seems much easier in comparison to your compound.
Personally, I don't care what legal equipment a guy uses so long as it produces a quick, clean, and efficient kill. Period! If you find your compound more challenging then use it, that's your choice, but I would not be too quick to be using a piece of equipment that I was not certain that I could hit the vitals. I'm not saying that it happens to you alot, I don't know, I'm just saying that I personally try to make the kill as efficent as possible.
Good hunting.
I hunt for memories, the meat's a bonus!
