Do you want wheels or not? That is the main question. With a recurve crossbow like Excalibur you can do everything yourself. With a compound you need a shop to do the maintenance. I like the idea that if Murphys Law strikes I'm not done hunting for the day. Ifyou nick a string with the broadheadyou can replace the stringin 2 minutes with a recurve. That was the deciding factor for me when I chose the Excalibur Phoenix.

A compound crossbow will weigh more than a recurve. The compound crossbows are more compact & are well suited to still hunting. A recurve is wider through the limbs. The best thing to do is shoot both types & make a decision from there. They're all alot of fun.