RE: Hunting and crossbows...
I'm not going to get in a great debate about this, but my dad, who can't pull the minimum 40# bow (due to a bad shoulder) hunts with a crossbow during our MN season. He practices quite often and didn't take a deer last year. He's more of a hunter than anyone who would question his right to hunt with a crossbow.
I don't believe that someone shooting a crossbow versus someone shooting a compound bow would practice any more with one than the other. An ethical hunter practices as much as needed for a quick and humane as possible shot as well as to hone their accuracy. I know a lot of people who shoot compound bows who don't practice with but a few arrows. I tell them to practice more, but they disregard my advice. I know a lot of rifle hunters who don't practice at all with essentially the same excuse of "it was on last year and nothing's changed". I think the issue is thatpeople feel there is somesort of advantage of a crossbow over a compound bow. I don't see it, and would beg to differ.