RE: same satisfaction as bowhunting?
Back to crossbows, though... are they difficult to aim? Is the recoil sort of like that when you fire a rifle, or less? I'm glad to hear you need to get up close before making your shot.
They have forward recoil like a spring piston air rifle and often you can't see impact thru a scope. They are harder to hold and shoot offhand than a compound as evidenced by scores in common to both competitions.