Here are a couple of FACTS about crossbows. I own a CB, and a compound. I've killed plenty of deer with both. Once you have a scope mounted CB "sighted in"you really don't have to practice with it. It will remain deadly accurate (I shoot half dollar size groups constantly)much like a gun. That's an advantage.This isn't the case with a compound bow that you need to practice with to keep your muscles toned, and your eye on.
A crossbow is NOISY, and you will almost never get a second shot at a deer with it, like you sometimes can with a compound. That's a disadvantage.A bolt from a CBwill not keep on a flat plane for the distance that an arrow will from a compound bow.That's a disadvantage. You can shoot later in the evening with a CB because of the light gathering properties of the scope. Advantage. You don't have to draw a CB and possibly spook deer. Advantage. You can hold a CB until the cows come home, and still shoot it accurately unlike the compound. Advantage. I could go on further, but I think you get the idea.There is an overall advantage to usinga CB, it's that simple. I personally don't care that they will probably become legal to use during regular archery season here in Pa because there's nothing I can do about it. So we will have to co-exist with them, like it or not. Sorry to be the barer(sp) of bad news.
I am not saying I will never hunt with my CB again, but for now I'm shooting only my compound because I killed too many deer with my CB in a short span of time, and found it a little too easy. These are all things I learned from shooting BOTH weapons.