dpv

I posted about this deer yesterday in the white tail forum, but I am reposting here for a reason. I want a nice bow. An expensive bow. But I can't justify the expense to myself. I have some nice rifles, and this year I spent a couple hundred dollars to put some nice glass on one of those rifles. But I am still not in a position to spend 600-1200 dollars on a crossbow.
In 2002 I decided to start hunting again. I used to use a PSE compound bow but my shoulder is blown and I can't draw one any more. I had just purchased a new home and my monthly payments were a constant challenge. I got the only "decent" cross bow that I could afford. I bought a Horton Steelforce 150 lb recurve. I believe I paid $129 for the bow and 6 arrows. Before I stopped hunting in the mid 90's, I had hunted for 6 years spending countless hours in the woods and I had never killed a deer.
That first year with my crossbow, I took a small (really small) doe from 33 yds. The next year I took another doe with it and took a button during rifle season.
Over the last 8 years I have taken a handful of doe with the crossbow but no bucks. In fact, last year I killed my first Buck with a shot gun. A little 3 pointer.
This week I had the stars align themselves just right and I took a nice 7 pointer.
I am posting this again because I know from reading here the last few days, that there are lots of guys like me who maybe can't afford a $550 + bow, or maybe they could....maybe they could justify it to their wives but just can't justify it to themselves yet. Perhaps, like me, they think they will make do with what they have and upgrade 5-10 years from now. I really want a new bow. I shot a parker a couple years ago and it was absolutely wonderful. But my cheesy little Horton Steelforce that only pushes an arrow 240 fps ( with a nice tail wind) has put a lot of meat in the freezer and on the table in this house. And I have a decent set of antlers with it this year. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that I can take a couple more before I wear this thing out.