Yes. They are also different than rocks, sticks, clubs, crude traps, cliffs, and other primitive weapons. I'm sure Cro Magnam could throw a mean stone and fell many a creature with his club. I bow to him. Obviously this means he was a much better hunter and much more in tune with the world than us inferiors who don't ever practice and only use compounds because we aren't as cool and adept. Anybody, even us lowly compounders, can 1) rest it on something 2) sight something in and keep it in the sight as long as we wish with almost no physical effort 3) use and move only a finger to release a projectile......Could we be talking about a gun? How about a crossbow? Think you could with a compound?