Crossbow hunting...
 

Do any of youhunt with a crossbow? I am in Alabama and they legalized it for deer last year and I am getting one soon. Just wondered if any of you guys did this or where else it is legal. I know to alot of bowhunting purists crossbows are looked down upon. I have bowhunted in the past with a compound......I just thought it would be neat to try.:D


Anybody do this?...Also what are yall's opinions on it?

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I live in pa and hunt with a crossbow ( which is only legal with a disabled permit which i obtained). I would rather hunt with a compound if i could but crossbows are cool. Im gona warn you though they are very loud and drop off like a rock so u better be extra good with ranges. tonight i had a doe jump the string on me with mine at 24yd so if you do get one look into the sims crossbow limbsaver devices to try to quiet it down a lil. good luck

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I have to and they are a heavy piece of junk. They sound like someone is hitting a 2x4 with a hammer when they go off

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

What kind do you guys use? How fast does yours shoot.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Just for the record deerslayer, you do'nt have to be disabled to use a crossbow in Pa.! Anyone can use one.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I have hunted with crossbows for several years now. I have a Horton Legend SL. This is the second horton I have owned and have never had any problems to speak of with them. I sent the entire head of this bow back at the end of last season for what I thought was a crack in the limb. The waranty was long gone and Horton replaced it w/out any questions or charge, just price of shipping to get it to them so they could see it. I basically got a new bow for $15 shipping. My Legend is right around 300fps. i shoot carbon arrows with 125gr. Muzzy braod heads. Deerslayer is right, they drop off pretty quick and are kind of noisy, but a set of limbsavers will quiet them right down. I have 4 (2 on each side ) and you would beleive the noise difference. Range is about the same as a compund but like everything else you need to be the judge and know what your equipment can do, as for cardeer, I have no idea what you are shooting but 2x4 smacking together?????????? must be an oldbarnett or pse those were very loud and heavy. upgrade. You can gowith top of the lineTenpoint but it will cost you about 3x as much as a great Horton bow will. Just my 2cents worth....................... Good luck and aslway be safe.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I have the Tenpoint QX4 with the limb saver stuff all over it that came with the package and it is ten times quieter then my old Horton Hunter crossbow.
I live in OH where it is legal to hunt with one. I used to have a PSE Baby G compound that I hunted with but after a accident I can no longer use a compound.

I would say stick with Ten Point or Horton and you can't go wrong.

Kurt

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Just to clarify about PA, in the special regulation Wildlife Managment Units any hunter can use a crossbow during any deer season including archery. In the rest of the state non-disabled hunters may use a crossbow only during any firearm deer season...and must obtain a muzzleloader stamp if they are going to use it during any of the muzzleloader seasons.

I bought an inexpensive Barnett model last year to use in our after-Christmas muzzleloader/bow season. I didn't see much so I didn't get a chance to take an animal with it. Still had alot of fun though.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I got my crossbow this weekend and done some shooting. I like it alot although it is a little noisy. May need some limbsavers for it.

It is blazin fast though.

I got the Barnet Quad 400. 345fps[8D]

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

My gramps loves his ten point with Accu Draw. The Accu Draw has a crank and a device attaches to the string to make sure it gets pulled back the same everytime(with little effort). With Cross bow(I fond out to research) you have to pull back the same each time. If your off left or right it will then alter the shot. They are lound, but not like cars crashing. I prefer bow, but when I am 76 like my Gramps I hope to be able to hunt. If that means using a cross bow, then locak and load!!!

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I recently bought a tenpoint titan and love it. It was around 550 with an acudraw 50. It shoots wonderful out of the box.

Personally, I live in town and do not have space to practice with my compound regularly enough to allow me to hunt accurately. Once - I get a new house with a big backyard - I will start compound hunting.

Realistically, the range and accuracy do not surpass a compound bow. The only advantage is not having to draw back and being seen by game. The disadvantage is their weight and bulkiness which can cause some problems where I hunt.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

There's one thing you forgot to mention in reguard to crossbow advantages, not only do you not have to draw but you also do'nt have to hold!! These are serious advantages!

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Superman i too am from alabama. I bought one last year and little noisy but there are ways to quiet 1 down but will never be as quiet as the compound. i have a bow also and i like shooting both altho the compound is easier to carry in the woods and i think its more fun to shott. There are a lot of snooty hunters in this state who slam the crossbow so dont listen to them, get what u want and hunt with what you want as long as its ethical. Whats funny is the people who slam the crossbow hunt private land here and say "aint nobody coming on my land with one", thats pretty snooty. The sad thing is the bowhunters in my state, not all of them, but most of them are known as being snooty due to this attitude which i think is sad and gives the bowhunters a bad name.

My advice to all who get one: Sight it in, not at 50 yards. I have a ten point red dot scope and have it sighted in at 20/30/40 yards but prob wouldnt talk over a 30 yard shot 99.9% of the time. Shoot it and practice a lot just like you would with a bow so when the time comes you can make a good and clean shot. Also dont buy a cheapone, get one with anti-dry fire and one with a good size stock to hide your hand when you shoot. Only ignorance will get someone fingers cut-off with a broadhead, no excuses for someone doing that.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

the only reason I see they are noisey is the 150-175lbs draw they have, of course they are noiser then a compound at that draw weight. I know with the limb savers package on my crossbow it is pretty quiet and fast.

I too have the ten point red dot scope, I also set it for 20/30/40. Even at 40 yards I can maintain a half dollar group with outa rest.

It is like the recurve bow guys, they think a compound bow is not bow hunting, and so on.... I wish people would just grow up and go out and have fun with what ever you have or can afford:)

Kurt

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Thanks for the replys guys. ARguy, you are right...people shouldnt look down and be so snooty. I hate that.


Kurt-I know thats what I keep thinkin when they dog me about it..."do you use a handmade bow and arrows?" uhh no..."then you aint primitive either!!"

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

See, you got it right. You realize there is a difference. That said, whatever floats your boat. No skin off my nose. I'll defend anyones right to do what is legal. XBows do NOT effect my hunting. Success or failure is all my own doing.[&:]

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I know a guy that bought this crossbow this summer and had to return it after 1 month of shooting. The split limbs are splitall the way to the end and the limbs basically pulled out of the pockets as he was shooting it. After a while it poped all the way out.

If I were you, I would mark the limb and the pocket just to make sure they aren't moving on you. This guy got very lucky that he or the people that were with him did not get hurt. Parts were flying everywhere!!

My father also bought a differnt model of Barnett last year and ended up sending it back for a new one and then returned it once more for his Horton. He is much happier with his Horton.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

So is a 65-90% let off . At 90% my 8 year old grandson could shoot an 80# compound , boy what a challenge that would be for him ... BTW , you do have to draw a xbow or it won't shoot .

If it works for you and it's legal then use one , I happen to love mine . They're powerful , accurate , and I can stack shfts all day with it . Taking an accurate ethical shot that ensures the cleanest kill is what we seek when we go out , and crossbows deliver them in spades . Women and children , along with the elderly , would benefit most by them if they're unable to use a legal poundage bow effectively .

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Thanks Ill keep an eye on it...thats scary stuff!![:@]

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

YEP DO WHAT YOU THINK IS FOR YOU WITH ETHICS

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I for one can't understand the hoopla that compound shooters use to dismiss crossbows. Correct me if I am wrong, but crossbows have been around for centuries, next too the club,spear, knife and stickbow they are the oldest weapons in existance. The compound aint even 50 years old is it? Whose shooting the oldest style???

I bought a Titan TL4 with 3dot redot on it and I LOVE it. I was in the backyard shooting it this afternoon. In fact I let my 9, 7 and 5 year old children take a shot with it at about 7 yards. They all hit within 6" of center and I didn't have to do anything but hold it up for them and make sure their hands were clear of anything. They LOVED it and want to shoot it more. You gonna tell me that something that draws my kids closer too me and makes them want to enjoy the outdoors as well is BAD??? If so SHAME ON YOU!!!

Face it, deer herds are at an all time high and we as hunters are NOT doing out part to get rid of them. If more archery kills are recorded as a result of crossbows then I say AMEN!!! And sure it takes an honest and ethical sportsman to admit that they probably can shoot farther with a crossbow than their own compound but in reality they should NOT do so. I know the crossbow is shooting a much lighter projectile at the same speeds as most top end compounds but it's a fact that because of the stock and the fact that the shooter isn't holding any draw weight it is then easier to connect with a target at farther ranges. I limited my compound shots too 30yds even though I can "pie pan" em at 60+ yds. But my personal limit with this TL4 is 40, even though I can smoke those 4" black circles on my Block at 50yds.

It's legal, I enjoy it and more hunters WILL be in the woods as a result. You tell me what part of that is bad for our sport? What do we do, leave the future too Nintendo and PETA?
RA

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

Hi all. I'm new here and am very impressed with what I've seen so far. It seems like a quality place.

I live in Ohio, and crossbows have been leagl since I started hunting 20 years ago. Over those 20 years, I've hunted with both compounds and crossbows. I currently own and use both. I've been in a lot of debates about them and been called all kinds of interesting names for using one. When I saw this thread I expected to find much of the same. It was refreshing to see the attitudes shown here.

For those of you considering buying one or upgrading, you really should check out the Excaliburs. They're not fancy or very cool to look at, but they are great performers. I own an Excalibur Exomag and couldn't be more satisfied.

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I live and hunt in Ohio and hunt with a compound and a crossbow. My crossbow is a Barnett Wildcat C5 320 FPS and so far i'm happy. Ofcourse the crossbow is louder but they are a lot of fun too. Pros and cons to both. -Koz

RE: Crossbow hunting...
 

I know some hunters really get mad when you say hey i got a new crossbow to hunt deer lol but believe me since my disability thats all i can use and it was not my idy so please when you pull back on that bow I look up to you not criticize, i wish you the best yer next hunt but im trying my best to.......... see you at the supper table im bound and determend:D[:-]