Great post from both Gmmat and Terry.
I was a rabid anti xbow for quite some time.
When I finally let myself look at the over all picture, it became obvious to me I was wrong.

Steve

Like any weapon it has both IMO

Advantage you just have to aim and shoot.
Disadvantage- it's front heavey, clumsey and in a tree I doubt you could shoot behind you.

Just read Jeffs post

They allowed CB's during rifle season this year in Mn and there hasnt been as much as a hickup over it,dont know when the stat's come out but I bet it didnt have 1/100 of a % differance even tho we had our 3rd best year ever for deer harvest....
I know for a fact nxt yr if the Doc say's I can shoot Vert bow again thats what I will use and Then I will use my CB's durring rifle season since I dont rifle hunt the state will get some more money from me so I can cb hunt.......Try stalking heavy cover with a cb it just dosnt work,they are good for stand or ground blind but arestill cumbersum(spl)....

Good point.

I will repeat what I said in the other thread - From a pure deer herd management point of view, WE ARE LUCKY TO EVEN HAVE ARCHERY SEASONS! There is no reason to even allow archery equipment to manage a deer herd other than to cater to people's desire to use archery equipment and be in the woods more. Modern guns are all that is needed to manage a herd and it can be done with modern guns much more quickly, efficiently, and(this might start a fight . . .)humanely. We need to stick together rather than bicker about equipment.

I can do this with my compoundbow, I'm sure many can..Doing that in practice and hunting or shooting at game are not one and the same!

I've owned 2 (a compound and a recurve) and shot them for fun..Prior to ever starting to Bowhunt! I'm sure the top of the line xbows have come a long way since then. But they do have as many disadvantages as they do advantages. Manual cocking is the biggest issue I see. Someone mentioned Torque not being an issue WRONG! The torque is introduced when you cock the string. If your right arm (for instance is stronger) you rarely get the nock point in the same exact position. Try nocking your arrow 1/8th higher or lower and see how consistant you are.

They are heavy and very woods, unfriendly. You can turn your compound to make it length wise to get through cover. It doesn't matter how you turn a xbow..it has either stock or limbs sticking out in different directions.

A modern compound is many times more accurate and repeatable than a crossbow. The effective ranges are the same.

Advantages have been stated but include less movement for shot preperation as the xbow is pre-cocked. The perceived learning curve is less..that isa mistake, to be good and cosistant it takes the same dedication that any good archer would need.

I live in a State (OHIO) where crossbows have always been legal in bow season (as long as I can remember). Us compound shooters are generally the minority. I'd say we are 25-30% based on only what I see in the woods. It hasn't had any major impacts on or herd..of course I don't have the knowledge of what the kill would be without crossbows?? But our herd is still strong.

I have no problems with those that shoot crossbows and if more people who dislike them, would shoot them you'd see more similarities than differences. I have a word for those that shoot xbows..that word is... Bowhunters!

I believe the real question should be:
"Why should anyone care what someone else is using or when they use it?"

At the end of the day it doesn't change how your own hunt went, so it's none of your business what they chose in the first place, and if worrying about what someone else is using conflicts you that much then you need to find a different hobby.

I don't know guys, they legalized them here in Va and every yahoo in the state bought one, and the woods are now loaded with guys trying to shoot deer 35-40 yds through brush with those things. They think because they have a trigger and a scope that it is like a ML.. lots of dead deer not found now. Not saying Im against it for those who need the things, but Va just legalized it to sell more hunting permits..

Any specific evidence to back up those claims? Do you have specific numbers on sales and usage of crossbows? Do you have specificnumbers on "lots of dead deer not found now"?

They have been legal for over 30 years in Arkansas and we don't have that kind of problem. In fact, we have enough yahoos with compounds to cause enough damage. Here are some specifics for you: Guy who hunts next to our lease lost 2 deer with his compound. They both died on our lease. We found them after the buzzards did. Should I be advocating the outlawing of compounds?

Hey VA.....

You and I are good friends....but I can see this EXACT post being written by a trad. guy about US. Can't you?

If you can show me where a CB has an advantage for the non-hcp'ed hunter......(OTHER THAN the fact that there might be more hunters willing to try them).....I wanna see it.

Bottom line (IMO)....is there are those among us who FEAR that they will allow more hunters into the woods during bow season that will have more chances at killing "their" deer.

Spade a spade.......

I have no problem with people who have health problems in wanting to shoot these, what ever works for you! Being they have a scope and you don't have to pull these things back, they shouldn't be in the archery class at all or be talked about in the same manner! Put them in with the gun class! They get compaired to much, there's nothing to compair with what I shoot. It wouldn't bother me then one bit.