I'm clueless when it comes to crossbows - I've never owned one or shot one. I know you cock it, pull the trigger, and it shoots a little short arrow. The obvious advantage is you don't have to draw the bow. This benefits older people and those with disabilities. I get that part.

But you still have to raise the bow to shoot, which the deer could easily see. And you still have to hold the thing steady to aim, right?

And from what I understand, they really aren't any more accurate than a modern compound. And the range isn't much different than a compound, right? And aren't they louder than compound bows, too? And it seems to me like they could be awkward to maneuver in a ground blind or treestand given how bulky they are. And I can't imagine getting a second shot at a deer with a crossbow in the event you miss.

So I don't see really howusing acrossbow would provide an unfair advantage to the hunter who chooses to hunt with one. So, am I missing something? Is there some huge advantage that I didn't think of to using a crossbow?

I'm trying to understand why there's so much negativity toward crossbows out there. It seems like people are threatened by them, but I can't see why?

I'd rather floss.....

(JK)

I've got nothing against them....and wouldn't be upset if they were legalized for everyone during archery season. More power to 'em. I think your assessment(s) is/are spot-on.

Great question .... ease of use is the biggest advantage ..... anyone can pick one up that is tuned and shoot it .....

If the hunter would wait til they see the deer to cock the crossbow an hold the weight of the pull to they are ready to shoot, suppose they would be even. Like a compound you would have tochoose when to draw or not to draw.

I agree GMMAT. I wouldn't have a problem with it either.

I personally think I'd have a better chance with my parallel limbed hybrid cam bow that shoots 316 fps. I bet I'd be more accurate with my compound than I would be with a crossbow. And I'd probably have a longer effective killing range too.

I don't get why some people are so threatened by something that looks to me like an inferior weapon?

Plus.....(and I don't know.....I have never shot one, either).....they "look" heavy.

Are they????

The ones in the Cabelas Catalog ranged from 7 - 8 lbs....

I shot one when I was younger, but I think the compound are just as easy an more now.

Unless you draw that compound in a pop up blind with mesh windows.
OR
You draw that 80% letoff with the deer several minutes away and hold 5 or 6 lbs by resting the lower limb on your leg.
Or
Sit 25 ft up in a tree stand with that compound - tends to cut down on getting busted - I think thats why some use them?

In short - heavier, less mobile (try shooting behind the tree), scores are always lower at shoots where both compete - overall advantage - compound.


Steve

While hunting the advantage is less movement to get on target and take the shot, thats about it. I'm not sure where ppl got the idea that they have longer ranges, but its a myth.
The real advantage of x-bows is getting more ppl into the sport. I know, I live in an area with a 2 week gun hunt, that wasn't enough for me so I bought a x-bow simply to take advantage of the longer season. Guess what, I never took a deer with it and hated carrying the monstrous thing around, so I bought and learned to use a compound, now my x-bow gets a workout bringing others into the sport. A few friends have tried my x-bow and have since bought compounds.
As for disadvantages; they are heavy, VERY loud, and I have a stand that I can't use it from because the limbs would hit branches as they come forward on the power stroke because it is horizontal instead of vertical.
I have both but use my compound every chance I get, even now when the season is winding down and I haven't taken a buck yet. I'm pretty sure most x-bow antis would change their tune if they hunted with one for a day.