Are crossbows good or bad for hunting?
 

I'm just responding to that article on the home page. One other thing to think about is how traditional bow hunters felt when compound bows drew more people into the sport. Although you have to get closer to the animal in any type of archery than with a rifle, you have to get particularly close with a traditional bow which probably put some people off after being unsuccessful at approaching game that closely. Traditional bow hunting is more challenging, but allowing for compound bows attracted more hunters into the woods. A similar argument is now being made about crossbows.

I believe all Americans should have to hunt for at least some of their food. It teaches us respect and appreciation for wild life and it provides the highest quality protein (coming from truly free range animals). With that said, we simply do not have enough land and wildlife to support everyone. Maybe we're fighting the wrong battle here. We have more and more people every year taking up more land and more resources with no end in sight. The earth is only so large, what happens when we approach critical mass?

Is it possible some politicians are going to permit more of our public land to be available for housing after land in private hands gets sold off to people building more and more subdivisions for people to live? At some point, I think hunting, as we know it, will completely disappear. If we want to prevent that, we need to make the argument about population and preservation and expansion of public land.

Good or Bad??? It's like every other thing in life.... some will think it's good and others will think they're the Devils work. They really don't effect me. I choose to hunt with a compound. 40 years ago I hunted with a recurve. The weapon someone else uses doesn't effect my hunt. If I fail... I fail because I didn't do something right or I just did something wrong or the deer Gods were against me. LOL I hunt with the bow during muzzleloader season, gun season or whatever. I used to think crossbows gave a lot of lazy people a chance to bowhunt and it wasn't really bowhunting. Then two years ago I gave my buddy about 3 days lessons at age 64. I gave him my old Darton and all the gear he needed and he shot 4 deer. Last year he shot 8. Soooooo, I guess any bow you choose isn't all that tough to kill a deer with. LOL If someone wants to hunt with a cross gun ... have at it. It's not good or bad.... just a different weapon. It's hunting. It's suppose to be fun. Get out and do it.... and have fun with whatever weapon you choose.

I don't care either way, but I'm glad Illinois isn't like Ohio where most of it's "bowhunters" carry a X-bow instead of a real bow! Our bowhunters are lazy enough how it is!

Some people believe the Z7 isn't a "real" bow............

I didn't realize Illinois was recurve and longbow only.:s1:

As a hunter myself I dont care, it's a choice. x-bows are sometimes the only choice for a person with disabilities and I think it is good for those folks allowing them the chance to hunt.

It depends on the hunter and on the state.
Where I am in UT it is illeagel to use a crossbow unless you are handicapped.
So i think if it is leagel where you live go ahead and try them.

In Wyoming they are legal to anyone and I think that is ok, however I hunt as well as most of my family with a compound or longbow, recurve every now and then. My father however has had shoulder surgery, back surgery and the crossbow is his only option. If others who are able to hunt with a bow but choose a crossbow that is ok with me as well. You still must get much closer than a rifle and practice and know your effective range with the weapon.

In Nebraska it was only allowed with a dissability permit.

never xbow'd before...but i certainly wouldnt limit myself by saying i wouldnt xbow hunt, cause given the chance i'd be all over it like stink on...well you know...probably be fun, and nothing better than to experience other traditional hunting means...imagine .....this was like the rifle of its day...thats history. im fixing to order a spear in a couple months, gonna give that a whirl...perty cheap and looks fun to use. besides the hogs run under us all the time.....need to man up and try and pin one to the ground while fallin off a 3 foot high stand.......here pigy piggy

This thread could have easily stopped after this post...

Spot on David, well said.