datamax

Charlie P - actually, I shot my longbow more in 2004 than most guys posting here combined. I hit a really bad streak beginning in Oct with shooting and missing then wounding the same buck and lost him. My confidence was shaken. I went to KS a few weeks after that. My shooting continued to decline and after sitting in a tree for a few hours my practice shots before I got down were horrible - sometimes 12-16" off where I wanted the arrow to go. I hunted Sat/Sun/Mon and Monday my Dad killed his nice buck. That night he said "why don't you use my Q2, at least you won't wound a big buck " and you know what ? He was right. After 15 minutes I was shooting 2" groups at 20 yards with his Q2. I didn't shoot it again until Saturday morning, and I had been in my tree maybe 2 hours when a nice buck come in. I swung way to my left, one heart shot and he was mine.

The extreme ease of shooting the compound was what I chose to do with no regrets. I was shooting awful, there was a high chance I'd miss/wound with my longbow. In my mind I did the right thing and would do it all again the same way.

So no, I didn't go to Kansas with a compound. I switched to a compound, then back again when i got back to Arkansas when I started shooting better.

X Legion General

It seems to me that any negative a crossbow may bring can be argued. The same can be said for any positive. While I don't see any in your face negatives for using a crossbow during archery season, I dont see any real positives either. I dont think that adding to the already incresing numbers of archers in the woods during the archery season is a real positive.
There is an archery season and if you want to hunt during it in a state that doesnt allow crossbows, then pick up a compound with all its bells and wistles and hunt during archery season. If you can afford a good crossbow, why buy one over a compound bow, if they are so close in comparison? If you can use a compound what is the point in pushing a crossbow?
Why add another weapon? There are plenty of options for all types of hunters. Every form of taking an animal has its own unique elements. To me a crossbow doesn't add any new unique element to a hunt, but is seems to rob some of the uniqueness of archery hunting.
A cross bow is a hybrid a cross between a gun and a bow, it isnt really a gun, and it isnt really a bow.
I just dont see the point in adding a weapon to the choices.
If you want to hunt during rifle season, get a rifle.
If you want to hunt during muzzle loading season get a muzzle loader.
If you want to hunt during archery season, get a bow.
There are several types of bows to choose from, the line has been drawn in most states not to allow crossbows. The line has to be drawn somewere.

Cougar Mag

The general and accepted definition of a bow by most states is as follows: A long, recurve, or compound bow with a minimum pull of 40(substitute for state minimums) pounds at some point within a 28 inch draw.

A crossbow or any mechanical device capable of maintaining a drawn or partially drawn position on a bow without the hunter exerting full string tension, is illegal.

A crossbow works because it maintains a fully drawn position WITHOUT the hunter having to exert any tension whatsoever! In essence it works in the same way that a draw-loc would work on a compound bow, which is illegal in almost every state! Data, you surely don't think draw-locs are acceptable do you?

Don't tell me that an archer shooting 80% letoff can hold the bow at full draw for as long as a person who is holding the crossbow locked into place!!! Its simply not true.

X-Legion.....you made some very good points. Bravo!

Bob H in NH

I will agree with you on one thing datax, the Harry Potter series is excellent!

--Bob

datamax

X Legion General - You don't see the need for more changes in archery equipment ? You're wanting lines drawn ? Draw them then. You want to define the uniqueness of archery ? That was breached long ago when compounds weazled their way into archery season, wasn't it ? Ironically, compounders now see crossbows as the weasles - don't they ?

Cougar Mag - most states and therein lies the flaw in trying to define what is archery equipment based on State laws. Its absolutely 100% IMPOSSIBLE to change what something is by moving it across state lines, isn't it ? You can take a cat, that is a cat in Colorado, and move it to Arkansas and voila! it becomes a dog ? No, regardless of whether its called a dog, or a cat, its still a cat.

Take a crossbow and move it from a state that allows them in general archery season to one that doesn't, and its still a bow, just like it has been for centuries. Its not legal to use in archery season but its STILL the same thing.

See ?

I never said they could. However I submit that IF its all about the draw, theres a VAST differnce in drawing and shooting with a compund vs a recurve. VAST differences.



The biggest positive is strength in numbers of bowhunters. Be them new, two season, converts or whatever, if they're buying archery tags, and participating then they're adding strength to bowhunting.

But you must agree that the vast number of archery hunters use compounds ? If its about keeping low archer numbers, ban compounds and you'd really be pleased how uncrowded it'd be. Right ?


Good question - but people DO choose compounds over crossbows, don't they ? If they didn't then its logical to assume crossbow legal states would have virtually no compound hunters - and we know this isn't true. People choose compounds because they are super light in comparison, quiet, fast, easy to shoot and give them the BEST chance at killing animals.


Same can be said of mechanical releases, fiber optic sights, drop away rest ....... and you can expand that line of thinking to incliude scent lok clothes, electronic deer calls, deer scents, etc etc. But back to your comment ......... compound were added 40 years ago - why ? Why wasn't archery season good where it was ? Answer that question and you'll have cracked a dandy that will be the answer to why adding crossbows.

Websters ....... and history, say different.

Why ? has compounds had lines drawn ? Forever 65% was what was argued ........ until people tried it and LIKED it and it was changed. mechanical heads were once illegal, mechanical releases, certain arrows, arrowheads, etc etc.

ARGUY

datamax in your response dont one bit. i carried mine one time. in fact the whole season counting mine i seen 3. so all this ya ya about it is pointless. if someone wants to shoot one let them, but they need to make sure they know how to use it. do i think they belong in archery, well i guess thats debatable, im for either or as far as archery season, just be responsible and be safe is what i say

mnbohunter

I'm almost ready to start building my new bow. I'm going to pull the leaf springs out of an old 1 ton truck and bolt them to a modified set of front forks off of a 82 Honda three-wheeler. I'm going to use the drive chain off of same three wheeler for my bow string. I've got some 3/8" stainless steel round bar for arrows (broadheads and fletchings are still in the works, thinking about welding on some tail fins and just sharpening those) A 6x scope will top this monster off. Since I can dead-lift about 600 pounds, a draw weight of around 550 should provide plenty of knock down power. The patent application is in the mail. For Sale: Matthews Featherlite

silentassassin

Xlegion,

How about giving women and children a chance to be in the woods with a weapon during the archery season? How about giving those that previously hunted with compounds but now have injuries that prevent them from shooting to be in the woods with a weapon during archery season? How about the possiblity of bringing new hunters into our rapidly declining sport? Are those not positives?

silentassassin

Let's be honest guys that's what it's all about. You all don't want to share "your" woods or "your" deer. Ironically enough you are going to want other hunters to step in and support you when they threaten to take away what you enjoy doing. Well don't be surprised when they don't.

Double Creek

datamax, I'm no bowhunting phenom, but I have arrowed approx. 30 whitetails and over the years I would wager that from draw to shot was less than 10 seconds on each animal. I don't draw and hold for a minute and don't know anyone else that does. I wait to I get the shot, I draw, anchor, shoot. Very fast, within a few seconds. Does that sound like VAST difference b/t what you do with a recurve/longbow? Is the equal with that of a xbow vs compound?

I'll give you that compounds are easier to master that traditional equipment, but a VAST difference in being drawn in the presence of game? Thats BS and you know it. I would wage that I hold approx. 5 seconds longer than you do....... That 5 seconds means everything right? You can sell your holier than thou traditional sh!t to somebody else, I'm not buying.