Petewp

Please let me say first - this isnt "which is better - crossbows or hand bows". Really two different "tools" if you will with rock solid hertitages.

My question simply, and in light of the legal issues against Crossbows often, why do you guys Crossbow?
What drives you here as opposed to ther methods, handbows, or rifles even?

Again, not looking for trouble.

im going to hedge a bet its because of the inherent accuracy found in crossbows? Is this valid? I love both, so Im actually, honestly just curious .

Thanks ,

Pete

Pydpiper

Who says we don't use rifles and hand bows too?
Ifound the biggest difference between between guys who shoot crossbows and guys who don't is their ability to keep an open mind, never pausing to ask questions like the ones you just did.
There is no better, there is just more, more, more!
I love my crossbow, indubitably one of my favorite weapons in my small collection andit is fun, I also shoot compound a few times a week and rifles/shotguns daily.
You have been around for a bit with some crossbow questions, I hope you find the answers you are after, the first step is accepting that the crossbow is here to stay and it is nothing more than another form of archery.
So to sum up your question, I shoot it because I enjoy shooting it.

Hotburn76

Because my stateallows it andsees it as another safe choice for hunters to help manage there heard.Also because I like hunting with traditional equipment. My recurve CB has been around for over 2000 years!

Mainly though I like to deer hunt and spend time in the woods. Our gun season is only one week and it is a circus at best. Our archery season is four and half months, plenty of time and Ivery rarely run into people so my safety is increased, getting shot atwas once to many for me. If I could use a gunfor four months I probably would. I am not trying to do it the hard way and prove something to myself. If deer hunting was not allowed then I would be asquirrel expert and still spend as much time in the woods. Deer hunting is a way into the woods and harvesting a deer is part of the experience, if I told my wife I was justing sitting in the woods doing nothing she would think I am growing drugs or cheating on her, so killing a deer is the reward for time in the woods, I have plenty of money in the bank for beef so I do not do it cause I am hungry.

EDIT: Changed post since I was changing the direction of the thread and that is not the intent of the original poster.

Dnk

I own a several crossbows, a couple of compounds and several recurves. I use a crossbow because my province classes it the same as compounds to hunt with, because it is fun, because I know there will be less shots made at animals muffed when I am wearing bulky clothing and because it is more than adequate to take deer or moose. Compounds have better potential accuracy and range. BTW, I also own and hunt with shotguns, rifles and handguns. I guess you could draw a parallel with the computer. Why do you use a computer rather than the news paper, flyers, telephone, door knocking, etc. Because you can. We do it because we can. We all do it because it is legal, efficient, safe and affective. Draw a parallel to driving. Why does anyone drive rather than use public transit or walking or a horse. Same thing! Some of us here would hunt other wise. Can you imagine the day we when you can no longer do the thing you love to do most? What are you going feel when you give up your driver's licence? When I can no longer hunt I know my life is near an end! PULL THE PLUG!!!!

Arthur P

Oh, I dunno, Hotburn... Having been involvedin both sides of the thing,I think the untruths and selfishness pretty much run both ways. Hollering 'selfish' at the other side while denying your own selfish motives does nothing but cause resentment. Resentment breeds and feeds ignorance. Ignorance breeds untruths. Your type of rhetoric does nothing but perpetuate what you're griping about.

But as to the question about why I crossbow... For one thing, I can hunt with any legal weapon I want for 11 months of the year and crossbows are legal for hunting. I cannot legally hunt with a crossbow in the pitiful little nearly-a-month Texas archery season because I don't have a permanent upper limb disability. A crossbow is a nice change of pace from using stickbows and compounds.

I've also got shoulder trouble. There are days I physically can't shoot a conventional bow. So, out comes the crossbow. I'm not so much into modern crossbows though, nor their prices! [:-]So, just like I made my own longbow to avoid paying the high price of a custom,I made my own midieval type crossbow. Shoots great and it's a big hit at the traditional archery club I belong to.I will make another, better one, someday soon.

It's not that I enjoy shooting crossbows as much as I do my longbows and recurves, or even my compounds. It's more that shooting a crossbow is a darn sight better than not shooting at all.

Dnk

Arthur, is it true that arrows are bigger in Texas?

Arthur P

Only mine.

ranger56528

PLAIN AND SIMPLE......BECAUSE I CAN......
I prefer Archery hunting over long-guns even tho I own several Bows, rifles,shootguns,ML,handguns.Owning these allways gives me a option if the need comes....
Example...
Iam going Muly hunting this fall in South Western N.D,but Iam doing archery I could use rifle but Iam useing bow.I have also been trying to go Elk hunting but myshoulder has kept me out last two yrs,I could use bow but I am going to use Rifle.
Its all about options for the most of us but others dont really have aoption if they want to Bow hunt so crossbow is there tool......
Hint....they(cb's) are heavy and hard to stalk with in heavy cover.....This is where vert bows come into play...

The Crossbow is just another Option/tool for me to have at my disposel if I so desire.....

Dnk

In Canada our arrows are nicer!

Arthur P

Ours are rednecks. What d'ya expect? [8D]