Go for the Bow. When i got my first i fell in love with it. Mathews, Bowtech, and Hoyt all good chocies but see which one is the most comfortable.

lol apparently you've never been graced by the power and presence of an Excalibur crossbow now have you? go to cabela's and ask to shoot the ExoMax and you'll never pick up a Horton again......been there done that

If I had to choose I would buy a bow because the season is usually longer. But with a 1000 dollars you could buy both if you looked around. plus if you have a shot gun you may be able to buy a slug barrel for it to compensate for a rifle. A poor man has poor ways. Thats what I live by if I aint got the money to justify buying it then I don't need it.

Thanks for the advice guys!I think I will try for the compound bow, rifle combination. I need more advice though, I write left handed, shoot right handed. I went to a sporting goods store yesterday and was looking over a compound bowjust to get a look and feel. My problem is that my right arm is weaker than my left and I had problems drawing the bow. I think the saleman said it had a 70 lb draw. I don't think I want a left handed bow because that will mess me up. Have any of you faced this dilema?

What ever you don't buy 2 cheap things and end of cursing and swearing at them when the season rolls around. You already have a gun that you can use to gun hunt so I would get a good bow. Personally I would go with a Horton or Excaliber, but that is beside the point. Take what is left from the bow and if you can find a good gun with good optics (if you want them) for a deal then pick it up. If not I's hold out and hunt with the bow and shotgun until you can get something good. Nothing is worse than your equipment failing when you need it most.[&:]


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get a bow. the learning curve isn't that bad. i use a recurve and it's a lot harder to shoot than a compound but if you've got a couple months to practice say 20 min. aday you'll be ready. i suggest shooting with someone who knows what there doing or get the shop you buy the bow from to get you squared away. bow season is the bomb here in new York. it's still going during the rut and starts so early that the first week is a great time to bag a doe or scout out that buck for the rut

Before you buy anything, I think you should seriously think about what type of hunting you want to be doing. What kind of turain you'll be hutning on. Big game, small game....etc. What kind of challenge you are looking for.....

The only time you can hunt with a CB, if you aren't disabled,is during the early muzzle loader season, the rifle season and late muzzle loader. Maybe in Allegheny Co. but I'm not sure about that.


Answer me this. If a hunter is not disabled, can he hunt the first day of archery season anywhere in the state? The answer is .....NO.....Why limit yourself to one week, during the early muzzleloader in PA, with a cross bow, when you can hunt 6 weeks with a compound.

All you need 45# to kill a deer..

You are right to be concerned on getting the best you can. My suggestion would be to get a nice Mathewes bow this year and concentrate on a gun next year if you can only get one. My reason for this is that with a bow yu will usually get a longer season and be able to be in the woods longer. Plus you said you like to hunt out of state and a lot of states don't allow cross-bows. but back to the bow always to try to get the best quaility gear you can and I don't think anyone here will argue with me Mathewes makes the best. As far as a rifle goes I would rather get a medieoka rifle and a real good scope then the other way around. Mike