Compound or CrossBow?
 

what do you guys prefer hunting with? a compound bow or a crossbow?

Compound bow..takes skill and practice so success is all that much sweeter.

i wouldnt say it takes much more skill. I hunt with compounds and traditional recurves, and have shot my friends crossbow once. I can assure you shooting off hand with a crossbow is equal to shooting a compound. people say crossbows are faster, not really. Matthews, Bear, PSE, and Hoyt all have bows just as fast, if not faster than most crossbows. One advantage to the crossbows is you can use a rest.

I prefer using a compound bow. There smaller and easier to get around with. Most weight about 4lbs and are around 32" axle to axle. I also think they can be more fun to shoot. But target practice long range with crossbows is fun.

go with what ever interests you more. don't listen to the crossbow haters, there full of it.

I prefer a bow. They are just more sleek and easier to carry and transport IMO.

Never hunted with a crossbow, but I would think it would afford opportunity to hunt out of a much tighter space or blind. Not legal here except for disabled or elderly. Someday I will probably use one.

This is my first year with a crossbow, after 25 years with a compound. The advantage I see is not having to draw on a deer. The downside is the thing is more difficult/awkward to carry through the woods. Also, I have gotten second chances on a deer after a miss with a compound. That won't happen with my crossbow. My crossbow is extremely accurate, but so is my compound, so that point's moot.

This right here. I hunt with both. I practice with both. Shooting off a rest with the crossbow is very simply. I can stack bolts in the center at sixty yards off a rest. But shooting in a hunting situation,off hand is different. I am much more consistent with my compound than with my crossbow off hand. It is difficult to rest the crossbow in most hunting situations. So if you choose that don't think it's something you can stick in the closet and never practice with.
-Jake

Compound bow for me. I agree with Sniggle, more skill and practice to be successful. Usually need to be closer and you have to draw a compound bow. Don't have to with a crossbow. Not knocking people that use them just not for me.

Whichever gets a fellow in the woods to have a good time ..
Shooting a bow use to take a lot of skill then they put training wheels on them, guys went to using releases, carbon arrows, stabilizers, drop away rests, sights, etc....

A real bow hunter wouldn't have all that krap....

Recurve.

When I can no longer do that, I'll go to the crossbow.

So what is a REAL bow hunter, please tell us? Do you make your own bow? Harvest birds to make your own arrows? Make your own flint arrow heads? If you answer NO to any of these questions then you are not a real bow hunter.

I shot a crossbow and could care less what the unreal bow hunters think

After 30 years this will be my first year with a crossbow.I would prefer the compound but the minds willing but the body's not.To me the crossbow will be a lot harder to move through the woods with, they are awkward to carry,never had that problem with the compound.

i have used both and killed deer with both. if some one does not have the time or desire to put in enough time to practice and become proficient with a compound then that person owes it to the animals to not use one and use a crossbow. still takes a little parctice but not like a compound. i can not stand to go into a sporting good store the day before archery season any more. lots of guys wait til then to buy a compound. very few of them actually had another bow that they practiced with for a while. most just decided they want to hunt and go buy a bow. shoot 10 arrows at the shop and go hunting the next day. IRRITATING

Compound ... but I no longer can due to a serious shoulder injury that I guess will never be as strong as needed to draw a reasonable weight. So I use a Cross-Bow. I like them both, thougn I the complud that I was using at the time of the injury (Matthews SQ2) was a lot less cumbersome than my cross bow.

I prefer Compound because I believe it requires more training and skill. To each his own, but I know too many guys with crossbows that step out of their house onto their deck to kill a deer and consider that hunting.

I don't consider slaughtering animals hunting, the prey should at least have a fighting chance.

I prefer compound and recurve, although I currently don't have a recurve, I would like to learn the traditional way because I look up to the best archer in the world; Uncle Bear.

I'll second that.

IMHO, A real bowhunter, is one that respects his prey and aims true, and one that loves and respects Mother Nature. If I'm not mistaken Fred Bear didn't say things that were in poor taste towards other archers. I think you insulted most of the people on this thread by saying what you said. To each his own.