THE GREAT CROSSBOW DEBATE ... A Balanced Perspective

[Grizzly Adam]

Hey, Ya'll ...

I often read with interest about all the crossbow flaming that goes on in the world of archery, and all the intense bickering and mudslinging that accompanies the controversy surrounding it's introduction into general archery seasons. I am amazed at reports of misinformation and misunderstanding concerning the capabilities and performance of crossbows, and I note with interest a certain defensiveness on the part of crossbowmen here on this forum.

I am new to the world of crossbows, but long accquainted with the world of archery. My first bow was a toy that shot suction-cup arrows; I was seven. When I was eleven, I bought a hickory flatbow and shot it 'till it broke at the handle. That Christmas, there was a Golden Bear recurve under the tree. Two summers later, with money earned from mowing and trimming a two-acre cemetery, I bought what was then an advanced design compound ... a six-wheel, bracket-hanger eccentrics monstrosity called the Whitetail Hunter.

Over the years, I shot and hunted with an array of longbows, recurves and compounds ... from simple sticks to cutting-edge compounds, and killed deer with all. Never shot a crossbow but twice, as they were illegal to use for hunting, and not very common ... but both times I did, I thought they were a neat weapon, and wished they were legal ... because I thought they were both cool and a lot of fun.

Now, three decades of experience down the road, I have a crossbow, and a permit to use it legally. I'm shooting it regularly, and have begun to successfully hunt with it; I killed my first deer with it within 15 minutes of carrying it out for the first hunt!

So far, I have these observations to make concerning the crossbow:

Crossbow Advantages:

Perfect arrow flight (close as it gets):

Elimination of bow hand torque
Elimination of release hand torque
Elimination of nocking point error (no porpoising)
Elmination of arrow rest misalignment (no fishtailing)
Elimination of anchor point error
Elimination of form error

Other advantages:

Arrow is held in positive tension on barrel in all attitudes
Faster arrow speeds with heavier arrows (some models)
Precision aiming (scoped models)
Ability to take a rested aim
Ability to hold the bow in drawn position indefinitely

Disadvantages:

Heavy
Bulky
Noisy
Slow to load
More difficult to practice with

All in all, I must say that the crossbow experience feels like archery to me, and as I'm an experienced rifleman, I guess I know the difference!

That being said, even though I'm a very experienced vertical archer, and no slouch at it, I'll also say that I find the crossbow to be significantly more precise than a vertical bow BECAUSE OF THE ELIMINATION OF MANY HUMAN ERROR FACTORS AS COMPARED TO A VERTICAL BOW.

There is MUCH LESS to go wrong with a crossbow shot. If the shot can be taken from a rest, the accuracy capability is significantly greater. If you are an experienced offhand shot, the accuracy capability is on par with the finest vertical rigs, without the tuning hassles and without much of the human factor. Ballistically, there is a slight advantage as well, but nothing to eliminate comparison ... still apples to apples there.

So ... practically, I find the crossbow a pain in the you-know-where to carry around and prepare for the shot, but a real joy to shoot, and a real confidence-booster in the field.

As to controversy, it seems to me that about the only impact the crossbow could really have on archery seasons is PROVIDING MORE PEOPLE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BOWHUNT and A REDUCED WOUNDING AND LOSS RATE ... and personally, I see that as a good thing.

I think the whole "controversy" mess is just human pride and greed rearing their ugly heads in another arena.

As for me, I like my crossbow. I enjoy shooting it. I enjoyed killing that deer with it. I'm glad I've got it, glad I do it, glad I did it, and:

I'M NOT ABOUT TO APOLOGIZE FOR IT!

In support of my new sport,

Grizz the Crossbowman

[TYE]

I think the whole "controversy" mess is just human pride and greed rearing their ugly heads in another arena.

As for me, I like my crossbow. I enjoy shooting it. I enjoyed killing that deer with it. I'm glad I've got it, glad I do it, glad I did it, and:

I'M NOT ABOUT TO APOLOGIZE FOR IT!

In support of my new sport,

Grizz the Crossbowman

AMEN

[ecoaster]

I hear ya Grizz.

I just recently purchased a vert compound. Why? Is there something wrong with my Exocet? Nope! Just want to try out other archery tools. Someday, I'm sure I will have a recurve or longbow. I really get ticked about the crossbow bashing too. It is just greed. Plain and simple. But with a liberal deer harvest, in most states and provinces, I really don't see the validity behind the bashing. I strongly believe that 99% of bowhunting is doing your homework and getting yourself within 40 yards of that deer. The rest should fall into place if you have practiced with your weapon of choice.

They both have the same effective range and both sling pointy sticks!

[exocet]

I also agree Griz. Here in PA we take a heavy beating and strong lobby against legalizing it for archery season, uless you are dissabled or near Pittsburgh(where I use mine) or Philly. The UBP(united bowhunters of PA) have a strong lobby and that is why I can`t use it everywhere in the state. I can`t stand the UBP Griz, may I post your statement on PA Hunting and Outdoors site in the Crossbow section? The guys would very much love to hear this Thanks-Jack.

[Grizzly Adam]

Hey, Exocet ...

Sure, you can post any excerpt you like! Hope it helps the cause.

Grizz

[Arkbow]

I really hear alot about the x-bow bashing in other states, but here in Arkansas we don't get bashed too bad; where I live, 75% of the people use x-bows because of their DEADLY accuracy; most people use Horton because of wal-mart but I am getting alot of attention with my excalibur exocet; we don't care what a hunter chooses so long that he does it right and RESPECTS other hunters for their choice of weapons; in the end WE ALL LIKE THOSE TENDERLOINS; OH YEA!!!!!

[Farmer]

Well thought out post Grizzly.

[wabi]

Well said, but who's going to let facts & truth change their opinion?
Here in Ohio the crossbow is legal as "archery" and I often choose it as the best way to launch arrows when hunting. If some egotistic snob doesn't like it, too bad! I'm going to give the game I hunt the quickest, most humane death I can and I'm not going to use some other (legal) method just to please someone's ego.

[Tom]

Grizzly good post. A few years ago I did extensive postings about the advantages and disadvantages of all the archery hunting tools. Basicly what it came down to was that the crossbow and compound both give equal advantages (although different advantages) to the shooter over the longbow or recurve bows.

It has also been proven in the past that in the hands of quality shooters, that the vertical bow will be more accurate. But the trouble is that most shooters are not in that class of ability or do they properly know how to service their own bows properly to keep everything tuned up so thier accuracy dwindles. Yes crossbows are more friendly and easier to use and to master, but is that a bad thing, no because it is always better to have hunters using a hunting tool that they have mastered the accuracy then using one (compound) that they might not be very accurate and just wound the animals.

It is a shame that some are totally ignorant to the truth and others are just blindly following the ignorant because they do not want to be left out of different.

[grandtrout]

I'm lucky enough to have a modern compund along with several recurves and a longbow. Every one of them will do the job. I've got a full time job and my first baby is now a week overdue. I live in a city so I can't shoot every day in my backyard. Honestly, if I had the choice I'd hunt with the recurve - in my opinon this is the most fun for shooting deer inside of 30 yards.. Recurves are a riot to shoot and the time I spend on the range with one just melts away. But I just don't have the time to get enough practice under my belt to hunt with it. I shoot OK with a compound but frankly would rather spend my time on the range shooting a recurve & use the crossbow to hunt. I shoot the crossbow a few bolts at a time when I go to the range and then proceed to loose a bunch of arrows with my recurve.

Were I hunt we have a long achery season and a 6 day gun season. There are lots of houses near by so rifles are out. I always figured the regs were set up so that public safety was protected and our public lands could be used by anyone for the whole year with out fear of being shot at, near etc. Archery is a good compromise because it reduces the growing deer population & has little if any impact on the general public. These management objectives can be satisfied with any form of archery equipment so why not a crossbow.

The idea behind achery season's is to use a weapon that limits or restricts range. With any bow horizontal or otherwise this is a function of the shooters ability to estimate distace accurately. With my compund if I want to take a 50 yard shot at a six inch target I need to guess the range within 3 yards. With my crossbow its the same. If you plot both trajectories they are almost identical at this distance, so even at extreame range one is no more effective than the other. When I was able to shoot my recurve regulary I didn't have to estimate distance - just pull it back and let it fly, & my brain did the distance estimating instictively - advantage recurve, however at fifty yards the abilty for me to do this is solely depandant on my experience.

If all archery equipment is essentially par at 50 yards and then effectivenes is limited by how good the shooter is with it. Here's were I think the debate comes from, instinctive shooters need to practice the most to group 6 inches at an unknown distance, then compound shooters, then crossbows. Here's were feelings get hurt because some folks think they earn their right to hunt by shooting alot. I admit that at times I've fallen into this camp, if you practice alot it shows your comitment to the sport and your less likely to take a stupid shot & end up with a deer wandering around with an arrow stuck in its butt. What I've learned since I got a crossbow is that the whole thing is shotter dependant. Every year someone goes town to walmart or canadian tire buys a bow (or crossbow) and shoots a few arrows and then wounds a deer & it wanders into town and makes the news (realy bad for the sport). I think we hunting is a privilage not a right and that we should all hunt with the weapon that assures clean efficient kills. If this is a long bow, crossbow or whatever, so be it. No way to outlaw stupidity so maybe its time to revisit the idea of manditory bowhunter education.

[Beaver]

AARRRGH....How come no one bothered to tell me before that human error had been eliminated Now I have to find a reason for all those stupid things that keep happening

[Grizzly Adam]

One in every crowd, I guess!

I supposed that context would establish the basis for my statement, but if you insist on exhaustive language, I will gladly amend my statement:

"I find the crossbow to be significantly more precise than a vertical bow BECAUSE OF THE ELIMINATION OF MANY HUMAN ERROR FACTORS AS COMPARED TO A VERTICAL BOW."

There you go ... that allows the possibility of your implied mistakes ... now you can mis-judge yardage, muff the sight picture, mess up your breathing, blow the trigger squeeze, pull the shot, wreck your follow-through, and throw in basic inability to boot ... and you can still blame it all on HUMAN ERROR.

Hope that helped.

Grizz

[Beaver]

Whew........Thanks man I was afraid there was something wrong with my Vixen

[The Pistoleer]

Grizzly, your experience with archery equipment pretty much mirrors mine. I own longbows, recurves and compounds. Like Grandtrout said the recurve (or the longbow) is the most fun to shoot. However time has taken a toll on me and I can no longer devote the effort needed to shoot a stick bow instinctively. Last year I bought a used Vixen off the Internet and I was very impressed. Now I feel like I can get back into bowhunting with the same amount of chance of obtaining a humane kill that I did in the past with my other bows.

I find the biggest disadvantage to a crossbow is the inability to shoot directly behind you while in a tree. This use to be one of my favorite techniques, using the tree to help hide me.

Great Post Griz

Pete

[saxman]

People are funny I think.
How one HUNTER can have a problem with anothers choice of hunting style or weapon is beyond me and seems very narrow minded.
We need to band together if we are to preserve this great tradition.
I support your right to leagaly use whatever style or weapon you choose.
I know guys down here in the south that hunt wild boar with a knife.
Thats what hunting is to them and I support that.(I WOULDNT DO IT)but I support it.How anyone who uses a high powered scoped rifle to harvest game could have a problem with a crossbow I cant understand.
Opinion's are like assholes,everybody has one and they all stink.