Why a crossbow?

[grndhntr]

Just wanted to start a thread about your reasons for hunting with a crossbow. For myself, it doesn't make it easier since I have to hunt with a rifle tag with a crossbow here in Colorado. I hurt my shoulder and can't shoot my longbow right now, so a (recurve) crossbow seems more traditional to me than a compound bow. What are your reasons for choosing a crossbow as a hunting weapon? Thanks. Grndhntr

[TYE]

I wanted to get into bowhunting.... but last winter I injured my shoulder pretty bad, so instead of buying a compound bow like I was going to, I had to get a crossbow.

[new paradox]

Up here we have to use a x-bow during mussel load season or rifle.I got the bow because it is more exciting to track,scent or call a deer and get up close.I will still take out my rifle to bag one thou if I still nead to.Plus a mussel load is as good as any rifle now,and as easy to use,so why bother with the guns.

[GaryL]

Main reason is I love crossbows, 2nd reason is bad shoulder, however bad shoulder or not I would still be hunting with a xbow and or a stick bow....

[GaryL]

How is hunting Gary? Off topic but going rifle hunting tomorrow for a couple of days for WI T zone hunt. Glad to see gas has gone down to 2.39 though it could be lower to make me happy.

Been on the real slow side here jh45gun with all the rain of late. Yep good to see the gas prices going down but still not low enough Best to ya with the rifle hunting....

[Digger]

I've been bow hunting since '64 with trad and recurve then went to compounds and finally to xbows in '92 with a Wolverineand loved that weapon and stuck with it. I take a Martin Jaguar with me for a back up bow and take it out for a day or two instead of a xbow.

[JR]

I shot vertical bow for 9 years (factory pro shooter for 3) and shot FITA for 4yrs. My average weekly arrow shots were around 1000 (summer and winter. After that many arrows my Dr. told me that I had no cartilage in my shooting shoulder and that I required surgery (still haven't done it). I put down the vertical and picked up the horizontal and wil never go back. I find it more of a challenge with the xbow but yet my target scores average aboul 30-40 pts less than my vertical scores. Plus it's another tool to harvest my favorite meat. -JR

[Woodsman]

I like to shoot every kind of weapon (that's allowed ). The crossbow is just one more toy/device in my arsenal. I still use my vert bow when bow hunting...and will also use my crossbow whenever it is allowed here in Quebec (rumors are it will be allowed for everyone, in every zone, in 2007).

[wabi]

Because I love bowhunting!
Started with a longbow as a youngster (1950s) and was hooked on bowhunting. A shoulder injury forced me to try a crossbow a few years ago, so I tried a few different models of the popular brands. Had given up on the crossbow as a serious hunting tool until I shot an Excalibur! Now I use the crossbow because it opens up more hunting opportunities for me. There are some situations where a longbow just dosen't work well, such as a pop-up bling, or tree stand with a "skirt" blind and shooting rail. The crossbow fits these situations well, so it get the duty.

[DesertRat]

There are so many reasons. It is fun. It is something different. It is nicer on a rea cold day. The biggest reasn for me though is the fact that I can get away with a lot more daring setups with the crossbow than I can with the vertical. I can sit with minimum cover and have had deer almost step on my feet. The fact that there is less movement involved allows me to get right in the thick of it. Ask those vertical X-bow anti's if deer at 2 yard sin a lawn chair is exciting enough.

[ecoaster]

Around here there is a one week shotgun deer season with a controlled number of hunters and the bow season is three months. I don't like being in the woods with hundreds of other hunters, so the bow season was a no brainer. I chose a crossbow mainly because I thought it would be a good introduction to archery. I may try a vertical bow someday.

[Maritimer]

I to enjoy hunting with my longbow but I bought a crossbow because I also have a bad shoulder (motorcycle accident). I enjoy using different tools to hunt with for each one is unique in it's own way.

[ninepointer]

I started deer hunting in the late 1980's by hunting on and off for a few years with a vertical compound bow. With no archery shop in my area at that time, no internet forums like this one in those days and no one to show me how things are done, I was constantly struggling with that bow to get it tuned and make the arrows fly straight.

The last straw was after 4 hours in freezing rain, the biggest buck I'd ever seen (the biggest to this day) showed up at 20 yards. I was so cold and stiff that I couldn't draw the bow properly! By the time I got that bow drawn, all I could see was the flag waving good-bye!!! I immediately sold the vertical bow and bought the carved limb Exocet that I shoot to this day. But after buying the crossbow, I joined a really great hunt camp (rifle) and the crossbow sat idle for many years. Last season I got back into crossbow hunting BIG TIME and this fall I shot my first crossbow deer. I have a date with deer No. 2 this Saturday...

Ninepointer

[grndhntr]

Good posts- keep 'em coming. Thanks

[GREY OWL]

Believe it or not, I've always had a fedish (hope that's how its spelt), about xbow's, since I was a wee widow kid. And now, I'm not anymore mature, but have the cash to own and shoot one.

Grey Owl