Bill
Administrator
100% accurate. I’m sure it may take longer for someone with no prior knowledge of how to shoot something with a trigger. But if you’re a competent shooter your theory is correct.
Gonna try crossbow hunting this year
- Thread starter jsasker007
- Start date
100% accurate. I’m sure it may take longer for someone with no prior knowledge of how to shoot something with a trigger. But if you’re a competent shooter your theory is correct.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I shot a couple of does with a crossbow when they were first made legal here. I wanted to argue against them and know what I was talking about. Turns out I had the exact range and success as I did with my compound, and it took the same amount of practice to get ready for season. Now with that said, I've got 40yrs of practicing and shooting a compound, so to get ready for season doesn't take much and is pretty much the same as a crossbow. For someone without a lot of compound experience the crossbow is infinitely easier to learn.
I found them to be very comparable weapons. But I don't hunt from box blinds, over corn, or in a way that I could set up a rest and have an absolute known distance to the deer. In this manner I found the crossbow to be clumsy, and unlike my compound.
One thing I really didn't like about the crossbow is the 100% certainty of hitting the target. So much into shooting a compound in the moment of truth. Got to make sure form is right, that I don't pull the shot, etc that adds pressure to the shot. The ones I shot with the crossbow didn't feel the same. Just aim and shoot it.
I found them to be very comparable weapons. But I don't hunt from box blinds, over corn, or in a way that I could set up a rest and have an absolute known distance to the deer. In this manner I found the crossbow to be clumsy, and unlike my compound.
One thing I really didn't like about the crossbow is the 100% certainty of hitting the target. So much into shooting a compound in the moment of truth. Got to make sure form is right, that I don't pull the shot, etc that adds pressure to the shot. The ones I shot with the crossbow didn't feel the same. Just aim and shoot it.
Feelslikefar.
5 year old buck +
Based on yesterday, I would say certainly.
But I'm also not new to flinging arrows or to crossbows, so that's some of the learning curve gone.
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I bought my wife a compound bow - gave it to her for Christmas one morning. Took it out that afternoon and we got it sighted in. She had never drawn a bow in her life. She was about 50 yrs old at the time. She took it hunting the next afternoon and killed a doe. First deer she ever shot at with a bow. These new compounds are pretty dang easy to shoot. Granted, a beginner isnt going to shoot one inch groups at 20 yards with a compound - but three inch groups are easy and lethal at 20 yards.
I agree with Catscratch - for most deer hunting in my area, shots are 30 yards and in. Many years, after not shooting my compound bow for six months, I would pick it up a month before bow season, walk out on the front porch, and shoot my first arrow of the year at the target 60 yards away. Usually, it was in the kill zone. I needed almost no practice to be dead on out to 30 yards with my compound. Now when we would go out west, it took a lot more practice to be efficient out to 60 yards. THe last 15 years I hunted with a compound, I didnt ever feel like I was going to miss if the deer was within 30 yards - and didnt. The biggest thing for me was shooting a ton of hogs and learning patience - waiting for the deer to turn to a good position for shooting. When I was younger, I was pretty prone to take a risky shot.
The biggest difference I see in a compound and a crossbow - is you dont have to draw a crossbow - making it harder for a deer to detect you and allowing a hunter to hunt effectively in many locations where hunting with a compound would be ineffective. A crossbow Also allows young kids to effectively kill deer that would not be able to hunt with a compound. Most of my grand daughters killed their first deer at age six or seven with a crossbow. Of course, they probably would have killed their first deer with a rifle one month later.
I agree with Catscratch - for most deer hunting in my area, shots are 30 yards and in. Many years, after not shooting my compound bow for six months, I would pick it up a month before bow season, walk out on the front porch, and shoot my first arrow of the year at the target 60 yards away. Usually, it was in the kill zone. I needed almost no practice to be dead on out to 30 yards with my compound. Now when we would go out west, it took a lot more practice to be efficient out to 60 yards. THe last 15 years I hunted with a compound, I didnt ever feel like I was going to miss if the deer was within 30 yards - and didnt. The biggest thing for me was shooting a ton of hogs and learning patience - waiting for the deer to turn to a good position for shooting. When I was younger, I was pretty prone to take a risky shot.
The biggest difference I see in a compound and a crossbow - is you dont have to draw a crossbow - making it harder for a deer to detect you and allowing a hunter to hunt effectively in many locations where hunting with a compound would be ineffective. A crossbow Also allows young kids to effectively kill deer that would not be able to hunt with a compound. Most of my grand daughters killed their first deer at age six or seven with a crossbow. Of course, they probably would have killed their first deer with a rifle one month later.
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
I got a raven r9 and a koda bow with Excalibur micro limbs. It’s a custom deal.
The raven has a better trigger and cocking system. The lighted raven nocks make the bolt hit low. The scope on the raven confuses the be Jesus outta me. I struggle with multiple circles. The raven is very very accurate. It’s also awful to carry.
The koda bow is tricky to cock, and has a stiff trigger.
The raven has a better trigger and cocking system. The lighted raven nocks make the bolt hit low. The scope on the raven confuses the be Jesus outta me. I struggle with multiple circles. The raven is very very accurate. It’s also awful to carry.
The koda bow is tricky to cock, and has a stiff trigger.
