# Compound vs. Crossbow



## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

Any thoughts? Why or why not


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Both serve a useful purpose. Both shoot arrows really fast. Cross bows allow those that can't shoot regular compound bows to bow hunt. I can shoot a compound bow but I also shoot a cross bow. Why? Because I can legally do so in NC and it allows me to hunt with my son. He has not mastered the compound bow yet. 

Some will say that it is not really bow hunting or it takes the skill out of bow hunting. In some aspects I have to agree. But..... You still have to judge yardage and practice shooting. 

It is easier to start shooting a cross bow over a compound. No weight to hold back. You can use a rest on a cross bow. Can't really do so with a compound bow. 

I guess it depends on what you like. I love shooting cross bows. I love shooting my compound bow. I hunt with both and enjoy both. 

Darin


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Range is the same, you give up light weight and maneuverability with a crossbow for ease of shooting especially for young and older hunters that can't pull the 40-60 lbs back. 

Personally it's too dang hot to hunt here in bow season. 

Some people have the impression that crossbows are gonna wipe out the deer population...that's quite wrong. No difference in a crossbow shot deer or a compound shot deer. You have one shot with a crossbow, most can't be safely cocked from a tree stand, and if a scope and a rest helps people make a clean shot then I'm all for that. I see sooo many people on hunting forums come on and say they can't find their deer they shot with a bow, it's astounding and disgusting because it happens time and time again. But they still think they're better than a rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader hunter. So many have an elitist attitude. We are all hunters and must stick together or we won't have the opportunity to hunt with anything in this world we live in.


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## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

I am in the market for one and have used a compound last year, but I sold it. Dealers say that compounds have more advantage over a crossbow. My buddies say its cheating to use one and less of a challenge, but I say a challenge doesn't put meat in the freezer. Just wondering everyone's thoughts. Any idea if a single string cross bow works better or wrose than the compound crossbow? I guess its called a recurved cross bow. Has the same draw weight...


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

I hunt a Barnett Revolution Xbow. I love it. That said,I would still shoot a compound except for an injury that has permanently put a stop to me drawing one back enough to be proficient. I have a multiple disk impairment in my neck and if I pull one back too many times my left arm aches like a tooth ache.


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## LaidbackVA (May 17, 2007)

I like "Paymaster" hunt with a crossbow(Tenpoints) because of a disk problem. I think they are as affective as a compound. People who loose deer after deer after deer and blame the crossbow are either not good shots and/or not good trackers.


ron


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## SNDFLEE (Sep 8, 2010)

Smoothlures hit the nail on the head with his post! People who loose deer consistently with either crossbow or compound are most likely guilty of taking unethical shots. Too far is the common one with a crossbow they think their distance is GREATLY improved with a crossbow and practice is'nt that critical, wrong. Like was posted earlier, practice,practice,practice, especially from an elevated position like you were hunting. I have seen guys get 20' up in a tree and freak out, imagine what happens when a deer comes into the picture? Shooting a target in your yard at 15 or 20 yards is nothing like shooting a live deer in the woods with multiple variables! 
The mindset of bow hunting should be how close can I get NOT how far can I shoot one.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I only take 30 yard or less shots. I prefer 20 yard shots or less. If you don't practice with a crossbow or a compound bow you are going to miss or wound deer. There is no dead ringer in bowhunting no matter what you shoot. Way to many variables like twigs and limbs between you and the deer and a wrong guess at yardage. 

I have met several people that could not securly anchor a deer with a high powered rifle. I know they have no business in shooting a arrow at a deer. There are some people in the lease I just joined have no chance in killing a deer. Probably could not drag a dead deer by them. Wearing aftershave to the stand and smoking in the stand. Just makes it easier for others to kill the deer that they are running off. 

Good luck to everyone that archery hunts. Our season starts Saturday. I have been hunting at this guys house for the past several seasons that is overrun with deer. He lives in a upscale subdivision. Deer run rampant in the neighborhood. Gardens and newly planted bushes stand no chance. He has a pool in his back yard and he uses a salt water system in the pool. The deer jump the fence and drink water out of his pool and crap all over the cement. They destroy his garden year after year. He feeds them along the woods for me and come Saturday I plan on sending an arrow thru one of the big old does. He has been seeing a little buck in velvet. May wait on him. This is not a trophy hunt. It is just to thin the heard and make the neighbors happy. He has been calling every morning giving me a report on the deer activity each evening. Every evening there have been 11 deer along the woods. I hope to make it 10 by Saturday night. 

Darin


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## SNDFLEE (Sep 8, 2010)

Don't forget pics for those of us envying you my friend ! If you get run over give me a holler and I will be glad to back you up!! Some of the biggest bucks are coming from urban areas where there is no pressure from hunters or such! I sure can't wait to play some string music on my Mathews I envy you my friend!!! Good luck and please be safe, SNDFLEE


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

I sure do miss the good old days,, I remember bow hunting when they were only 3 of us in the woods, mabey around 6 come black powder season,,, then came along In-lines and everyone thought they were snipers and then lo and behold crossbows and everyone had to buy one so they could shoot 50 yards and kill all the deer they wanted,,, the woods are now packed and the deer are bedded down tight.

I worked in a shop that did bows and guns and remember guys comming in 1 or 2 days before opening day and wanting 2 or 3 arrows and had never shot a bow  let alone did any practice. Do you know how many stories I heard about how close they just missed a monster or the ones I loved the most was the deer was way out there but I took a shot anyway and was hopeing to get lucky  I wanted to cut their strings  kind of like telling me you hooked a big drum on your zebco 202 with 10lb test and fought him for an hour.

I took up 3-D shooting in the off season to make myself better so when that monster showed up I stood a much better chance to make the best shot possible, for me and the animal.

Take the time and practice, not only standing on flat ground and shooting 20 feet away but get in a tree stand and see how much different it is. Have a buddy move the target around to different distances and see how you will Just miss that monster by inches.


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## SNDFLEE (Sep 8, 2010)

There ya go Shooter you hit the nail in the head. The old days were awesome, was just talking to the wife how we did'nt really know how good we had it and how much fun we were really having and how I wished I could go back!!! Oh well new world now in a lot of different ways ! I remember when they started early muzzleloader season a LOT of guys quit bow hunting and went to the smoke pole, it hits right in the peak of the rut most everywhere! Something about a stick and string I found fascinating though still do!!


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## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

Well, I sold my guitar for less than I wanted, but season opens tomorrow and I needed some cash. Ended up buying a Hoyt Striker that has a little age on it, but hardly any wear. I appreciate the advice and I believe I am still going to like the challenge of Bow hunting over trying to fill up the freezer!


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## jlove1974 (Oct 9, 2009)

I am also new to bowhunting (with wife and kids) and I shopped for crossbows just this week. I came down to the Barnett Ghost 350 as the best bang for the buck. If I wanted to cheap out and have a heavier bow I would go with the Wicked Ridge warrior (by Tenpoint). I figure I will be double-up in a ground blind most of bow season, with me in the mentor role so I want to make it easy.

And as far as cheating, I say if you are in the woods teaching kids, then every advantage is fair play


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## topwater1pro (Oct 7, 2009)

its all in how you want to spend your money and what level interest you have. have shot the compound for close to 30 years - see no need to have anothe addicition and license fee


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## Adam (Feb 19, 2001)

I shoot a compound and always will. The legalization of xbows still dosnt sit well with me. For handicapped hunters, or hunters suffering from an injury, I say by all means, shoot a xbow. The part that kills me, is the people that have never killed a deer with a bow, or even been bowhunting before, they go out and by a xbow and all of a sudden they're "bowhunters." Horsecrap. They think this will make it easier. Bowhunting is not supposed to be easy, thats why we do it. Bowhunting is about practicing, scouting, and properly placing a stand, to get the deer in close and make an ethical shot. I wish I had a dollar for all these "bowhunters," alot of em are friends of mine too, that have taken 40, 50, and even 60 yard shots with xbows, on animals and make a bad hit and lose the deer. 

Not only that, but they are loud, they are a pain in the ass to reload, and are heavy. But who cares right? You can put a 9x scope on the things, for crying out loud, and shoot as far as you desire!!! Yeah right. If you can pull a compound, pull a compound, and hunt with it. I promise you will get more satisfaction out of it.

Blast away!


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Adam said:


> I shoot a compound and always will. The legalization of xbows still dosnt sit well with me. For handicapped hunters, or hunters suffering from an injury, I say by all means, shoot a xbow. The part that kills me, is the people that have never killed a deer with a bow, or even been bowhunting before, they go out and by a xbow and all of a sudden they're "bowhunters." Horsecrap. They think this will make it easier. Bowhunting is not supposed to be easy, thats why we do it. Bowhunting is about practicing, scouting, and properly placing a stand, to get the deer in close and make an ethical shot. I wish I had a dollar for all these "bowhunters," alot of em are friends of mine too, that have taken 40, 50, and even 60 yard shots with xbows, on animals and make a bad hit and lose the deer.
> 
> Not only that, but they are loud, they are a pain in the ass to reload, and are heavy. But who cares right? You can put a 9x scope on the things, for crying out loud, and shoot as far as you desire!!! Yeah right. If you can pull a compound, pull a compound, and hunt with it. *I promise you will get more satisfaction out of it.*
> 
> Blast away!


Everyone isn't out to get the same things from it as you are. Have an open mind. Be happy we're bringing new hunters of any kind to a dying sport. More than enough deer to go around.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I have to agree. 
I don't really care if you like it or not. As long as you are hunting in a ethical way I am fine with whatever you decide to hunt with.

Darin


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

I remember when compounds started to be offered in the early 70's and then became the "it" thing in the mid to late 70's. All the recurve shooters said they were unfair, wasn't archery etc. Funny crossbows have been around since the 5th century and may have existed in the 4th. Unfortunately after years of bowhunting and winning N.F.A.A. tournament from Florida to Virginia a back injury caused me to give up archery 18 years ago. I am now thinking about trying a cross bow.


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