So I love to shoot compound bows, been doing it for 40 years now. I shoot 3D, indoor league and hunt. This year I want to buy a new hunting bow, but am thinking about a crossbow. I'm 64 and have no physical problems with shooting a compound. So I'm undecided. I'll have to spend a grand on a compound bare bow plus new accessories, and I know I can get a decent crossbow for a lot less. Anyone else in this situation. Thanks in advance.
Buying one yeah or neah
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Not exactly in your situation. I switched a few years ago (2012). Had a bad shoulder since 2001. Finally got to where I could no longer hang tree stands, or practice enough with my compound bows to shoot the way I should. Went out a few times with the crossbow I bought for my son to use when he was 12. Got another so he could hunt if he came home from college (didn't have the chance to practice). Kept going from there. Now crossbows are my hobby. TSR in 2015, but I'm not able to draw/shooot compound bows comfortably, so I can't really go back.
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1,463 Posts
Got my first xbow when I turned 65. In spring of 2016 I had a stroke and can no longer shoot my compound now I am shooting a Tenpoint Venom and really like this bow.
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Its your call and your money. You will get a lot of different input on this. But as the norm goes there's basically three different categories.
In the fist category there are many of us that more/less had to ditch verticals and go to a crossbow due to some sort of physical condition. Speaking for myself, I hated giving up my verticals and fought it for all I had in me. But due to the pain from shooting a vertical I finally gave in, sold my verticals, and went 100% crossbow. Took me a couple years to finally like the crossbow gig but now I wonder why I hadn't went to one sooner.
The second category consists of those that simply likes crossbows. We have many on here that are very dedicated crossbow fellas. Its what they do on their spare time.
The third category are those that simply got into crossbows so they can extend their hunting seasons or have a chance at more tags. As more and more states accept crossbows, I see this category of folks increasing.
There may be other reasons as to why some folks went to crossbows. However, it appears that if one is getting up there in their years and are not having any issues drawing a vertical, they often times will have. Just a matter of time.
Good luck on your decision. There's just so many different crossbows on the market now days it would behoove any perspective buyer to do their homework prior to purchase. My advice is to go with one of the higher quality bows. Look at the features of each one. Speed, warranty, reviews, size, price, weight, does it require a press to work on the bow? etc.
In the fist category there are many of us that more/less had to ditch verticals and go to a crossbow due to some sort of physical condition. Speaking for myself, I hated giving up my verticals and fought it for all I had in me. But due to the pain from shooting a vertical I finally gave in, sold my verticals, and went 100% crossbow. Took me a couple years to finally like the crossbow gig but now I wonder why I hadn't went to one sooner.
The second category consists of those that simply likes crossbows. We have many on here that are very dedicated crossbow fellas. Its what they do on their spare time.
The third category are those that simply got into crossbows so they can extend their hunting seasons or have a chance at more tags. As more and more states accept crossbows, I see this category of folks increasing.
There may be other reasons as to why some folks went to crossbows. However, it appears that if one is getting up there in their years and are not having any issues drawing a vertical, they often times will have. Just a matter of time.
Good luck on your decision. There's just so many different crossbows on the market now days it would behoove any perspective buyer to do their homework prior to purchase. My advice is to go with one of the higher quality bows. Look at the features of each one. Speed, warranty, reviews, size, price, weight, does it require a press to work on the bow? etc.
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String gun, Im 67 still in good health like you. I have been an archer since childhood. Several years ago I bought my first crossbow just to do something different. Now Im deeply invested in crossbows and really enjoy them. I still shoot my compounds in leagues etc. but vertical archery has become stagnated to me. Compound bows just arent changing much. Just go for it and ignore those that think using a crossbow requires you to give up your man card.
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17,873 Posts
I made switch due to back and shoulder…I kept my bow hoping to get back in 3D someday??? But…Crossbow shooting is way better than I ever dreamed! I will caution you 1000.00 is a good starting point to buy a crossbow/arrows/optics etc… If you like thousand dollar bows I would bet you will like 1500.00 crossbows!!! Good luck…you'll love the accuracy and Hunting Abilities!
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21,689 Posts
Just as well give it a shot. I enjoy shooting and hunting with mine. I had to take up the crossbow. But ive hunted with all types including making my own trad bows. Its what you make it.
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5,283 Posts
As several here have stated, I could still use a vertical bow if I wanted to. Hunted with vertical bows for 30 years. In 2009 when Michigan made it legal to use crossbows, I got one and never looked back! To me, they are much more enjoyable, plus I really like optics (scopes) for hunting.
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1,731 Posts
You're getting quality input here Stringgun.
My archery experience started in the 70s and I've loved all the transitions I been through. I learned basics, got a very nice recurve as a Christmas gift, learned arrow making, built a string jig and cresting tool and experienced the compound bow phenomenon. So I went from a Bear Super Kodiak to a Jennings compound, then a Wing compound, a PSE then back to recurve I built form a kit to get back to basics.... At about 30 I had to stop bow hunting and eventually stopped shooting the bow all together. Why? Well, life blessed me with a wife and soon a family,a change of jobs and location and a new focus on how I spend my spare time.
I'm almost 60 now, my family is grown and my spare time has come back. About 4 years ago I started looking at the crossbow as a re-entry into archery and bowhunting. The advantage it provided me was a quick re-entry opportunity, use of a very modern and effective tool and one I felt had distinct hunting advantages over a verticle bow. I have no regrets and from a hunter's POV, I've had more memorable experiences with an xbow in hand than I ever did with any of my rifles or my verticle bows.
I'd say go for it as well. You live life once and there is no guarantee of a tomorrow.... Good luck!
My archery experience started in the 70s and I've loved all the transitions I been through. I learned basics, got a very nice recurve as a Christmas gift, learned arrow making, built a string jig and cresting tool and experienced the compound bow phenomenon. So I went from a Bear Super Kodiak to a Jennings compound, then a Wing compound, a PSE then back to recurve I built form a kit to get back to basics.... At about 30 I had to stop bow hunting and eventually stopped shooting the bow all together. Why? Well, life blessed me with a wife and soon a family,a change of jobs and location and a new focus on how I spend my spare time.
I'm almost 60 now, my family is grown and my spare time has come back. About 4 years ago I started looking at the crossbow as a re-entry into archery and bowhunting. The advantage it provided me was a quick re-entry opportunity, use of a very modern and effective tool and one I felt had distinct hunting advantages over a verticle bow. I have no regrets and from a hunter's POV, I've had more memorable experiences with an xbow in hand than I ever did with any of my rifles or my verticle bows.
I'd say go for it as well. You live life once and there is no guarantee of a tomorrow.... Good luck!
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5,678 Posts
You do realize you are asking a bunch of crossbow nut's about pulling the trigger on a crossbow purchase right ,LOL.
I am 47 , still can shoot a 70# bow but why , i have shot a good share with a vert and felt i paid my dues . You could not pry a vert from my hand's .
Now that being said i switched over 6 yrs ago and am 100% a crossbow addict . I say go for it , you may love it or hate it .
You are going to spend the $ anyway and the xbow resale market is pretty good IMO.
Word of advice , get a $ 500 bow and learn what they are all about , sell it , then move up to the higher performance bows .
I am 47 , still can shoot a 70# bow but why , i have shot a good share with a vert and felt i paid my dues . You could not pry a vert from my hand's .
Now that being said i switched over 6 yrs ago and am 100% a crossbow addict . I say go for it , you may love it or hate it .
You are going to spend the $ anyway and the xbow resale market is pretty good IMO.
Word of advice , get a $ 500 bow and learn what they are all about , sell it , then move up to the higher performance bows .
That is VERY good advice. I've had 11 crossbows since I had to switch over in 2009 -- and I am probably on the lower side of being willing to spend money on crossbows.
Be sure you at least look at the Reverse Draw bows when you are making your choice. MY choice if I was starting over and had zero experience with crossbows is the TenPoint (Horton) Vortec. It is relatively moderate in price, has the Reverse Draw configuration, and should retain its value if you go to sell it. Plus TenPoint has a great reputation for taking care of its customers ... and, from my experience that reputation is well-deserved.
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I still a young pup at 61. Definitely not ready to give up my compound. Had rotator cuff surgery last spring that has not changed my thought process. Just love the compound too much. Yes, my crossbow cost a less than my compound but it has sat in closet for last 2 years while I carry the compound everywhere. Just don't get the thrill in shooting the xbow.
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I was thinking along the same lines but was thinking a little cheaper to start. A Centerpoint Sniper 370 package can be had around $225/250 and it is a pretty proven platform. A cheap way to see if you like it or not.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Crosma...768303&hash=item51ffadcbc4:g:Ca8AAOSwWGlZ248d
stringgun,
I am shopping for my first crossbow, and have a long history of whitetail deer hunting with firearms. I have an older vertical bow, but have only taken one deer with it. I'm going to try a crossbow as an additional weapon in my arsenal. (Down the road, I will also add a new vertical, but I spend alot of time shooting my long guns at the range, and practice time runs a bit thin.) For me, the crossbow allows me to get hunting earlier in the season, and I plan on using it on a travel hunt later this year. I perceive the significant hunting advantages of a crossbow over a vertical bow to be: 1) much less movement to aim and shoot a crossbow than to stand, draw and shoot a vertical bow; and 2) a crossbow is not as physically demanding to shoot as a vertical bow.
I respectfully disagree with the prior posters who suggest an entry level-ish crossbow to start. I suggest buying a higher end Xbow as your first bow, with a half dozen quality aftermarket bolts. Select a higher end bow from a respected manufacturer that will resell easily, and you won't lose too much money. If you know what you want, you should be able to wait and pick up a great used bow here on the Classifieds when the multi-XBow owning members here trade up to something new for 2018.
I am shopping for my first crossbow, and have a long history of whitetail deer hunting with firearms. I have an older vertical bow, but have only taken one deer with it. I'm going to try a crossbow as an additional weapon in my arsenal. (Down the road, I will also add a new vertical, but I spend alot of time shooting my long guns at the range, and practice time runs a bit thin.) For me, the crossbow allows me to get hunting earlier in the season, and I plan on using it on a travel hunt later this year. I perceive the significant hunting advantages of a crossbow over a vertical bow to be: 1) much less movement to aim and shoot a crossbow than to stand, draw and shoot a vertical bow; and 2) a crossbow is not as physically demanding to shoot as a vertical bow.
I respectfully disagree with the prior posters who suggest an entry level-ish crossbow to start. I suggest buying a higher end Xbow as your first bow, with a half dozen quality aftermarket bolts. Select a higher end bow from a respected manufacturer that will resell easily, and you won't lose too much money. If you know what you want, you should be able to wait and pick up a great used bow here on the Classifieds when the multi-XBow owning members here trade up to something new for 2018.
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5,678 Posts
Yup that would do just fine , you can get your feet wet without breaking the bank .
My first xbow was a $850.00 Tenpoint , i found while hunting with it i, it just did not meet my needs , sold it to my brother ,lol.
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1,165 Posts
Test shoot as many crossbows as you can. If your a copound shooter you know full well that each bow handles and shoots differently. The same holds true for crossbows.
After you shoot and handle a few you'll feel what does and doesn't work. What you like and don't like etc.
Your build, height arm length etc will all come into play due to stock and rail draw length. Similar again to a compound and recurves if you shoot them too.
And remember, if you do get a crossbow ypu can still shoot your compound too. Nothing says you can't
I usually will switch up between my crossbow, compound and recurve and take each shooting experience etc and transfer it into the other.
Sometimes ile shoot all of them back to back to get different shooting perspectives. It's def fun to go from looking through a scope with my crossbow to a sight and peep sight with my Elite to strictly instinct finger shooting with my recurve and Beat compound (or reverse and shooting finger first and move to Elite then crossbow)
After you shoot and handle a few you'll feel what does and doesn't work. What you like and don't like etc.
Your build, height arm length etc will all come into play due to stock and rail draw length. Similar again to a compound and recurves if you shoot them too.
And remember, if you do get a crossbow ypu can still shoot your compound too. Nothing says you can't
I usually will switch up between my crossbow, compound and recurve and take each shooting experience etc and transfer it into the other.
Sometimes ile shoot all of them back to back to get different shooting perspectives. It's def fun to go from looking through a scope with my crossbow to a sight and peep sight with my Elite to strictly instinct finger shooting with my recurve and Beat compound (or reverse and shooting finger first and move to Elite then crossbow)
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3,787 Posts
If you're in the Lehigh Valley, you shouldn't be all that far from Cabelas in Hamburg...give it a few weeks, say after the Harrisburg Sportsmen show, then head over and check out/shoot a few of them and see what you think?
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