[DougKMN]

In my opinion, the Hatred towards crossbows is nothing other than greed.

Fundamentally speaking a crossbow is identical to a longbow which is identical to a recurve which is identical to a compound. Note that I said fundamentally identical. There are some subtle differences, but the basics are the same: a projectile launched via kinetic energy stored in a set of limbs and transferred to said projectile by a string or cable.

Functionally speaking, there are some minor differences between longbows, recurves, crossbows, and compounds, All have certain advantages and disadvantages.

In my opinion, the pros and cons between crossbow and compound cancel each other out. Especially when you add hunting from a blind or treestand. if anything, adding these aspects tips the scale in terms of easiness or effectiveness to the compound, as followup shots are much more possible with a compound.

I think most of the disdain for crossbows comes from the misconception that making them legal will lead to a flood of gun hunters out for a longer season, treating the crossbow as they would a shotgun or rifle. They are convinced that the only people that will pick up a crossbow are gun hunters out for a longer season. I don't think this is the case, or at least it won't be lasting. While there may be SOME people that would go out and buy a crossbow if they were legalized in their state, I believe that many of them would either put them down after a season or 2, or adopt to a compound bow. They really are not all that similar to a gun aside from having a stock. If I were to sit in my treestand with my shotgun, I could easily turn around and get a shot off at a deer that was coming on the opposite side of the tree. With a crossbow, this would be difficult without risking falling and getting busted. Their trajectory is nowhere near as flat as a rifle or even a shotgun. Look at how little you have to adjust your aim point with a shotgun at 40 yards versus 20 yards. Compare that to a bow. BIG difference. People will quickly realize that the crossbow is not a "Gun that shoots arrows" and rather a bow that is held differently.

One thought I had the last time one of these came up, is suppose someone were to design a bow held similar to a crossbow, that has a stock like a crossbow, but requires the operator to draw the bow and keep it drawn. The Stock would be attached to the bow by means of a keyed shaft so that the bow and stock remained square, and at most said shaft may be dampened to slow a potential dry-fire (ie, the string is still held by the release mechanism and the stock let go) but it does nothing to aid the operator in drawing the bow or holding the bow drawn. I'm sure the anti-crossbow crowd would still find something to complain about this setup.

The funny thing is I think the people people that complain the loudest when talks of allowing crossbows in the archery season are the same ones that go out and buy the newest and greatest bow every couple of years.

Do you think of the Native Americans had the equivalent of todays bows--near 400 FPS, 90+% letoff, carbon arrows, and razor-sharp broadheads--things might have turned out differently for them? Something to think about.

 

[DougKMN]

Ive seen this mentioned other times about the xbow from a rested position. It's tough to use an xbow from a rest,
specially in a stand, because of it's shape. Rests are for distance, but even xbows are 50yds and in which the
rest would just be in the way.

Well Looky here......you can shoot a bow from a rest too!

There are also shooting sticks out there that attach to the rear port on a bow....

IMO, pretty much every argument against the crossbow can be carried over and/or negated where a compound is concerned.

 

[DougKMN]

most crossbow hunters here are road hunters they ride the roads with crossbow in front seat stop and shoot out the truck window and they are to lazy to get off there fat azz and hunt i realize not everyone that uses a crossbow do this but i see it alot and it pisses me off

Somehow, I don't think this is even true of SOME crossbow bowhunters, and certainly not MOST. There may be the odd man out that DOES do this, but I highly doubt there are all that many.

I can't even remember the last time I got close enough to a deer while in my car that I could have shot at it with a bow without getting out (if this were even possible with a bow)

You should really try and back up claims like these with FACTS, but somehow, I think your imagination has gotten away from you.

 

[DougKMN]

Now calling them most cross bow hunters lazy I find funny. Now this may piss some guys of but around here a lot of guys think hunters who just sit in stands are too lazy to hike and hunt for real.

I know a couple of guys who gun hunt only (spot n stalk or drive and post) who refer to stand hunting as "Waiting, not hunting"

I can certainly see their perspective, when all you do is sit in a tree and wait for a deer to come in range, compared to pushing through miles of woods to get to the deer.

Too many hunters look at things with blinders on. All they see is the moment the trigger is pulled when looking at others and/or overgeneralize. When I am out with my family shotgun hunting, 99 % of the deer taken are within a viable bow range (under 50 yards)

Its kind of sad how so many hunters look down their noses at other hunters either because of the method they employ or the weapons they use. Too be honest, we are all guilty of it to an extent. I know I certainly am. I wouldn't stand hunt with a rifle/shotgun--there is no real challenge there. I also wouldn't do high fence or ranch hunts for the same reason. You can't "hunt" an animal that will let you come up and pet it or eat out of your hand IMO. Said animals are more accurately referred to as livestock and the butchering methods a little less controlled. Nothing against those that do it, I just think acknowledging them as "hunters" is an insult to those that go out and truly hunt wild animals.

 

[DougKMN]

Well heck with that reasoning we could use a Catapult or a Scorpion they work on the same principle you expound.

Shoot what ya like and is legal lol.. Randy

Catapault....not quite, as pair of limbs and a string are required....

The scorpion....

Certainly. If you think about it, there really is no regulation (at least in MN) that states you cannot hunt deer with a howitzer or a 50 cal BMG. This doesn't make it practical or even all that intelligent to do so.

There is such a thing as excess

 

[DougKMN]

1. It's all about bringing in more money for a state. This is true for ANY hunting season. If they didn't want the money, licenses would be free

2. They are much easier to learn to shoot, heck you don't even have to draw them, they're short range rifles that shoot an arrow.
This is your OPINION. You could set a number of people up with a compound and have them "Ready to hunt" in an hour. There are PLENTY of compound bowhunters that go out and buy their gear the day before season opens, or that leave their bows in their cases from end of season last year until opening this year. They aren't rifles because there is NO RIFLED BARREL which is what, by definition, makes a rifle. They aren't guns either as a gun is a projectile weapon using a hollow, tubular barrel with a closed end—the breech—as the means of directing the projectile. It needs to have a barrel with a closed breach to be a gun. Using falsehoods to rationalize your argument is no way to win a debate. Sorry Charlie.

3. Wound rates are higher with crossbows.
Again, this is your OPINION. You are stating it as if it were fact. What evidence do you have to back up this claim? Just searching through the forums here kind of puts this theory to rest....how many wounded deer threads have there been here lately? How many of them were crossbowing?

4. They're great for disabled hunters. If you want to shoot a crossbow and "don't have time" to learn to shoot a compound like the rest of us, loby for a two weekend season around the opening of bow season. If deer numbers are high, that's a great time for you to get some meat and help the state.
There is no reason why they can't lobby to be included in the entire archery season. Its one of the things that make this country great. We can work to get laws changed.

5. Anyone who's serious about bowhunting will still choose a "bow", not a crossgun.There is no such thing a crossgun. Perverting the title to make it sound more negative is again no way to win a debate. In order for "gun" to apply, there needs to be a tubular barrel involved. This has already been covered.

See above in BOLD

 

[DougKMN]

When you bolt on a high priced scope it no longer becomes a primitive weapon.

They shoud have open sights. I overheard a conversation of 3 guys talking about using cross bow vs compound one of them was using a compound the other 2 guys said be done with it and get the crossbow. Because he could not get his bow sighted in.

Lazy hunters

You can get scopes and red dot sights for bows as well.


The question no one has EVER answered is "How does your neighbor hunting with a crossbow NEGATIVELY affect your hunting experience?" If you can't come up with a legitimate answer to that question, there really is no reason to be against them. "There's more people in the woods" isn't a legitimate answer either.