smhorsleysr
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Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 130
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Reply with quote | #1 |
I am shooting a Ten Point Crossbow 6 Point Pro-slider. It has 175 lbs string and an acudraw crank that allows me to cock it like I am reeling in a fishing line! I am shooting Eastman aluminum bolts with Muzzy 100 grain broad heads. I don't like the mechanical ones. I want straight bone cutting power right off the rail! This crossbow was donated to me by Ten Point.
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Shawn "Weebles" Horsley
Für immer ein Jäger, nicht ein Mörder
Forever a hunter, not a killer |
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Al
Poseidon
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 58
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Reply with quote | #2 |
My shoulder and hips finally acted up enough that they allowed me to qualify for a crossbow permit in NC. (Hey - give me back my health and I will give up the crossbow) Actually the crossbow should be an option for everyone. It is a great tool for recruiting ladies and youth to the hunting ranks. It is also great for keeping us old duffers hunting a few years longer.
I used a vertical bow for a number of years. Was not real good at it. I killed three deer with it but also missed a lot and even saw a couple run off with my arrow in them.
I purchased a TenPoint Phantom crossbow and have not been more pleased. It is top of the line. You don't need to go that much for a good one but I figured I would probably only buy one crossbow in my life so went with the best.
It has been great. In 2 seasons I have shot 15 shots at deer and brought 14 of them home (missed on my first shot).
Some of you are thinking, "Crossgun". Nothing could be further from the truth. It is still a bow with the same range. It is also much more clumsey in the woods. What works for me is it is just so much more accurate. You still need the woods skills and patience to let them come close and wait for the right shot.
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hunterfisher
Weekend Warrior
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 13
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Years ago I had a Barnett 300 magnum crossbow. Only hunted with it a couple of times. I was living in the Fayetteville area and it was to dag-gum hot, '' for me anyway,'' to bow hunt. Got rid of it, then moved to the mountains. Up here the temps are great for early season bow hunting. Went out and bought me a Horton Explorer HD 150. Wasn't sure if I would be able to handle the awkwardness of one now and didn't want to spend a small fortune for something I couldn't use. Let me say this. The Explorer turned out to be perfect. It's light, very accurate, and reaches 285 fps. With the new, RAGE broadhead, 2 blade, I'm able to keep my arrows in a 2'' circle at 20 yards. I took a doe with it at that yardage this past September. She didn't go 15 yards before folding. Yep, it suits me just fine. And I would highly recomend it to other disabled hunters. You need not spend a fortune and have plenty of money leftover for arrows, broadheads, targets, extra strings etc. This is JMO. I feel crossbows are WAY over priced, and most disabled folks are on a tight budget. Nothing against, Ten Point, Excaliber or other fine makes of crossbows, their all high quality equipment.
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smhorsleysr
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Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 130
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Reply with quote | #4 |
As I have said in other threads, my personal preference is hunting with modern muzzle loader. I did, however, catch the bow hunting bug last season. The problem I find is a lot of bow hunters are "elitist" when it comes to bow vs. crossbow. I have a hard time understanding the argument that crossbows are not sporting.
At about 40 yards, my bolts loose much more energy then a light arrow fired from a compound bow. And I agree with the statement about being bulky... They are a nightmare to try and walk around with. Plus you have to have it cocked and ready to go the entire time. Plus you have to worry about uncocking it when you are done.
I have tried with my crossbow and just can't seem to really get the hang of it.
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Shawn "Weebles" Horsley
Für immer ein Jäger, nicht ein Mörder
Forever a hunter, not a killer |
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Al
Poseidon
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 58
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Reply with quote | #5 |
I think the pluses and minuses with a crossbow versus a regular compound bow are about even. Unfortunately you will not find many regular bow hunters to admit that. In fact, according to the bylaws of the NC Bowhunters Association if any member publicly says anything in favor of a crossbow they are automatically thrown out.
I read one time that a bow hunter who is anti-crossbow has not got old enough or stove up enough to appreciate them yet.
I like several things about a crossbow
Most come as a package and you can go right out and start hunting once you have confirmed your zero They come pretuned and stay that way - you sure can't say that about a compound bow They produce a lot of kinetic energy - you very seldom stick an arrow in a deer without it passing all the way through which makes for a good blood trail Did I mention accuracy? - They are dead-on for most folks who are used to shooting a rifle. You can't say that for a regular bow which takes hours and hours of continual practice. Most folks don't have the time or take the time to be good with a bow. How many times have you heard a bow hunter say "I stuck one"? What they didn't mention was that they failed to recover it. One of the dirty little secrets of bow hunting is that lots of deer end up not being recovered.
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hunterfisher
Weekend Warrior
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 13
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Reply with quote | #6 |
''Bow Wars'', is the title of a good article in this months issue of, OutDoorLife. A must read for ALL bowhunters, verticle and horizontal. I myself, believe it's total foolishness to argue with one another. The anti's just love it when we are at each others throat. It's ammo for their cause. I remember back when compound bows first came about. The same squabble came up from the traditional bow hunters. They claimed compound bows, with their, ''bells and whistles,'' had no place in the field of archary. De-Ja- Vu ? But, of corse, they rarely recall this. The woods are for ALL of us to enjoy. If the State your in, says a certain weapon is legal for hunting, then it should be excepted by everyone. If it enables a certain hunter to enjoy our natural resources, let it be so. Again, JMO.
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Al
Poseidon
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 58
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| June 07, 2009 at 07:37 PM |
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Reply with quote | #7 |
Story on hunting with a crossbow in Sunday, June 7, 2009 edition of 4th largest North Carolina newspaper today. Here is link to online version. (Hard copy had a few more details. IMHO the reporter, who nailed 3 bulls-eyes out of 3 shots with my Phantom as she did the research for the story did a pretty balanced job)
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=328645
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smhorsleysr
Moderator
Registered: May 14, 2009
Posts: 130
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| June 07, 2009 at 08:15 PM |
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Reply with quote | #8 |
That's a good article. Randy Wood with Ten Point is the guy who donated mine to me... GREAT FOLKS. The debate is so silly. I would trade my crossbow for a feather-light compound any day. In my opinion, the modern bow has more bells and whistles on it than any crossbow I have ever seen! Ever see a guy take a second shot at a missed animal with a bow? Sure.. it happens. A crossbow? HA! Again, elitists will argue their points and throw fits. It would seem to me, that if bow hunting is so superior, letting guys use crossbow would add even more prestige to the "real bow hunters". Also, how many guys would rush out and buy a crossbow so they could hunt, get out to the woods, realize the crossbow is awkward and get a bow. Seems like a great recruitment opportunity. Let the guys get hooked on archery and then ease them into a compound bow. But no... we have to throw fits and stomp our feet. It makes me wanna say "hike up your skirts you mighty bow hunters you, there are plenty of deer in the woods".
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Shawn "Weebles" Horsley
Für immer ein Jäger, nicht ein Mörder
Forever a hunter, not a killer |
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