Don't post much just lurk, laugh a lot learn a little. I just talked to my "bow guy" small shop not his only source of income but does great work (if I lived closer to Shaw I would definitely use him always willing to offer good advice) He was telling me he is going to have to consider closing due to the decline in business, of course concerned I asked why, his reply "so many people are going to cross bows there is not a lot of work to be done on bows" which really got me thinking and I see his point, our club is bow only but we did allow cross bows at first for our senior members and our "one armed assassin" as he calls himself, he is the most passionate hunter I have ever known, but now a few have switched to "cross rifles" for no apparent reason. When you look through the catalogs it seems now there is more of an offering of cross bows and equipment then bow stuff. So my question is why? Manufacturers marketing for more dollars, hunters looking for an "easier" option, since the seasons now combine bows and cross rifles I don't see where it extends the season. Personally I hate them, I am 60+ and work hard to stay in "bow shape" if I get to the point I cant pull an ample weight bow I'll go fishing. Not intending to PO anyone I get it if it's legal.... My rant is over

I am in this with you Bill. I think they are for hunters too lazy to learn to master a bow.

For me personally, I used a crossbow my first season because 1. Its all my neighbor had that I could use and 2. I was new to hunting, I was excited to learn but more excited to get a deer. If a deer was going to walk up, I didn't want to waste my chance and, that would have happened with a regular bow.

Turned out that I never even got a chance with a crossbow, but I get it for some people. Hunting public land is hard. If you only get to hunt a couple times a year, you probably want to be sure you are going to get your deer. It SEEMS (I know this isn't always true) that most bowhunters that are really into it hunt a lot more. But for that guy that only goes twice...why wouldn't you use one.

I use a compound now. I haven't killed a deer with a crossbow or compound, but I love shooting my bow. I hope to get my first bow kill this year.

With all that said, don't crossbows still need work done to them? Their strings still wear down, yeah?

I haven't seen a decline in my business. It keeps growing every year. I've had people drive from as far away as Florida for me to install my strings and set up their bows.

I don't have a problem if someone wants to hunt with a crossbow. My problem was with how the state went about making them legal. It's kinda funny that a lot of people that do hunt with them are somewhat embarrassed about it. 90% of the ones that mention to me that they hunt with one have "shoulder problems". I never knew so many people had shoulder problems until they were made legal. And yes, a lot use them because it's easier and won't take the time to master shooting a bow. But I have seen a few that started using a bow after starting out with a crossbow.

I speak for myself only but I will speak.If it werent for x-bows I would have to wait for gun season and I don't gun hunt very much.I'm a deer hunter I don't hunt ANY other game and I don't fish,golf,ride bikes........I am a deer hunter and if I can't draw a bow I will use whatever means necessary to hunt deer.If I get to the point that I cant cock a x-bow I'll carry a camera but I won't sit at home.It's in my blood to deer hunt and deer hunt only so if it's legal to use a crossbow then thank God for em.I am one of the guys that Shaw spoke of that's kind of embarrassed that I use a crossbow.The embarrassment comes from the fact that I am getting older and can't do what I used to do.I have had two surgeries on my right shoulder and now am told I need another.I bow hunted for 20 years and had to go to an x-bow because of the surgeries.The embarrassment is not a social embarrassment but rather yet a personal embarrassment[pride].One thing is for sure though.I don't care what anyones thoughts are about me hunting with one if its legal.I imagine primitve weapons users have the same arguments about guys that use compound bows with all of the gadgets attached to them.

Damn it Perch. You stole my thunder. Thing is I would not have said it nearly as kindly and I would likely have gotten kicked off of here...

I think that if you are hurt, handicapped, elderly it is okay but I think everyone here knows my thoughts

so instead of posting my thoughts I will type myself a message instead...

Keep your damn Mouth Shut Chris
Keep your damn Mouth Shut Chris
Keep your damn Mouth Shut Chris
Keep your damn Mouth Shut Chris
Keep your damn Mouth Shut Chris

One shot with a Crossbow, multiple shot opportunities with a vertical bow. Think about it.... Quit whining about crossbows if you shoot a compound and get a real bow either a Long Bow or Recurve. Better yet go get a Spear! I'm tired of hearing my fellow archers belly aching about archery opportunities.

I shoot a regular bow instead of a crossbow because I don't sit to pee

Close it down, we have a winner

Crossbow shooters inbound in 3 2 1...........

I havent bowhunted anything in a really long time.
But when I do, I'm a gonna get me one of them Xcalibur micros.
I really dont understand the holier than thou compound users, nor do I care. A recurve crossbow is way more primitive than any compound bow. We know they arrived here with DeSoto. Wonder how he peed?

Compound hunter here but personally I could give two shits what someone hunts with. If it makes you happy and you get pleasure out of the hunting experience go for it. Spear, bow, crossbow, rifle, doesn't really matter to me. I get my greatest fix shooting a compound but who am into judge....if it's legal have at it.

I will say my dad was a damn fine bow hunter until he had rotator cuff repair not once but twice. His last surgery the orthopedist put five different anchors in the cuff just to keep it in place and allow him to raise his arm over his head. So if he has to shoot a crossbow so be it and I don't think any less of him for it.

I don't have a problem with whatever people want to hunt with. A lot of traditional guys look down on compound users just as compound users look down on crossbow hunters. The only guy nobody can look down on is the guy who goes to the woods, cuts down a tree and makes his stuff from it. Then kills something with it.

The shoulder thing cracks me up too. I've shot a crossbow too, and I'm fully healthy.
This year, I'm going to hunt a good bit with my new (to me) Mathews bow that has a bona fide Shaw string on it!

Related story. In Kentucky last year. Opening weekend, I had an out of the way bean field spotted, with a good buck on cam close to the field. Wind wasn't right opening day, but the next day, I went to hunt it, and a truck with an Indiana tag pulled in right ahead of me. He pulls up and I stopped to see where he was planning on going. Real Yankee douchebag. Starts bragging about the deer he's killed with a bow. Yada yada. I go to pull off and he yanks his crossbow out of the back. He's probably late 20s, perfectly good health. In Kentucky, you have to have a disability with a doctor verification to use them in bow season. Couple days later, I send my buddy to that spot. He's going down the gravel road to it, and this same doucher comes barreling past him, and passes him on one of those 1.5 lane gravel roads. Sprays his 2 week old truck with gravel. Buddy went over there, and got out of the truck and told him he was gonna stomp a mud hole in his ass If he stepped foot out of the truck. Then the dude comes walking past my dad a few days later (my dads 63) doesn't say a word, just hauls ass past him. My dad catches up to him, and asks where the hell hes going. The guy says his stand is on the bean field. Oh ok, so my dad goes and climbs a tree 20yds closer to where the deer come from, and tells the guy to go eff himself. Typical Yankee crossbow hunter

Obviously, some people are unable to pull back a regular bow and need a crossbow.

However, I have a feeling "shoulder problems" is a slippery slope. I would say my inability (or choice) not to shoot a 70lb+ bow might entitle me to a shoulder problem

At the end of the day a compound bow is still a bow. I would argue that a crossbow is not a bow at all, and minus the reasons I listed above should only be used during gun season.

I am trying not to be a d!ck. I know it don't make sense and I should have the attitude that, "As long as it's legal blah blah blah..." I am sorry but I don't.

I don't fully understand it but The Crossbow thing Chaps My Ass.

Like Atoler said they love to talk about the deer they killed with their bow

Some people just like to stroke their ego imo. No primitive bow could shoot 60yds to kill a deer with flat trajectory like todays bows. Anyone that says they shot a deer with a bow don't impress me like years ago. It's hype to see who owns the biggest toy. Don't really see it myself. Do what you enjoy. Do what makes you enjoy the sport and be glad you have the opportunity to spend a $1,000 or $100 on the tool of your choice. Go hunting and enjoy yourself. If you have a chance better yet let a kid shoot one of those deer. Have you done that yet?

To each his own preference, sure would be nice if as hunters we stick together, if its legal I have no problem with it, I shoot a crossbow, theres enough anti hunters out there, sure would help if more of us stuck together.

Here I am, got a crossbow, killed a doe with it 2yrs ago, it ate just as good as the one you killed with your bow. It was a rush having a deer at 35yds not seeing you and you making the kill, so I do get the adrenaline thing that you bow hunters get, I chose to do it differently.

I'm not lazy, wasn't brought up hunting, started hunting 7-8years ago, just never got into the bow thing, so the crossbow I bought 2 years ago got me into the woods a little earlier last couple of years. 57yrs old and no shoulder problems

The irony of this is, you will take a mechanical advantage to the biggest degree you can get, and then get on your high horse about me taking one a little further than you.

Bottom line I really could care less what others hunt with, if you enjoy it then that's all that really matters.