Just curious about any crossbow hunters.

How many of you ...

-- Hunt regularly or pretty regularly with a crossbow

-- Have tried them enough to form a good opinion and decided to not use one or continue using one

-- Have not tried one, for whatever reason

-- Would like to shoot one but have not, for whatever reason


Just curious.

#3 Have not tried one, and have no desire to

X2

maybe when i get old

Never tried one and never will unless I can't shoot a bow. But if I ever get hurt and can't draw normally, I'll get one vs staying at home.

Hunt with one and like it...

I think they're a lot like them 3.5" turkey shells, a lot of hype but very little (if any) advantage.

I have one, hunt with it regularly, like it a lot, and still hunt with my vertical bow some as well. My crossbow just has a ton more KE. Outback's analogy is about dead on.

X2

What he said. My only objection is that they are somewhat cumbersome to handle compared to a traditional or a compound bow, in or on a vehicle, walking in the woods and setting in a tree stand.

Big Jack is right, they are the most unbalanced weapon I have ever held, makes a Hipoint pistol feel custom. Due to the unbalance, unless I have a rest, I can get better groups from my pearson than my crossbow.

Have not, will not.

Be careful what you say. Age has a way of changing things and not always for the better.

With new technology lower weight bows are killing deer, no need for an x bow if Old age stops me from a 70lb draw.

I have tried one. Not going to spend that kind of money on one. A compound bow is a lot easier to use and less cumbersome in my humble opinion and and just as or more accurate.

i have Two, Barnett Jackals, love them they shoot great, the first year i bought them that was all i used that year, last year i bought another compound, used it what little i hunted this past year, they have there purpose, they are Bow's on stocks. not a rifle, you still have to know your range like a vertical bow, and you lose arrow energy quicker due to the smaller arrow, less weight. but group very well, it is like everything, all weapons have there limits. the crossbow will shoot quick, but loses energy quick past 40 yards, which is my limit i will attempt to take a deer, same with the compound, but the compound will carry it's energy farther due to more weight of the arrow and longer power stroke.
the crossbows have a higher recommended grains per inch because the arrows are so short and the poundage if over 150lbs pull. i don't throw rock by what i shoot, just because. i really don't care what others think as to what i shoot, if i did i would blast as to why your not shooting long bows.
it is a too each their own. who pays for what toys, and hunts with it is his or her business. i shot long bows, then bought compounds, still have a compound, and two crossbows... they all fall under the heading of archery.

I hunt with a 10 Point Crossbow and a PSE Vendetta vertical bow. I love hunting with both of them. They both have there time and place. they both have there limits. I will shoot my PSE out to 50 yards. I limit the crossbow to 40 yards due to loss of energy and speed. I harvested deer with both this year. I had to track both about 40 yards. I use the same broadheads on both. My PSE groups a little better than the crossbow. I use the crossbow more when I hunt from the ground instead of the treestand. I have cocked the crossbow in my treestand but I realld don't like doing that.
Also my wife will go hunting with me using the crossbow. She does not want to use a regular bow prefers the crossbow.

Byron

age does take it's tole on what you can draw. when i was a young sprout i shot an alpine sierra mag, draw weight 84 lbs, then as i got older, i lowered it to 76 lbs whem i shot 3D tournaments, but before i went to iraq i had it down to 72 lbs, i gave that bow to my son and i got the bear strike shooting 73 lbs. i am sure when i gt older i will probably get a weaker compound, but i will cross that bridge when i get to it, since i have two compounds one for me and one for my wife, i might shoot them and say to heck with the compound. you speak of weight, the crossbow i have are a little over 7 lbs, the compound is almost 4, but i use a sling to carry my compound just like i do my rifle or shotgun, when i was in my climbing stand i layed it in my lap. the best part about the 150 lb draw is you use a rope cocker and that way you only draw 75 lbs. has a three dot scope, for 20/30/40 yards and only cost 299.00 so not bad compared to a 400.00 compound.

My Wife's the same... she loves the crossbow, can't draw my compound that is only 73 lbs. but that is fine at least she is hunting with me.

Never hunted with one. Thought I would like one for years, then by time they were legalized for hunting in Alabama, I had lost interest. I'll keep my vertical bow I guess.