Both red dots and scopes are both readily available and affordable for vertical bows. So are riser mounted rangefinders...
Taking the 'Luddite' road in comparing vertical bows to crossbows is a slippery slope and a weak argument IMO.
Crossbows
- Thread starter Toadslayer
- Start date
Taking the 'Luddite' road in comparing vertical bows to crossbows is a slippery slope and a weak argument IMO.I have a crossbow, got it scoped and sighted in for this season. I got is set up in case I take my 5yo with me in a ground blind. However, I didn't hunt it once. I actually prefer my 'regular' bow because it's lighter, handier, and I actually shoot it more accurately. From my limited experience hunting mule deer and elk along with shooting a crossbow, I think a crossbow would be more of a pain in the arse than any help. Sitting over a wallow/water hole might be a different story.
RUT JUNKEY
Well-known member
I believe its all personal choice. I prefer my "regular" bow, but like the crossbow too. I think the only advantage a crossbow gives you is less movement in the treestand when your about to shoot. I've been killing deer with my bow since I was 10. . .I have killed one with my crossbow. I honestly think if it gets more people to buy license's, spend more money on hunting stuff, and spend time in the woods with their kids or their elder fathers or grandfathers then we all win. I agree that some people buy them and think they are instantly hunters. . .I see more gun hunters do that than bowhunters. . .try hunting in one of our state park deer reduction hunts. . .lots of new orange hats and price tags on camo clothes as well as new shiny guns that I assume have had zero range time. Thats how it is here at least. . .people are way more confident in their ability than they should be. . .I'm sure the out west crowd would agree . . .i watched some( of the road hunters) shoot from their truck in October. . not good.
The following are not considered
a hunting bow or legal archery
equipment during the Archery Only
Season or in an ArchEquip Only area
or hunting district:
--Electronic or battery-powered devices
attached to a hunting bow.
--A bow sight or arrow which uses
artificial light, luminous chemicals
such as tritium, or electronics.
Toadslayer
Member
So what crossbows are you guys shooting these days?
dustinf
Active member
Available, but not legal here.
wyoming556
Banned
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Have been available for years.
emrah1028
New member
First off, I don't own a crossbow. No desire to own one or hunt with one. No real "legitimate" reason other than I tend to agree that it takes some (a lot?) skill out of the equation. In Minnesota, crossbows are legal only during the regular firearm season; not archery season.
However, if you look at it from a purely "olde skool" method of hunting, it's certainly more "legit" than any compound bow. The crossbow was invented in something like 400 b.c., give or take a couple hundred years. This argument comes up a lot on Archery Talk with no real changes in people's opinions one way or the other.
Anyway, I'm being totally hypocritical, I know. I don't like them, "just because". Maybe it's because (as already mentioned), it invites more people to take the "easier" way. But then again, if they're only allowed during firearms season, it's no skin off my back.
Emrah
However, if you look at it from a purely "olde skool" method of hunting, it's certainly more "legit" than any compound bow. The crossbow was invented in something like 400 b.c., give or take a couple hundred years. This argument comes up a lot on Archery Talk with no real changes in people's opinions one way or the other.
Anyway, I'm being totally hypocritical, I know. I don't like them, "just because". Maybe it's because (as already mentioned), it invites more people to take the "easier" way. But then again, if they're only allowed during firearms season, it's no skin off my back.
Emrah
Toadslayer
Member
Nice post. That's what I was hunting for....the truth. Its all "just because". Nobody wants to share the woods with a slob crossbow hunter. I have used a compound my whole hunting career til lately and I was the same way. But now I'm a convert and see no real issues. I was wrong the whole time. Once you live somewhere where they are legal, it's like "cool" might as well.
dustinf
Active member
Like I said above, available but not legal here. The weird thing is they are legal on crossbows, but not vertical bows.
wyoming556
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Nice. I can't believe you would live in a state that has horrible laws to like that. Next you will tell me they have muzzleloader seasons too. Bunch of PA idiots.
dustinf
Active member
Nice. I can't believe you would live in a state that has horrible laws to like that. Next you will tell me they have muzzleloader seasons too. Bunch of PA idiots.
I have the idiot part nailed.
Our muzzleloader seasons/rules are even more wierd.
We have an early "modern" muzzleloader season in October, which is allows inlines and optics. Then, we have a "primitive" muzzleloader season after Christmas, which is flintlock/percussion actions with iron sights.
wyoming556
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Sounds like a reasonable compromise to allow hunters with both weapons to hunt at different times of the year. Just becasue some states do things differently doesn't make them wrong or stupid. Every state is weird in their own way, I grew up in WY, OK, TX and now live in NE, all 4 allow crossbows during archery season and it doesn't bother me one bit and it hasn't shortened or caused the season to be dropped either like some on here want you to believe. That's why it amazed me that some on this site act as if the archery season would be forever changed/ruined with things like shortened seasons if crossbows or lighted knocks were allowed, no truth to that from what I have seen in OK, WY, TX, or NE.
I'm still amazed that states like MT and most other western states (CA, AZ, NM, CO, OR, WA) have legalized medical marijuana. Don't see how they got the votes for that, but they did. Says alot about the voters/people in those states. I am amazed walking around Bozeman and Ft. Collins and seeing stoned hipsters roaming around and weed shops all over it seems. That would never pass a vote in the states where I have lived, but to others it's ok. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
I don't get too worked up about differences in state laws, I just follow them, but it is entertaining to watch those who do, specifically Montanans who act like their way is the best way and everybody else is stupid for thinking differently about thigns such as crossbows, lighted knocks, different types of bear hunting, muzzleloaders seasons, etc..
BTW I was joking when I said "PA idiots" to my good friend from PA, Cur Dog. I'm looking to get my daughter a crossbow to hunt with as well. Seems like a good way to introduce kids into hunting turkeys and deer to me and since it's leagal where I live I am going to take advantage of it.
shoots-straight
Well-known member
So Toad, if you were satisfied with a compound why did you start using a crossbow?
What is it that you like about the crossbow better?
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
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- 11,706
The only thing more gay than a muzzleloader is a crossbow. Montana is super open to limp-wristed pillow biters, however, and allows a 5 week general season where you can use both if that's what trips your trigger.
wyoming556
Banned
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This is the stuff I love to read. Keep em coming, gay slurs and all.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
I would agree to crossbows in archery season IF...you had to draw and @#)(# the bow right before you were ready to shoot like a compound, and there were no scopes or red dot sights. I feel that crossbows are an unfair advantage and shouldn't be used in a general archery season. You can use them during rifle season, so why the need to use them in archery too? You can get your happy little fix of crossbow hunting still. I do agree with crossbows for elderly, disabled, and children that can't draw a minimum poundage for a compound. But, crossbows don't belong in a general archery seasoon.
emrah1028
New member
Um... what's wrong with muzzleloaders?
Emrah
Emrah
spook12
New member
Well emrah, had you been paying attention you would know they are ''GAY''.
