bow vs. crossbow

dbone

Outdoor Cafe Moderator
Be glad you're not stationed in NC we can use scopes on ML's here but you must be disabled to hunt with a crossbow , Honestly that was the only up side to my spinal surgery , But I hunt in both states so I had to get a quick detatch scope for the ML .
 

leo

Retired Woody's Mod 7/01-12/09
Here's my take on some of your comments highcountry

"As for added a scope to add 10 yards that is a farsce as well. When you start looking through the scope at a deer at 40 yards it looks much much closer."

Any Archery device I have ever used has a limited range, inclucung my Excalibur, and it's not based on how far the arrow will shoot or how far I can see the deer..

I use a scope on my crossbow for the same reason most bow hunters use sights, to make my shots as accurate as I can. And thats the same reason I would use a scope on my MZ if it were legal, as I consider my "inline" a limited range weapon also.




"You have to realize that it is a proven FACT that a crossbow does not have the penetration that a standard aroow has"

As I am not an expert on what you are shooting I will share with you the data on the arrow I shoot.
Weight ; 450g (measured)
Speed ; 288fps ( measured)
KE; 83 (caculated)



"If you can't take out the lungs then you should not shoot it"

Sounds good to me. :)

As I hunt to enjoy my passion, I applaude the fact that Georgia is an open minded State and supports hunters choice :clap:

leo
 

Todd E

Senior Member
Highcountry,

I am a new owner of a crossbow this year. I am 34 years old and currently have a healthy body. I can pull back any bow I choose. Notice the word CHOOSE. I can choose to hunt however. I do not wear skirts and am by no means whatsoever....lazy. I'm far from it. If you want an even playing field, then contact WRD/DNR and have compounds and crossbows outlawed. You and I can then shoot longbows instinctively and see who the supposed real man is, huh? Our weapons of choice neither make nor determine our manlihood. I can care less, now, if ya'll have scoped muzzleloaders. It isn't a big deal w/me. So, why is my crossbow a big deal with you?
 
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Joe Moran

Senior Member
I proudly carry my crossbow into the woods. Frankly, I never understood why they were illegal to begin with.

Are they at an advantage over conventional stick & string? Yeah, I guess so to a degree. Sure, you can aim & fire it like a gun, but you still have to get the deer within 40 yards to shoot it. It's still fair chase, and that's all that really matters.

In my humble opinion, it's not any better or any worse. It's just a different way to hunt.

I bow hunted with my compound bow, right up until crossbows were made legal, then I made the switch. I didn't start using it to get an advantage, or because I was lazy, but because I was interested in them & have always thought that they were cool.

They're fun to shoot too. Don't knock it till you try it.

I deer hunt for my personal enjoyment, & to put a little meat in the freezer. Personally, I resent the implications that I am a disgrace to your beloved sport.
 

TOW

Senior Member
"You have to realize that it is a proven FACT that a crossbow does not have the penetration that a standard aroow has. If you can't take out the lungs then you should not shoot it."

TOW says - The only time that is true is if the "standard arrow" is heavier and flying at the same speed.

The formula for Kenetic Energy is the same for a “standard arrow” as it is for the shorter crossbow arrow.

My Exomag will generate a tad over 80 foot pounds of energy. There are not too many “standard arrows” shot from compounds or recurves that will generate that much.

Since the accepted minimum KE for deer is somewhere around 40 foot pounds I'd say that your statement of not being enough is totally wrong.

You'r "lung" statement" should apply to all forms of archerty, not just a crossbow.

This buff didn't know that it was a "short arrow" that bit him.. ;)

Dead%20Cape.jpg
 

HuntinTom

Retired Moderator
Here's My Facts...

Complete Pass Through @ 25 yards with plenty of penetration to spare...
 

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HuntinTom

Retired Moderator
And the Results...

A big fat Nanny doe - Double-lung takedown... Of course, I guess I'll be called lazy since I did drive the 4-wheeler into the foods to pick her up... :rolleyes:
 

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GeauxLSU

Senior Member
Water buffalo with a bow!

TOW you are a braver man than me to shoot THAT thing with a bow!! :eek:
I don't consider myself old but I'm pretty sure my heart doesn't need that much excitement! ;)
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
 

W4DSB

Senior Member
I looked through the regs over and over and could not find anywhere where we have a "BOW" season, only archery season and the definition of archery refers to a device which launches a arrow.
Likewise i didn't find a "GUN" season only firearms season , this refers to a powder driven projectile
a cross bow bolt is not powder driven.

Now look back at history and you will see the crossbow is far more primitive than the compound bow or the recurve, it came around after the long bow.
so with that said i think we should ban all arrow launching devices except the long bow and the crossbow. :whip:

The mentality that you just pick up one and shoot it like a gun is a very wrong , sure it is shoulder fired but it is a different animal to learn to shoot
 

Ga-Spur

Senior Member
Robert You might want to try Starware Toolbar . After you install it you highlight the word that you are trying to spell. If you can get close it will spell the word correctly for you.
 

Handgunner

Senior Member
Tow.

You DA MAN! :cool: Nice Buffalo! Tell us/me the story...
 

short stop

Senior Member
I like many other hunters pick and choose my weapon of choice . I can and will use both compound and crossbow . Guess this fat chewin has gone on for a long time w/o me .Used to be the great debate was sticks vs. bows w/ training wheels. I dont understand the debate with the crossbow --its a good weapon easy to use ,my 9 yr old shoots mine :) I GUESS I'D USE ROCKS IF IT WERE LEGAL --they are alot cheaper than f250s
 

leo

Retired Woody's Mod 7/01-12/09
GeauxLSU said:
TOW you are a braver man than me to shoot THAT thing with a bow!! :eek:
I don't consider myself old but I'm pretty sure my heart doesn't need that much excitement! ;)
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil

Many of you that stopped at the Excalibur Booth at the buckarama may have talked to the shooter of that Buff and between him and his wife they have a whole bunch of trophy's from all over the world. His pic is also in the GON and the 2004-2005 Ga. hunting regs book ;)

Bill and Kath Troubridge are Crossbow hunters, who also build crossbows. ;)

leo
 

Glen

Member
I thought there was something missing in my crossbow package. The skirt. Oh well. I use a peep/pin setup. We can use any type or power scope we want on our m'loader. We can also hunt over bait. The Ohio DNR states,& I quote from the book of the ODOW--Deer may be hunted over bait; however,studies shown little difference in success whether or nor bait is used. End of quote. We all hunt over bait. Thats why we set up our tree stand in the acorn trees or overlooking fields where they graze. Which are the 2 places I set up for them myself. I have a Horton Explorer 175. This is my next crossbow tho-- :shoot: :D

Edit-- I forgot. I also bought an EZ Pull Cocking Harness. :bounce:
 
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confederate

Senior Member
This is a post I made on another forum about a month ago. I thought it was worth repeating. Since I made it I have taken my first Deer with a Crossbow. I stand by every word of it still!


I
came down with target panic last year so bad I missed the whole target at 20 yards. I have Bowhunted with a compound for over 20 years and have taken over 80 whitetails and a ton of hogs with one. There may be a few people on this forum that can tell me a few things about Bowhunting, but not many. This target panic has jumped on me a few time but this time its so bad I cant shake it. I have been in the yard since January trying. It has gotten to the point that it aint fun anymore! Im wore out with it! My Mq1 is on ebay for sale as we speak. I hunted only with a bow for the last 13 years but I am now going to get a Excalibur CrossBow. I sure aint gonna give up hunting. I will not go in the woods when I know I cant make an ethical Kill. I have always been able to Take plenty of Deer even with a compound and I let a bunch walk every year. I aint gonna kill anymore deer with a CrossBow than I would kill with a Compound so whats the difference? I say there isnt any. I remember making the statement one time that I would quit Hunting before I would hunt with a Crossbow. I have now taken my foot out of my mouth and I am so glad that a Crossbow is legal in Georgia or I would be sitting home this Bow season. Its easy to say you would quit untill you are really faced with that situation ,believe me.
 

mockingbird

Senior Member
This is my first year bowhunting, and I decided to go with a crossbow for a year while I learn more about bow hunting. There is definitely a lot of work to doing it right. I'm learning how to place stands close enough to where I think the deer is going to appear for a good shot, how to estimate distance and how to enter a stand without tipping off the residents. I'm also learning about broadheads and mechanicals, etc. Although the crossbow looks like a rifle-- it sure is trickier to shoot. I'm pretty accurate out to 25 yards-- and that will be my range limit. Next spring I'll put the Horton Hunter back on ebay where I got it, or maybe I'll keep it. This crossbow is a lot of hard work-- and a lot of fun!
Oh. And I only wear a skirt when my girlfriend makes me...
 

Buzz

Senior Member
You are looking for rational decision making from the same golden dome that allows one to use a .25 ACP pistol for big game hunting. That's right you can hunt deer and black bear in Georgia with a Jennings .25 ACP pistol for heavens sake.

Look - if you don't like crossbows don't use one! I hunt with a compound bow; however, if any of my hunting partners were to show up with a crossbow that would be fine by me. The state legalized the use of crossbows during archery season because they want more hunters in the woods harvesting more deer. We are losing hunters every year and we should welcome more people to our sport.
 

reylamb

Senior Member
The real debate is whether or not a crossbow is an archery device. Since none of the major international archery organizations recognize crossbows as archery devices, the decision is clear at least to me. A weapon is an archery tool when the archer draws and holds the weight of the string at full draw. Even with a mechanical release the archer still holds the weight at full draw, with a crossbow that is not the case. I am not pro-choice on abortion, and I am not pro-choice on archery season. If the chance ever comes up again, I will fight with all my might to get crosbows back out of "ARCHERY" season. Put them in primitive weapons season, and general hunting season, fine by me. Make them legal for persons with disabilities, fine by me.

Finally, as long as they are legal, any ethical hunter is welcome in my camp that is hunting with a crossbow. The only thing I ask of a crossbow hunter is the same I ask and teach to all bowhunters, know your weapon and it's limitations, and never exceed either. Now, why anyone would want to carry one of those bulky, noisey things around the woods is beyond me.
 
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