Author Topic: Awakening  (Read 778 times)

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Offline Mike in Virginia

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Awakening
« on: April 10, 2013, 03:01:16 PM »
I had a crossbow, a real cheap one, years ago when the law didn't allow it except in case of medical trouble.  At the time, I had medical trouble, and got a doctor go give me a permit.  Killed two deer with it. 
 
But it was a cheap piece of junk.  I sold it when my shoulder healed and never looked back, thinking that crossbows were not for me.  Heavy, bulky and loud.   
 
The last two archery seasons I missed because of new medical issues.  Last week I bought a real crossbow, 175lb. draw.  Lordy what I learned this week!  At 40 yards it is as accurate as I can hold it.  From a rest, it outshoots any hunting revolver I've ever owned.   Dead center bullseye every shot.  I can't believe I wasted so many years fooling with recurves and longbows.  If I'd only known.  Paired with a laser range finder, a crossbow is so very deadly. 
 
Whereas I used to shoot at a pop can at 20 yards for practice with the recurve (and hit it no more than half the time), now I can pick out what part of the pop can I want to hit and never miss.  I can turn it with the end toward me and skewer it with every shot.   
 
And then there's all the mind-numbing details that come with recurves.  It's supposed to be the simplest way of hunting, but good grief, when one considers arrow length, spine weight, arrow rests, draw length, arrow material, anchor point, brace height, nock height, sting material, degree of offset for the fletching, FOC, arrow weight, and all the other details, recurves and longbows take the prize for complexity. 
 
With the crossbow, zero it and go hunting.  Simple, simple, simple.  I'm hooked.   
 

Offline Yak Angler

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Re: Awakening
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2013, 03:30:39 PM »
I couldn't agree more. Crossbows are a much more efficient hunting tool as the only deer i have ever missed a shot opportunity on while bowhunting have been while drawing my compound bow. My crossbow is always set and ready to fire with much less movement necessary when the animal is close. I still enjoy practicing with my recurve and compound bow but when it comes to the few good days each year to hunt its the crossbow from now on for me.
 
I use an excalibur myself but there are lots of nice crossbows out on the market now.

Offline 8uck5nort

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Re: Awakening
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2013, 05:59:55 AM »
Similar story, but I sold off my PSE Brute compound lock stock and barrel. I just purchased a Horton Brotherhood xbow as my go to archery set up. I did it cause I just want something different, that and our hunting laws changed last year putting the xbow on equal footing with compound and traditional bows for deer season.
I might start a thread since this is my first one just to show the lessons learned and hunting success type thing.
Cartridges for My Entertainment: .22 S,L,LR, .223 Rem, 7x57, 30-06, 8x57, 357 mag/max, 35 Remington/Indiana, 35 Whelen, 44 mag, 445 SM mag. Adding the 6.5x55 swede!