I can pull a compound bow back and hold it plenty long to shoot it just fine, but if I have to slowly release it instead of shoot it, my shoulder separates.
Ever try to get down a tree in a climbing stand with a separated shoulder?
I gave up bow hunting and took up crossbow hunting during bow season. If I hadn't been allowed to do so, I would likely have encountered more game wardens than what come after Savell.
A man needs to feed his family for heck's sake. (Don't nobody come a thumpin me with no bibles neither. I know what I meant.)

Its nobodys business what another man hunts with if its legal. I have the utmost respect for a man that uses a stickbow with success., but a compound man using his technology hating on a crossbow man is ridiculous. Carry on lol

I hope the anti-crossbow people don't use DPs during trapping season. DPs aren't trapping. You don't have to know how to read sign, or adjust, dye and wax traps, or know the coons' habits. Just plop your powder-coated DP straight out of the box down by your deer feeder or any creek and collect your coon in the morning. That's not trapping....

I use a compound but who cares what people use. This argument is just an ego thing. Deer hunters are always trying to one up the next one. Shoot what you want and stop worrying about others. Why don't you use a recurve?

Great comparison Yote! I have never shot a crossbow, but been thinking of getting one now that WI made them legal. Last time I had my Martin compound up a tree was fall of 95, a buck came by around end of shooting light so I drew back and realized I couldn’t see my sight pins. So I thought he’s right there how can I miss so I let-er fly. Well I didn’t miss and all I found was about five inches of arrow that didn’t penetrate and got broke off when he zipped by a tree. I looked around for a long time and never found any blood so I went and got my dog and he found a spot where it stood for a while but that was it. What did I do wrong? A. Should’ve never taken the shot. B. Should’ve stayed in the stand longer. C. Not given up on tracking so soon because the landowner found the deer 100 yards from my stand on the edge of the shelter belt. It was several weeks later but I went and tried skinning the stinking thing out to seen where I hit. It wasn’t a bad shot just at a steep angle and didn’t penetrate out the bottom for a nice blood trail. The deer made a big circle and died 100 yards directly behind my stand. I told myself I am done bow hunting until I practice more and learn better ethics. Still haven’t picked that bow up again.

Crossbow's are a rich mans weapon. My friends Ravin bolts are a bit more than $15, the broadhead is another $15, thats a one time $30 shot. If they made a rifle that cost $2500 and shot a $30 shell, it wouldnt be a big seller.

cant say compounds arrows and broads are much cheaper. Looking at cabela's you can get bolts cheaper than arrows.

Bad thing about xbows is you tend to break a lot more shafts even on good hits. I think i've broke a bolt on every other deer ive shot with em.

I may be talking out my hind side but I think overall crossbows will account for fewer wounded deer. I know there will still be idgits shooting there ravens over a 100 yards at deer, but disregard the idgits and I may be right. When I bow hunted I practiced a lot, on targets, with broad heads, but mostly with judo points. I would walk around the yard pick a target like dandelion head or beer can or whatever and shoot, estimating the range and let-er fly. I may have even killed a few zucchini in my day. I was ok at targets but once in a while I would get a flier, off a few inches. I couldn’t get rid of it and didn’t want to start using a release because I was trying to get back to MN and at the time they were illegal there. But hunting in a tree stand is different than hunting a zucchini in the back yard.

Bogie zucs at a hundred yards???
I want one these ravens.

More waste from cars than arrows.
I hate modern cars.

The opposite can be true, because multiple people can share a crossbow (not at the same time, of course). Since draw weight and draw length don't enter into crossbow use, it isn't user-specific. You could hunt with it one day and your son or daughter could use the same crossbow another day. That sets it apart from the cost of compound bows that have to be purchased, sized and set up for each user.

I love them.

Yep, my brother and my nephew also use my Xbow. I use my compound when they're hunting or in hunting spots where id rather have the compound.

That’s like saying a sedan is a rich mans car because a Bentley costs so much.

There are many less expensive options out there that aren’t Ravin crossbows. Same with firearms, don’t need the most expensive.

Also, the majority of the time, bolts, arrows and broadheads are reusable. Some arrows and bolts break, , but broadheads don’t, just sharpen it if needed.

Yet, they are big sellers. Lots of people use those fancy expensive Ravin crossbows.

You just don't have to buy the Ravin or The point branded bolts.

I bought a bear g3 two years ago and was just under 600 out the door after after arrows, broads and release. Don't think you can get much cheaper buying new.

Trigger warning!!




These ten point crossbows were not expensive. I thing $600-700 each.

They have smoked a lot of deer and have introduced 100’s of people to deer hunting.

Once again. It’s a picture of crossbows… so…..



Trigger warning….

I think in honor of this thread I'll buy a Xbow.

My wife and I both shoot ravin crossbows. I still can only shoot to 40 yards. After that the deer still have time to turn and that can result in a bad hit. Sure the bow can sling an arrow 100 yards but it will barely have enough energy to stick in the target. Don’t believe the hype. If you think the ravens are expensive you could take up camping. Truck 60,000 plus insurance, registration and plates. Fifth wheel 100,000+ plus insurance, registration plate. We all pick the hobby that we enjoy and are willing to pay for level of participation that we want to. I don’t complain about your hobby, don’t complain about mine.

Heck yeah!

I might buy one for the boys just for fun.

Glad y’all are both shooting.

And yes. I won’t complain about your hobby snd you don’t complain about mine. Which are similar and very expressive.


But, worth it .