2011 Roll Call

[DEERBILL]

Has anyone hunted with a crossbow? I prefer to hunt with my Hoyt compound bow. Let me share my experience from this past Friday. First I'll explain where I hunt and my reason for wanting to hunt with a crossbow. I live in a residential area, everyone owns 5 acres. There is plenty of room to bow hunt in my back yard, not intrusive to the neighbors, safe. Hunting with a shot gun during the shot gun season is another story. I do not feel comfortable hunting in my back yard during shot gun season. I am legal to hunt with a shot gun if I wanted to. I have all the required distances from all structures. However, out of respect for my neighbors I do not hunt in my back yard during shot gun season. I do not want to upset any of my neighbors who may hear gun shots and wonder if the person shooting is doing it in a safe manor. There are a lot of kids in the neighbor hood, and I certainly would understand why a neighbor would get up set with someone hunting with a gun. That being said I wanted to substitute a crossbow for a shot gun during shot gun season. So this Christmas Santa brought me a Ten Point crossbow. I take out of the box, sighted it in and start driving tacks at forty yards. Crossbows are very easy to use and very accurate once sighted in. So I thought. What I learned is the crossbow is very bulky, awkward & heavy while in a tree stand. You have one shot & done. To much movement to reload while in a tree stand, not to mention the safety concerns. With a few days left of winter bow in my zone I decided I would try the crossbow. I get in my stand at 3:00 pm, at 4:30 pm a doe and two fawns come by. I am not taking any of these deer but do deiced to practice getting into position to take a shot. I'm busted by the doe trying to get in position. There is a lot more movement involved with the crossbow than a compound bow. I figured I would have to be set up in the location I think the deer will be in to offer a shot. Keep the movement to a minimum. At 5:00 pm 6-8 deer come towards my stand. I see one big deer bringing up the rear and set my sights on it. As the group of deer approach I see the big deer is a 8 point buck. He is coming to the location I had set up for. He's coming straight to me head on. He stops 15 yards in front of me looking thru the snow for some acorns. I put the scope on him waiting for him to turn broadside. After about ten minutes he turns broadside. The whole time I have him in my sights I'm thinking piece of cake, 15 yards, broadside, I'll have all week to butcher this deer before super bowl Sunday. I take the shot. I MISSED!! Shot right under him. How could I miss from 15 yards? I can hit a tennis ball from 40 yrds consistently. Just like the compound bow you need to PRACTICE from your hunting situations. A lot of people think it's to easy to hunt with a crossbow. No discipline or practice needed. I thought so too. Its is not as easy as you may think. I can see both sides of the argument that crossbows take no skill to use. I'm sure, with practice, I will be as accurate from a tree stand as I am on the ground. I know the challenge will be easier with a crossbow than a compound bow with time. For that reason I will limit my use of the crossbow and use it only during shot gun season. I just don't think it is as easy as all the anti-crossbow folks make it out to be.

[soxfan]

Deerbill, i have been using the ten pointfor the last two years. I have had much success as well as much frustration with it. I've been busted twice. Most recently yesterday. I had a big doe and yearling eating from my corn pile at 20 yrds. When I brought my bow up two of the 4 squirrells busted me and started screeching at me. Needless to say that was like a giant alarm going of and the deer took off. Aside from squirrells, I find the crossbow more stealthy than a compound bow. You can move into postion slowly and wait forever for them to come into your shooting lane. I've been busted more times than I want to admit to drawing my compound back in past years. I gave upbowhunting for 19yrs because of my shoulder. I had to move too much to pull it back because of the pain and lack of strength. Thank God they made the crossbow leagal. As far as its accuracy, it cant be beat. When I miss its ALL human error. Whether its me not getting the yardage right or (and my biggest problem) is not squeezing the trigger right. I find myself pulling it and as with the compound, you have to have a smooth release. I dont think the crossbow is a substitute for a gun do to the fact that you still have to track your deer. The gun usually is a knock down kinda kill. Although I have had 3 deer drop in their tracks this year. Anyway I wish you all the luck and success that I have had with it. I've taken 9 deer this past 2 years. I have to thank my buddy Rayningblood for getting me back into bowhunting. If he didnt ask me to try it again, I wouldnt be enjoying the fun.

[DeanoZ]

ORIGINAL: soxfan

Well DeanoZ you missed a beatiful day in the woods. Had sun, then clouds, then light snow and finally heavy snow (although only for a little while). I had many different types of pretty birds visit me. I even had a Redtail hawk land in my corn pile, it was only there for a second but it was cool to see. I didnt see any deer. Rayningblood saw quite a few though. Nothing close but he did see em. I just talkedto my girlfriend, her birthday is Saturday, and she said I could take her out Friday, so I am good to go hunting Saturday. Let me know and we will do it up.

Dude, I'm sorry I missed it and unfortunately it appears its not in the cards for me this season to get together with ya'll.  Got word from the boss that he needs me to work on a project over the weekend so no hunting this weekend for me...next weekend I have reserves so that's out too.  So the only weekend I have left is the last day, Saturday 19 Feb.  If your still up for getting together lets plan on that Saturday..let me know.  And if nothing else we can try to go get that beer on Wed or Thur 16-17 Feb if your up for it?

[krawiech]

i have been using a barnett quad 400 for years but i practice with it i also bought a new one for my grandson and he and i practice together you are 100% right about practing most crossbow shooters do not practice enough just think if you want to be good at anything you must practice it i been arguing this concept for years and on any forum i go on most anti hunters says its just like shooting a rifle it definitely is not im glad you missed the deer because it reenforced my ideas about practicing again comparing it to a rifle dont you have to practice to become a good shot you must practice with shotgun slugs to be good better luck next time you go out hank k

[soxfan]

Hey DeanoZ, I will definately be there the last day!!!! Rayningblood and I will probably hunt Monroe in morning then head over to Raminessin for the afternoon. So we will see you thrn, buddy.

[DeanoZ]

ok Soxfan, looking forward to it!

[DEERBILL]

Hank I hear ya. Practice, Practice, Practice. I need to practice from the tree stand. On the ground I'm pretty accurate. But like anything else, if you want it to be second nature, you need to Practice, Practice, Practice.

[soxfan]

DeanoZ, I just checkin to see if you are still going saturday. They calling for a windy day which sucks but I will be out anyway. Last day, no choice. Well hope to see ya then. I will be out every evening this week so let me know if you can sneak out.

[DeanoZ]

Soxfan, I'm definitely in for Saturday...unfortunately with work being as busy as it is these days I can't sneak out tomorrow or Friday...but I'm definitely in for Saturday.  Yeah I saw it was going to be windy too, but like you said, last day so I'll be out there.  Let me know what time you want to meet up in the parking lot.  Afterwords we'll go get that beer if you and anyone else is interested.  See ya then...I'm pumped!

[soxfan]

WOW, 20 to 30 mph with gusts over 40!!!! Saturday is going to suck!!! Well gotta hope and pray I score today.