crossbow during archery season

[1shot1kill]

Well said Scott!  Great buck by the way.  Congratulations!

[MountainHunter]

Well said Scott!  Great buck by the way.  Congratulations!

Thank you Don,
I hope everything is good with you and your family!

[1shot1kill]

All is well.  Same to you.  Hunting season has been slow,  Been incredibly busy, and haven't been able to put in the time, but we'll see, it's not over.

[walkabout]

Ive always been open for anything to get more of us out into the woods. I had an opportunity to hunt with a friends xbow for a couple sits this year and i got to say its a bit clumsy but i can see me picking one up in the near future.

[MountainHunter]

All is well.  Same to you.  Hunting season has been slow,  Been incredibly busy, and haven't been able to put in the time, but we'll see, it's not over.

Wishing you good luck Don. It is definitely not easy balancing everything.

[MountainHunter]

Ive always been open for anything to get more of us out into the woods. I had an opportunity to hunt with a friends xbow for a couple sits this year and i got to say its a bit clumsy but i can see me picking one up in the near future.

They are definitely clumsy and awkward. I would much rather carry my bow than my crossbow. Drawing it and getting it up and down the tree takes a lot more planning and safety precautions.
I want to see if I can find a back pack style sling for it, I think that would be the ticket as far as walking in and out with it.

[WEM144]

I agree , clumsy is the word.  Shot one deer with it and I  choose the compound. I enjoy target practicing with it to be honest.

[greensider]

Be careful backpacking it the string will get very worn rubbing on your back

[MountainHunter]

Be careful backpacking it the string will get very worn rubbing on your back

Thank you, With the way I am intending to do it the trigger housing and bottom of the crossbow would be against my back. The string would be protected. What I am hoping to do is again have a back pack strap style sling that I can put both my arms through and have the crossbow centered on my back with my arms free. Walking through the woods with it would be a lot more comfortable. It wouldn't be as good if you walked up on something and wanted to shoot. In this case I would be okay with that trade off. I could always carry it if I was still hunting or walking in the daylight versus the dark.

[Oneshot]

I understand that as hunters we should all stand together. But I agree with Overland that crossbows are nothing like compounds. And I’m sure that traditional archers felt the same way with the advent of compounds. My wife who has never shot a crossbow shot one for the first time. Nailed the bullseye at 50 yards first shot. My brother has a $1,600.00 Raven that shots 3” groups at a 100 yards. Again without practice.  I practice every day and this year was fortunate to take the buck of my lifetime with my compound. I’m 61 and have been hunting since 18. I live on Long Island which is mainly bow, with a late season for shotgun. I’m sure other hunters saw my buck and could not connect with bow. If crossbows were legal I most likely would not have gotten my chance, and he would never have gotten so big. Am I being selfish?, maybe. But just telling you how I feel.

[greensider]

Your beginning statement is true about traditional archers but i bet most went to compounds within a couple years as most compound users would go to crossbows but feel free to do a survey here and see how many traditional archery hunters never switched

[Oneshot]

Greensider, good point and interesting question. On another note, and again being honest. As I said in my original reply, maybe I am being selfish. We all choose our weapons for different reasons. Most times, archers choose a bow instead of gun because of the challenge. And thus take pride in a hard earned kill. Whether it be a doe or buck of a lifetime. My question is, would crossbow users mind a gun hunter sharing the woods with them ? And if not, why don't crossbow users just hunt during gun season then ?

[walkabout]

we better take everything we can get these days guys. if us hunters cant keep the population down im sure they will implement other methods. Who cares who's in the woods with what lets all enjoy what we have now and take everything they offer . Share the woods introduce a kid to hunting. https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/Hudson-Valley-takes-on-biggest-forest-killer-deer-16033616.php

[greensider]

I would like one season choose your weapon just like the early bear season

[Take Em]

Big difference between Long Island and upstate. And that’s why xbows aren’t allowed down there. You’re buck is beautiful Oneshot but there’s a lot of giants on the island in small parcels that are much easier to narrow down. I know some guys that shoot monster bucks down there that don’t see crap when they come upstate. Give a novice hunter a $1,500 compound, throw them in a 5-10 acre parcel on Long Island and it’s really not that difficult.

I’m all for opening up everything for everyone. 1,000’s of acres still available to hunt and less people are doing it these days. I’m hoping they expand the hunting age for 12yr olds now so my son can join me next year. And I’ll be just as happy if he shoots his first buck with a bow, xbow, shotgun or rifle. Who cares.