Crossbows , Talkin or Walkin

[greybark]

I recognize the legality of hunting with a Crossbow . I have shot in ONE 3-d with a crossbower and had a friend hunt out of my camp with a crossbow .
What surprises me is for the past 25 years I have seen only seen Two others participate at a 3-d event .
Recently the Crossbow Talk on this forum has increased and 99% is to complain . Where is the Walkin that goes with Talkin .
Dedication involves practice and participation and lack of attendence of 3-d and conservation events seem to promote negativity towards Crossbowers . Crossbowers must stand up and step forward to be counted , respected and not complaining from the sidelines .
This post was stimulated by OObuck`s last positive post (couple of new bowhunters) and serious discussion is requested .
Cheers

[troutseeker]

Huh, some people just want an accurate tool to hunt with without having to practice all the time. I don't shoot 3d and never will. I doubt that I am the only one either...

Seems like the ones complaining are other archers, some are snobs and feel that crossbows are "not worthy" of being called archery, whatever...

I shoot both bow (for over 35 years) and crossbow, but I don't feel I need to belong to some fraternity to enjoy myself. When I go practice with my bow or crossbow I don't want to have to engage in conversation with every good old boy shooting that day. I don't care what they shoot, don't want their advice and really don't care what they think of me and my shooting style and equipment. I guess that makes me the rude one who won't engage in time wasting conversation (this goes for when I shoot my rifles too). However, I feel they are rude by interrupting me and trying to share their "knowledge"...

As you can imagine, I do not belong to any organized "groups", and that is just fine by me.

Cheers!

[Mr. Dean]

Looky at all the firearms holders in the province and then looky at the number of all whom participate in organized shooting sports. It's a tiny percentage, too.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Not all crossbowers are the same. But the only 2 I know that live here pull out the bow during late bow season, take a couple shots and a way they go. Both shot bucks from the road, both had no idea how far the deer was. One guy paced it of after and said he was not to far off as he guessed 50 yards and it was about 44 yards. I guess that would explain the excellent marksmenship with a high hit above the ponch just below the spine that happened cut an artery.

Another time I was in Langley at a shooting store (that is no longer there) and some loud mouth hunter walks in demanding a crossbow for his elk hunt on Thursday(it was tuesday) He was saying how his whole crew had picked up cross bows for this hunt hoping to poke a few holes before the rifle season began.

With my limited experiance with people owning crossbows, I have a problem with crossbows included in the archery seasons. An archer tends to practice hard, to achieve his goals, the crossbow owners I have met only care about poking holes.

I am sure there are lots that practice hard I just haven't met them.

[E.B.]

Crossbows are not for archers, they are for taking advantage of a season.

[Bow Walker]

As I see it the problem lies not with the equipment itself (the crossbow) but with the 'hunters' who just want to be able to extend their season so they can "go kill something".

These 'hunters' are opportunistic (imo), and don't have the mindset of 'real' bowhunters, who will get to know their equipment through practice and are dedicated to the idea of shot placement.

So, while I do consider the crossbow to be archery gear, I do not consider the average crossbow 'hunter' to be a bowhunter.

[Onesock]

Bow Walker-maybe you should change "archer" to "bowhunter" in your last sentence.

[newhunterette]

My family all belonged to TBBC for some years, our kids loved shooting the recurves. My parents used to do archery shoots when I was very young and as Peter and I got into hunting, we inherited my parent's bows. I loved how my Ben Pearson Cougar felt in my hands when I was pulling back and lining it up to hit a target. We put targets in our back yard for the kids to practise. To this day we still have our recurve bows from my parents as they are collectors now and Peter has his Checkmate take down. He hunted a few years with just his recurve.

Peter tried using a compound bow and didn't really like it. (to each their own) Compound bows didn't do it for him. He did lots of research and headed to Specialty Sports (which is no longer) and was talked into purchasing a crossbow. He hasnt looked back, he loves it and he may not attend 3d shoots with it (we didn't know crossbows were accepted at the shoots) but he does practise with his crossbow and he is not one who just wants to shoot holes.

As I mentioned I loved handling my recurve but I suffered a broken back and have not been able to pull my bow since. Last year I was gifted with a beautiful crossbow. I was given a very nice loading and locking mechanism for this bow to take the strain off my back and I have been very successful in shooting this bow at our targets. I havent hunted with it as of yet because even though I feel confident with it, I am not sure if I am ready to actually hunt with it.

[CanuckShooter]

Not all crossbowers are the same. But the only 2 I know that live here pull out the bow during late bow season, take a couple shots and a way they go. Both shot bucks from the road, both had no idea how far the deer was. One guy paced it of after and said he was not to far off as he guessed 50 yards and it was about 44 yards. I guess that would explain the excellent marksmenship with a high hit above the ponch just below the spine that happened cut an artery.

Another time I was in Langley at a shooting store (that is no longer there) and some loud mouth hunter walks in demanding a crossbow for his elk hunt on Thursday(it was tuesday) He was saying how his whole crew had picked up cross bows for this hunt hoping to poke a few holes before the rifle season began.

With my limited experiance with people owning crossbows, I have a problem with crossbows included in the archery seasons. An archer tends to practice hard, to achieve his goals, the crossbow owners I have met only care about poking holes.

I am sure there are lots that practice hard I just haven't met them.

The same could be said for about 90% of rifle hunters.....I can honestly say that I have seen far more poor shot placement from gun hunters than bow or crossbow hunters.

[Kody94]

Crossbows are not for archers, they are for taking advantage of a season.

One could say the same of rifles, in a way...

As I see it the problem lies not with the equipment itself (the crossbow) but with the 'hunters' who just want to be able to extend their season so they can "go kill something".

These 'hunters' are opportunistic (imo), and don't have the mindset of 'real' archers, who will get to know their equipment through practice and are dedicated to the idea of shot placement.

So, while I do consider the crossbow to be archery gear, I do not consider the average crossbow 'hunter' to be an archer.

I don't have an issue with "the 'hunters' who just want to be able to extend their season". In fact I am generally happy about it. but....

What I do have an issue with is any hunter (archer or otherwise) that does not take the time to understand the limitations of their equipment and their own level of competence with it, and ensure that they hunt within those limitations.

The equivalent of "sprayin and prayin" happens with every implement of hunting, so I cannot single out the "average crossbow hunter". Its equally unacceptable wherever it occurs. I think it just happens to be more visible with the crossbow than most other cases.