Crossbow vs Compound bow?

[Bc Deer Hunter]

So for next season im thinking of selling my Excalibur crossbow and buying a compund bow. Any body here have and advantages or disadvantages of selling my Crossbow and buying a compound? Just like to have some experianced archers tune in and help me out! Thats it thanks all!

[hunter1993ap]

have you ever shot a compound before? shooting a compound takes way more skill than shooting a crossbow. i shoot everyday with my bow for about a month before the season to get tuned in, and i have shot since i have been a small kid. if you are starting fresh it will take some time to get good but in my opinion it is worth it. i find a crossbow bulky for hiking around with, and shooting freehand. another thing i like with a compound is your in full control of when you want to draw and shoot, with a crossbow it would take longer to load, and i would never hunt with a cocked or loaded crossbow. i have seen many guys hunting with cocked crossbows without and arrow in it and it just makes me feel uneasy, definately not for me. you should probably get on buying now if you want to hunt the early season with a compound, but if you are waiting for the late bow season you still have some time to prepare. for the price of your excaliber you should be able to get a great set-up. good luck!!

[Bc Deer Hunter]

have you ever shot a compound before? shooting a compound takes way more skill than shooting a crossbow. i shoot everyday with my bow for about a month before the season to get tuned in, and i have shot since i have been a small kid. if you are starting fresh it will take some time to get good but in my opinion it is worth it. i find a crossbow bulky for hiking around with, and shooting freehand. another thing i like with a compound is your in full control of when you want to draw and shoot, with a crossbow it would take longer to load, and i would never hunt with a cocked or loaded crossbow. i have seen many guys hunting with cocked crossbows without and arrow in it and it just makes me feel uneasy, definately not for me. you should probably get on buying now if you want to hunt the early season with a compound, but if you are waiting for the late bow season you still have some time to prepare. for the price of your excaliber you should be able to get a great set-up. good luck!!
Thanks that is what i was looking for :) I shot a bunch of bows on the weekend including mathews, PSE, and APA, all at the reinhart shoot. The bow that felt the best out of all of them was the APA sidewinder HE2. It took a while to get used to but after about a 5 min crash course i was hiting the bull eye constantley. Do you have any good suggestions for a beginners bow package? Thanks again.

[Elkhound]

I love my compound.....another advantage is if you ever want to make a trip to Alberta like I did a couple years ago they have some great bow seasons. And crossbows do not count for archery seasons there

[Pioneerman]

I myself just picked up a Excaliber crossbow a month ago. I did this because I blew my shoulder out and had operations, and never got the right muscle group working to pull and hold my compound bow again. I used to practice a lot, and you want to with a regular bow. With the cross bow if you can shoot a rifle well you can shoot a xbow well. I took it out sighted the scope in and was shooting 2" groups at 50 yards, can't beat that accuracy

[Bow Walker]

PM inbound......

[Jagermeister]

A little more skill required for a bow, be it compound or recurve.
One thing that the bows have over crossbows is the time it takes to cycle arrows as pre-cocking is not needed with a bow.
Bows require more physical dexterity as more muscle groups come into play.
You do not need a "magnum" bow, like 70+ pounds unless you are fully capable of drawing that weight.
The law only requires you to have a bow equal to 45# at draw length to hunt with.
Of course, as Pioneerman states, physical limitations may require one to choose a crossbow rather than a compound or recurve.
And that is my 2¢ worth.

[Bc Deer Hunter]

Pioneerman thats just it... the excalibur can and will group a inch or 2 at 50 meters, and that is what i feel is making me lean more towards a compound for more of a challenge ;) Oh and i forgot to metion those crossbows get HEAVY! How did you manage to blow your sholder out?

[Bc Deer Hunter]

Jager, thanks.
The bow i was looking at i would buy in the 50-60 pound mark, which i beleive could take any big game in N.A. so know worries there. The thing that kinda worries me with compound bows is that they are not as fast as xbows if you dont have them cranked up to the max draw weight and length so i have to definatlly consider that... speed has to play a role in hitting a deer in the heart or missing it do to it ducking or jumping the arrow.

[The Hermit]

The new compound bows are not all that difficult to become proficient with out to 25 yards. If a normally coordinated person with average hand eye coordination and an understanding of what a sight picture is should be able to become good enough within a couple weeks of daily practice to hunt out to that yardage. Check out the Limbsaver bows, high end USA made bows for a lot less than the big names .

The new crossbows from Maximus (100% made in the USA) are really small and powerful and MUCH easier to shoot and hunt with than the old school Excalibar style recurve bows.

[Bc Deer Hunter]

Thanks Hermit! I check out those bows and the Limbsaver deadzone looks like it would be the one for me! Can't find any prices though and hows there costomer service have you delt with them? Thanks again.

[RENO]

have you ever shot a compound before? shooting a compound takes way more skill than shooting a crossbow. i shoot everyday with my bow for about a month before the season to get tuned in, and i have shot since i have been a small kid. if you are starting fresh it will take some time to get good but in my opinion it is worth it. i find a crossbow bulky for hiking around with, and shooting freehand. another thing i like with a compound is your in full control of when you want to draw and shoot, with a crossbow it would take longer to load, and i would never hunt with a cocked or loaded crossbow. i have seen many guys hunting with cocked crossbows without and arrow in it and it just makes me feel uneasy, definately not for me. you should probably get on buying now if you want to hunt the early season with a compound, but if you are waiting for the late bow season you still have some time to prepare. for the price of your excaliber you should be able to get a great set-up. good luck!!
I did the same thing, sold my excaliber and bought a real nice compound bow, I miss the crossbow, and don't, it was fun to shoot, took quite a few deer, basically like shooting a rifle. I found it heavy carrying all day long and awkward trying to be quiet on stalks through bush, it would also get hung up on branches as well and that was always something to watch out for, also when firing at game to make sure you were not to close to any trees as once fired and hitting a tree could break or crack the limbs, also in a situation where a follow up shot was required it is not that fast to reload, aim and hit target once spooked. the flemish strings I found way better that stock and added speed to the crossbow as well as the carbon fiber arrows, there is also a lot of extra accessaries you need to buy as well, more than compound bows . when I went to compound and it was equipped, I practiced allot to learn form and release and correct way to draw the bow, it is very light and a peach to carry all day, it has become part of me and I can stalk through heavy costal forest with no hang ups on brush, follow up shots are allot quicker as well, and it is allot faster than the crossbow I had, once your pins are set and arrows trimmed to proper length , you have to master shooting from different positions and drawing that bow, but don't cheap out get a good bow, and you will enjoy archery for years to come, both have advantages and disadvantages I guess but I am glad I am using the compound bow. Practice is very important.

[Bc Deer Hunter]

I did the same thing, sold my excaliber and bought a real nice compound bow, I miss the crossbow, and don't, it was fun to shoot, took quite a few deer, basically like shooting a rifle. I found it heavy carrying all day long and awkward trying to be quiet on stalks through bush, it would also get hung up on branches as well and that was always something to watch out for, also when firing at game to make sure you were not to close to any trees as once fired and hitting a tree could break or crack the limbs, also in a situation where a follow up shot was required it is not that fast to reload, aim and hit target once spooked. the flemish strings I found way better that stock and added speed to the crossbow as well as the carbon fiber arrows, there is also a lot of extra accessaries you need to buy as well, more than compound bows . when I went to compound and it was equipped, I practiced allot to learn form and release and correct way to draw the bow, it is very light and a peach to carry all day, it has become part of me and I can stalk through heavy costal forest with no hang ups on brush, follow up shots are allot quicker as well, and it is allot faster than the crossbow I had, once your pins are set and arrows trimmed to proper length , you have to master shooting from different positions and drawing that bow, but don't cheap out get a good bow, and you will enjoy archery for years to come, both have advantages and disadvantages I guess but I am glad I am using the compound bow. Practice is very important.
Thats awesome, i cant wait. Compounds have the edge for sure in being lighter and more mobile!! Now do you have any good suggestions on what type of compound? ;)

[hunter1993ap]

i dont have much info on what bow to get now as i havnt even looked at bows since i bought mine about 12 years ago. i have an older hoyt that works for me but when i get some money together i will probably get a new mathews. a freind of mine has a mathews DXT that is great. really quiet no shock and fast.

[bugler]

My stepfather packed a crossbow for a few years and switched to compound when he was 70. Found the compound way easier to pack and more enjoyable to use. I haven't used the xbow myself but most people that I know that have used both tend to drop the xbow once they've learned to shoot compound.

Don't worry too much about speed and "string jumping". The faster the bow/arrow setup the noisier the bow tends to be, thus actually increasing the likelihood of ducking the arrow. All the xbows that I've seen are much louder than most compound setups, another reason that the compound has it over the xbow in my opinion.

[Pioneerman]

Pioneerman thats just it... the excalibur can and will group a inch or 2 at 50 meters, and that is what i feel is making me lean more towards a compound for more of a challenge ;) Oh and i forgot to metion those crossbows get HEAVY! How did you manage to blow your sholder out?

I manage just fine, it is just the one muscle when pull back on the bow that is affected. I lift weights all the time and lots of upper body strength, just that one important muscle will never be the same. I am not looking for more of a challenge when it comes to hunting, if I was then wait for the biggest and best animal rather than any others. If you are going to be using a compound bow, you should be skilled and practice enough that the shooting of the bow is not the challenge, and you will still have the same range even longer with compound bow, so that is not the challenge either. I pack my rifles all day without a problem and they are far heavier than the xbow. I also attached a sling to mine and it is no different than packing a lighter rifle IMO

[TheProvider]

Don't worry about the compound not shooting as fast as the cross bow. More than likely you were shooting short "bolts" that weren't anywhere near the weight of an arrow. Compounds are getting faster and faster

[BHarp]

Thanks that is what i was looking for :) I shot a bunch of bows on the weekend including mathews, PSE, and APA, all at the reinhart shoot. The bow that felt the best out of all of them was the APA sidewinder HE2. It took a while to get used to but after about a 5 min crash course i was hiting the bull eye constantley. Do you have any good suggestions for a beginners bow package? Thanks again.

You got it right there. Go shoot as many bows as you can get your hands on. All companies are putting out very effective setups, but you need to find the one that feels right for you. Customer service is definitely a factor in this industry and some are miles ahead of the others... I'm guessing that if you shot APA at the Rinehart, then they no doubt told you about their 'risk free test drive'?

[Bc Deer Hunter]

You got it right there. Go shoot as many bows as you can get your hands on. All companies are putting out very effective setups, but you need to find the one that feels right for you. Customer service is definitely a factor in this industry and some are miles ahead of the others... I'm guessing that if you shot APA at the Rinehart, then they no doubt told you about their 'risk free test drive'?Ya im considering the test drive all i have to do is go down to hardcore archery and they will do the rest!!! Its gona be a blast! Thanks evreyone for the tips and advice :D

[Big Lew]

I have hunted with both a crossbow and compound. As others have stated, a compound is far lighter and easier to carry, especially through thick stuff or if climbing steeply up the side of a mountain. It does take more practice, but if you were doing as well as you claimed after a short crash course, I don't see you having any problems. I would encourage you to ask a pro, or someone that's quite experienced, to fit you with a bow and to properly set up the bow, along with the correctly spined arrows. As he/she is doing this, seek their help in your form, where to anchor at full draw, how to avoid torque, and any other helpful hints they're able to suggest. All modern compounds are quality bows that shoot quietly with little or no recoil. They're also a lot faster for the same poundage than the older bows...it's just a matter of trying as many as you can to find the one that feels comfortable and 'right' for you. Also, the average crossbow really doesn't have an advantage over the average compound when shooting longer distances.

[Ambush]

If you have a budget for the total set-up, then that narrows your field already.
Take your budget figure, subtract the median price for a sight, rest, stabalizer, a dozen finished arrows and quiver. What's left is your bow budget. Start looking at bows in that price range.

Price is no object? Order a Mathews Heli'm, Spot-Hogg wrapped sight, G5 1/4" Meta peep, Rip Cord Code Red rest, Fuse Blade Hunter 8.5" stabilizer, and a dozen Axis arrows.

The Code Red actually doesn't fit all that well on the Heli'm. So unless you have access to a milling machine and four hours spare time, maybe consider other rests. I was determined to mount the Code Red, and I have access to the milling machine and four hours are gone from my life. But it was worth it!

[Bc Deer Hunter]

If you have a budget for the total set-up, then that narrows your field already.
Take your budget figure, subtract the median price for a sight, rest, stabalizer, a dozen finished arrows and quiver. What's left is your bow budget. Start looking at bows in that price range.

Price is no object? Order a Mathews Heli'm, Spot-Hogg wrapped sight, G5 1/4" Meta peep, Rip Cord Code Red rest, Fuse Blade Hunter 8.5" stabilizer, and a dozen Axis arrows.

The Code Red actually doesn't fit all that well on the Heli'm. So unless you have access to a milling machine and four hours spare time, maybe consider other rests. I was determined to mount the Code Red, and I have access to the milling machine and four hours are gone from my life. But it was worth it!
WOW how much are you looking at for that rig?

[Ambush]

WOW how much are you looking at for that rig?

You can't put a price on happiness!! And to me, happiness is a bow that feels like it wants to go hunting just as much as I do. :smile:

[Bc Deer Hunter]

You can't put a price on happiness!! And to me, happiness is a bow that feels like it wants to go hunting just as much as I do. :smile:

HAHA i guess your right ;) To bad i dont have the dough for that :(

[RENO]

Thats awesome, i cant wait. Compounds have the edge for sure in being lighter and more mobile!! Now do you have any good suggestions on what type of compound? ;)

I have a Bowtec destroyer 350
I love and it is easy to use, and very accurate. very fast and super quiet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhdgBlglEzc
http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowselection.htm
http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/best-compound-bows-2011/
http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/best-compound-bows-2012/
//www.americanhunter.org/articles/best-compound-bows-2012-part-2/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-u-b1akvD8

[RENO]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVPgw0_sESE

[RENO]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de_JUDX-tDo

[rocket]

don't get all bound up on speed a bow with around 7 in brace and 35 axle to axle is usually my recommendation. short brace bows and axles are tough to shoot consistently. sure most of us shoot alot a first or prior to the season, but come hunting season most spend time in field and not on the range. A more forgiving bow will build the confidence for success. there is no worse feeling than missing a trophy or worse wounding. my wife shoots 46 pounds and has harvested a doe and black bear, it's about feeling confident and comfortable with what your shooting and practice ethical shoots. ps welcome to archery it's a wonderful ride. and like it's been said before shoot as many bows to you find the right one for you.