Hunting whitetail w/Crossbows in Indiana?

[Willie]

I don't care for them at all, unless you legitimately need to use one

That wasn't his question. Let's not turn this into a crossbow debate.

Crossbows will be allowed to be used any time any other piece of archery equipment is used. Basically statewide from October 1 through the first Sunday in January.

They can be used in the UDZs from Septmeber 15 through the end of January. The UDZ is Earn A Buck.

You will have to purchase a " crossbow license".

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

That wasn't his question. Let's not turn this into a crossbow debate.

Crossbows will be allowed to be used any time any other piece of archery equipment is used. Basically statewide from October 1 through the first Sunday in January.

They can be used in the UDZs from Septmeber 15 through the end of January. The UDZ is Earn A Buck.

You will have to purchase a " crossbow license".

He was debating with himself. If you notice both post were made by the same poster.

 

[Willie]

He was debating with himself. If you notice both post were made by the same poster.

WOW!! I missed that.. i think there is a word for that..

 

[DanO]

The word is.......CONFLICTED!

Two ways to look at this:

1) "I hunt deer for food. This is a more efficient means to collect my food, especially if I am not an archer and only hunt gun seasons." I live in an urban deer zone and this would be good for the meat hunter who wants to shoot does for food.

2) "I hunt for mainly for sport. Crossbows are not as "sporting' as the compound because it is more efficient and requires less skill." - But can the longbow shooter say the same about the compournd shooter? What's sporting enough? An altlatl?
OR.."It is not as "safe" because it just requires a trigger pull to set an arrow off." - But so does a firearm, so that argument seems silly. These are just 2 of the argumnents against crossbows I have heard.

Our conflicted OP did not say what he did not like about them....

Peronally, I am more put off by the price of fancy crossbows and will stick with my recurve for now. But knock yourself out if you like crossbows, as long as you are hunting!

 

[snapping turtle]

I like that my dad can get out before the much colder weather sets in. I will still use my old PSE bow, but dad can now use a X-bow and spend some of the nicer afternoons in the field.

Now i like X-bows but i am cheap and will use my 1995 era PSE.

You could call me a traditional compound hunter.

Now if someone comes along with a X-bow at a good price that could catch my eye. 1000 on a x-bow is not going to happen here.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I think he was speaking facetiously because the first thing you run into when you mention crossbows is bowhunters with 20" cam to cam technology, 99.9% let off, stealth technology carbon fiber arrows rolled on a virgin's thigh, releases set to a trigger weight of 1 ounce, heat seaking broadheads and lighted bow sights complaining that crossbows are too much of a technological advantage and are an affront to the "spirit" of traditional bowhunting.

 

[Hookeye]

The act of the draw IMHO is an integral part of the sport.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

You have to draw a crossbow. Takes a heck of a heave to draw one too.

 

[longbarrel]

Have been a deer hunter since I was 15. An avid archer for about 8 yrs. And you know what? I don't care if they legalize crosbows or not. They don't really have any advantages as far my experience (which is limited) has shown. If a person wants to use one and they are legal who cares? How can a group of people fight so hard for one right and try so hard to limit another? What disadvantage is it going to cause to you and your deer hunting? Don't like them personally, but don't care if the next guy loves them.

 

[Hookeye]

I have heard many folks say they wanted to get an X bow to make it easier to get the trail camera deer before the regular bowhunter next door does.

So there may be some hightened competition between those out in "bow season".

And, these X bow proponents also said that an Xbow deer is then equal to taking a deer by traditional bow...............legal in same season= equal accomplishment.

I dunno, dislike those of sh*tty work ethic and think this will open the floodgates. Kinda like the old bow season with less idiots in the woods.

 

[Hookeye]

You have to draw a crossbow. Takes a heck of a heave to draw one too.

Gas charge or electric cocking mechs, even if manually cocked it can be done well ahead of any game showing up.

Not even close to drawing a regular bow and holding it. Even if of low let off............a regular bow gets more shooter input, compared to an X bow, so form and followthrough are more critical.

Crossbows offer advantages. Some think not much, others disagree.
I think they are substantial.

I hate the immediate gratification mentality of our current culture. Nobody wants to work for anything anymore.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I have heard many folks say they wanted to get an X bow to make it easier to get the trail camera deer before the regular bowhunter next door does.

And, these X bow proponents also said that an Xbow deer is then equal to taking a deer by traditional bow

No. I sincerely doubt you have heard "many" folks say this. Maybe one. Maybe even two, but you are exaggerating this to make a straw man argument.

As to traditional, the crossbow is a two thousand year old weapon so if it's not traditional I don't know what is.

 

[trapperDave]

thats a good thing...all those guys gettin a deer in october. Leaves the rut for the rest of us

Ill be able to PEACEFULLY bowhunt with my selfbow in mid november lol

 

[TiminMishawaka]

There will be a lot of barely used crossbows for sale in November too when guys realize it's not as easy as they thought it would be.

 

[Willie]

Gas charge or electric cocking mechs, even if manually cocked it can be done well ahead of any game showing up.

Not even close to drawing a regular bow and holding it. Even if of low let off............a regular bow gets more shooter input, compared to an X bow, so form and followthrough are more critical.

Crossbows offer advantages. Some think not much, others disagree.
I think they are substantial.

I hate the immediate gratification mentality of our current culture. Nobody wants to work for anything anymore.

After many years of bowhunting with recurves, compounds and now crossbows I would like to give you my opinion on hunting with each.

There are numerous pros and cons for any type of archery equipment.


Accuracy


Shooting off hand the compound wins hands down. That is proven out at any archery event where the compounds and crossbows shoot the same targets. If the crossbower can use a rest (not always possible in a deer hunting situation) then the tables are reversed.

Although a hunting tool’s good accuracy is a positive and not a negative desire.


Trajectory


In most bow hunting conditions (less than 25 yards) there is no difference as both the compound bow and crossbow will generate approximately the same feet per second and kinetic energy. Downrange the compound will win hands down as the shorter arrow of a crossbow does not stabilize as well and will lose feet per second in speed and KE faster than a compound bow shot (longer) arrow as it attempts to correct itself in flight.


Weight


Most crossbows weigh in at right around 6 pounds. That is close to the weight of a lot of rifles and shotguns. The compound bows weigh in much less at 3 to 3 ½ pounds. Not a big deal unless one is also packing in a stand, ladder or other equipment. Or hot footing it up and down mountains chasing elk/mule deer out West.


Clearances


Because of the horizontal limbs a crossbow is much harder to pack into the woods on the way to the stand or still hunting. When hunting from a treestand the horizontal limbs have a major conflict with the vertical tree we are in. It is extremely difficult to shoot behind the treestand as the limbs and string will not allow the crossbow to be up against the tree like a compound bow would.


Drawing/Shooting in the Presence of Game


The crossbow has a slight advantage in this area. The string is back in a firing position before game is approaching. How much of an advantage is debatable as several things come into play.

1) Being 20 to 25 foot up a tree when attempting to draw a compound bow will lessen a deer’s ability to see you.

2) Bows are usually 75 to 90 percent let off so one can draw on a deer much sooner and hold longer to make a killing shot with less worry about the deer seeing you. Mike Beatty drew and held on the new world record non-typical buck for a full 3 minute before making the shot. That bow was a 85% let off. There is a bow on the market that is 99% let off where one can draw the bow as soon as game is spotted and they can wait for however long it takes for that animal to approach the shooting area.

3) A number of hunters that use ground blinds are using a blind called Double Bull, “Doghouse”, etc that allows one to draw and shoot through a curtain and never be seen by the animal.

4) Most bowhunters learn when and when not to draw on a deer. IE – when it’s head is behind a bush or tree or allowing the deer to walk past them and shoot them quartering away.

Both pieces of equipment have to be raised into a shooting position. Only the compound has to be drawn. That draw should be straight back and covered somewhat by the bow and bow quiver (if one is on the bow). That is unless the person drawing the bow seriously over-bowed and has to horse it back with great exaggerated movements..

Regardless of the perceived advantage of “not having to draw back a crossbow” the kill percentages are identical for compounds and crossbows. THAT is where the rubber meets the road.




Ease of Mastery


The crossbow would have an edge here. More so if the individual had some previous rifle shooting experience. Irregardless, a “newbie” just starting out with either piece of equipment can be shooting hunting accuracy (all arrows in a 6 inch circle) within two hours *IF* properly instructed. Maintaining proficiency would also go to the crossbow.

Ease of mastery is irrelevant to the hunting aspect. Being a master of your equipment has nothing to do with how good a hunter you are. It only has to do with what kind of shot you are with the equipment at hand should that shot present itself.

There is very little difference in mastering a crossbow and a compound. There is a MAJOR difference in mastering a stickbow as opposed to either a crossbow or a compound. If the difficulty mastering the hunting tool is used a yardstick for archery hunting then the season would have to be limited to traditional only.


.

 

[Hookeye]

New style X bows extend the range to 50 yards pretty easily. Some past that. Bud tried a new Excalibur recurve style recently, and was shocked at how well it shot (never shot X bow before). 50 yards, one after another.
And he's not as good a shot as me

X bows of a few yrs past were pretty much junk. They've upped their game considerably, so the compound/Xbow dueling deal you cite could now be easily swayed to favor one side. IMHO the results you claim may have been biased considerably (shooters and gear).

I aint buying it, as I've shot some of the new X bows and they are impressive.

New PCR regs have folks spending the $, trying out new stuff can be fun, maybe some will be getting back into hunting for a spell.

It's about getting folks to spend the money.

Same with X bows.

Their allowance for general usage has nothing IMHO to do with maintaining sport.

Something new, maybe easier for some............taking advantage of the current social mindset. Great marketing, and probably helpful to bow/gun shops...........but I don't think helpful to the real sport.

There mayb be some middle of the road types, or newbs, who have yet to make a choice on gear, and with that the X bow might be a decent introduction to hunting in general...........but I bet they soon gravitate to something else. If there is a die hard "started with X bow and stay with it" group it might prove down the road to be rather small.

I do know of some bowhunters who have had close encounters with big bucks that were just outside their comfort range with a reg bow. Some have said they'd get an X bow to extend their range.

The cost of the better high end X bows might be prohibitive, but then high end compounds aren't cheap. Those after the Booners will dump the $.

Seems to be 3 camps for X bows............the guys who will get whatever they can to help anchor a Booner, the lazy guy who just doesn't want to practice, and the injured/aged folks who want to continue to participate in the early season. The latter was already allowed.

X bow allowance for general people is about making money, not about preserving the sport.

 

[Hookeye]

Since they are legal, I don't have a problem with people using them.
If a person wants to hunt with one? Be my guest!

But when they pop a 130 inch deer and some regular bowhunter shoots a 129, I hope they don't get too puffed up about being superior

Do find it funny how some folks who have by age/unjury been forced to using X bow, how they are pushing them to be the "same as" a regular bow. Evidently they have some inner problem with the differences and don't want to accept the facts.

That is there problem.

 

[HICKMAN]

I hate the immediate gratification mentality of our current culture. Nobody wants to work for anything anymore.

you say that as if using a crossbow will make things dramatically easier.

I hunted from the first day of bow season to the last day, hunted shotgun and muzzleloader too... didn't take a single buck and only one doe.

Will the crossbow make it so that I can just go out and fill the freezer next season?....

NO!

I will still have to put in the work and have a little luck on my side...

said it before and will say it again... it ain't the arrow... it's the Indian.

 

[Willie]

you say that as if using a crossbow will make things dramatically easier.

I hunted from the first day of bow season to the last day, hunted shotgun and muzzleloader too... didn't take a single buck and only one doe.

Will the crossbow make it so that I can just go out and fill the freezer next season?....

NO!

I will still have to put in the work and have a little luck on my side...

said it before and will say it again... it ain't the arrow... it's the Indian.

Bingo!

Mr. Hookeye seems to think that the crossbow does the deer hunting for the hunter.

I've hunted witha crossbow for 9 seasons now and absolutely nothing has changed in my hunting. Same set ups, even in the same stands as before. Killing the same distances, etc, etc etc

Still got to get him in range and no I wont take a 50 yard shot at any deer with a crossbow..