Crossbow hunting

[one-eyed Jack]

The two NH sons have taken the online course and have the permits for Maine and are off to the family deer camp. We'll see what happens. They will be in tree stands where the area is "thick" with deer as they've seen so many on the trail cams. I've never hunted with a crossbow. Anyone here do it?

 

[1776]

Only for fish. When they refuse to bite


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHI53TsUXAk

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

Yep got my mass Xbox permit last year. Had a good year with it got 2 bucks and a fall turkey . I was always an good bow shot but my Xbow should be illegal. Hopefully they will let everyone get a xbow in mass instead of having to have medical reasons.(2surgeries and a pin in my shoulder)

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Good luck to your sons this season with the crossbow.

I switched to the crossbow in 2006. I just couldn’t pull a vert without significant pain from my back injuries.

This is by far the best crossbow sling I have used. The swivel mount goes on the front sling stud and the bungee hooks over the chest strap of my ruck so the chest strap carries the weight of the crossbow.

Bob

 

[Mark from MA]

Ive hunted Kentucky and CT and PA with one. Killed lots of deer with it. Easier than bowhunting regular, almost consider it akin to short range muzzleloader hunting, one shot only pretty much unless the deer is retarded and stands there wanting to take another arrow.

I have no problems taking a 60 yard OPEN known range, shot with one. No problems at all. I can hit lungs every time at that range in my foam target.
Not that you usually get that in the New England deer woods, but still. Doubles the effective range of a Compound....at least for me. Also the power factor if you hit a shoulder...is considerably higher and more likely to penetrate than a regular compound bow. You have a scope as well, which lets you shoot more accurate at longer ranges and see what your shooting.

I prefer the Short limbed Excalibur recurve kind, mines a Micro Suppressor, because of simplicity and ease of changing the string in the field if things go fubar. They are fairly rock solid too.

Do I agree they should be used in the regular archery season.....no.....they should limit the season on them, kinda like a muzzleloader. As I think they are not in the same category as a compound, they are much more accurate to the average user who doesn't practice much. But some states allow them and some states don't, or must have a medical issue...it is what it is.

Overall I still prefer hunting with the Stickbow or Compound. If things happen fast, you can reload easier. Less awkward in the deer woods, and I've spent many years mastering regular archery. I practice every year before the season for weeks. Tune the bow, arrows, broadheads.....etc........Its a little bit of a kick in the balls to those of us who do all this, now that someone can just grab a crossbow and go to the woods in the same season we do.

Many of these people very untrained in killing things with arrows. My feeling is they will take too long shots and wound a lot of deer possibly. But whatever, it gets people out in the field.
I guess its fine. I do prefer the way MA limits it though. Surprisingly I'm OK with not incorporating Xbows into the regular archery. I would like to see a 3 or 5 day X bow season though.
And of course for the guys that REALLY can't draw a bow back its fine, but just like SSDI, there are a lot of fakers getting into the game because they are too lazy to do regular archery and use the Xbow as a crutch. And I think that's why archery kills are going up dramatically.

 

[Mark from MA]

Yep got my mass Xbox permit last year. Had a good year with it got 2 bucks and a fall turkey . I was always an good bow shot but my Xbow should be illegal. Hopefully they will let everyone get a xbow in mass instead of having to have medical reasons.(2surgeries and a pin in my shoulder)

For the exact reasons you state I hope they don't allow it, unless its a limited separate season from archery.

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

They want us to kill more deer in the high deer population areas. A xbow is just a tool that would increase the deer harvest and help bring the population under control. Also most of the hunters are getting older and the use of a xbow makes sense if you want to keep hunters in the archery season.

 

[The Anchor]

after my stroke in 2018 i bought one and got the MA approval. Raven r15, accurate out to 100 from a steady rest, pricy but the built in crank makes cocking and de-cocking easy. only got afield 2 times in 2019, no shots, but last year i killed two with it. i am a huge fan now

 

[ccm75]

Is it still true that in MA, once you go crossbow you cant go back?
If so, that has to be one of the stupidest rules ever written.....

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

Yes it's true

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Is it still true that in MA, once you go crossbow you cant go back?
If so, that has to be one of the stupidest rules ever written.....

Yes, as @RIFLEMAN1000 said, it’s a one way trip. And yes it’s stupid.

You can’t get a crossbow permit in Mass unless you have a permanent Injury that doesn’t allow you to use a regular bow. The form requires a doctors signature to certify that you can’t use a regular bow. Once you get approved it is printed on your license. I have never heard of anyone getting ticketed for it but who knows in this state.

Bob

 

[one-eyed Jack]

The state thinks that if you want to exercise a "freedom" to go back, that doesn't fit their narrative. Jack.

 

[tuna]

My friend hunts with one, he really likes it and is very accurate with it.
I tried it, and I find it accurate as well.
One thing is it seems very cumbersome in the woods, as it's grabbing underbrush in two planes, opposed to one with a gun or bow. (Of course, I'm also the guy who finds a scope too cumbersome and messes up the balance of a gun.) Once you're in a stand, it shouldn't be an issue though.

I'm all for anything that gets more people into the woods (as long as they're not near me, LOL) and more deer dead.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

My friend hunts with one, he really likes it and is very accurate with it.
I tried it, and I find it accurate as well.
One thing is it seems very cumbersome in the woods, as it's grabbing underbrush in two planes, opposed to one with a gun or bow. (Of course, I'm also the guy who finds a scope too cumbersome and messes up the balance of a gun.) Once you're in a stand, it shouldn't be an issue though.

I'm all for anything that gets more people into the woods (as long as they're not near me, LOL) and more deer dead.

They are awful to lug through the woods. It’s like lugging a crowbar shaped like a “T” square but it sure as hell beats sitting on the couch.

The balance is better on the reverse limbed crossbows but they are hell on the serving with the sharp angles on the string.

Bob

 

[71montess]

Is it still true that in MA, once you go crossbow you cant go back?
If so, that has to be one of the stupidest rules ever written.....

True and it sucks, my shoulders go through good and bad times, I’d rather hunt with the compound, but some times I need a Xbox. My Dr. would sign off if I needed it But I’m not there yet.

 

[Mark from MA]

They want us to kill more deer in the high deer population areas. A xbow is just a tool that would increase the deer harvest and help bring the population under control. Also most of the hunters are getting older and the use of a xbow makes sense if you want to keep hunters in the archery season.

Where I live in the state the deer population is more than under control....its underpopulated. We barely see them out here.

I'm all for it where its needed to keep population in control.

 

[Mark from MA]

They are awful to lug through the woods. It’s like lugging a crowbar shaped like a “T” square but it sure as hell beats sitting on the couch.

The balance is better on the reverse limbed crossbows but they are hell on the serving with the sharp angles on the string.

Bob

This......ungodly weird to carry. In the stand it's fine, I hang it like everything else.....

 

[1776]