Wrinkleneck wrote:Sounds to me like they must have done their scouting homework. Just because they are using a Xbow doesn't put 4.5+ year old mature buck in front of them
Didn't say that, just reporting the facts as I have personally seen them thus far. I also thought it might be guy's that only gun hunted their property now were out during the early rut/chase phase in bow season. Possibly guy's that didn't allow anybody else to hunt so there was a big buck(s) prime for the taking. I'm sure there are a variety of reasons. I just know what I have heard and seen.
dan wrote:...A crossbow ain't any more accurate or shoot any further than a bow. The only advantage seems to be not having to pull the string back when the buck is nearby...
I have to disagree with you on this one Dan. I have met people with crossbows including people that had just purchased and started shooting them and from what I have seen the
average hunter can add an additional 20 yards to his range (I haven't come across any women shooting them yet). I'm talking about a quality modern X bow. I'm not talking about a low end or top of the line X bow. I know of one guy shooting an old cheap one who could barely keep them on a pie plate at 30yards, but also know that a top end X bow like the PSE TAC-15 can easily do 75 yards with an expandable (and it's an extremely quiet cross bow).
That being said, I still don't think this is it's greatest advantage as I have read that even most gun kills in Michigan's big woods are within 30 yards. I think that by far the greatest advantage is not having to pull the string back when a deer is nearby. This is a HUGE advantage that can not be understated and is where I believe most people blow it. IMHO
Also there are some in the industry like Steve Gruber that will tell you he "isn't going to lie" "the cross bow is a far superior weapon to the compound". He just thinks people need to accept that and move on (I think he actually means on boths sides of the debate). Gruber loves to promote them on his show and not just because of one of his sponsor's is Excaliber, but because he genuinely loves them.
Despite how it may sound at times, I'm not a cross bow hater. In fact I stood with and helped the Michigan Bow Hunters fight to relax X bow regulations, although I didn't want them legal from mid September until January. The thing that drives me nuts sometimes is when people keep arguing that X bows are no more effective, or even less effective than a compound. I just don't buy it because 1) it doesn't make sense to me and 2) I have seen first hand that this is not the case with a properly set up cross bow. I should however, point out that I have never actually shot an X bow. Just watched people I either didn't know or were an acquaintance. If I get the opportunity to shoot one when I can video my first time I would to do so to show how quickly a first timer can shoot accurately and the range I can get without practicing.
To me the jump from compound to X bow is like the jump from a long bow to a compound. The jump to compounds was a good thing IMO because it allowed a ton of people to be able to shoot enough poundage to get quick humane kills and at a time when there were plenty of places to hunt where everyone could enjoy nature and some peaceful hunting away from the craziness of gun season.
I think they should be allowed in Michigan, but I think the DNR should have made that decision and set the season, not politics. I could have lived with that a lot easier even if it were the same as it is now. I just have a real problem with polititions that don't know a broadhead from a target point or a .223 from a 30-06 making policy. Many years ago that worked because our polititons were avid hunters and fisherman, but that is no longer the case. Unfortunately polititions decide on how wildlife is managed in our state I doubt that is going to change. Sportsmen are a money maker for the government and that's all we are.
Who knows, maybe X bows will turn out to be best thing since sliced bread in our state. Regardless, I won't be using one any time soon. Although I bet bowfishing with one could be interesting!
To bad they are so expensive. I would like to try bowfishing with one!
Anyway, No, I haven't heard of any cross bow injuries.