Taken any game with your "Bow and Arrow Rifle" ?

[GeorgiaDave]

Hello from Georgia,
   
    I would like to hear from you guys about any big or small game taken with a crossbow. I have taken 5 deer with a compound bow and 5 deer with a recurve. I recently aquired a new Horton crossbow and have been shooting it a good bit. It groubs bolts tightly out to 40 yards and that is plenty good for me to take it hunting. I have been a few times since our archery season opened but have not had an opportunity to take a deer.

    Please post about your successful hunts with all the details about range, stand setup, broadhead performance, distance traveled after the hit, shot placement and any other pertinant information.

    I do find it quite intriguing to hunt with a crossbow especially since I have never done it before. By the way it was my son who came up with the new name for my Horton when he saw it an asked with a gleam in his wide blue eyes................................................................" COOL DAD !!   WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BOW AND ARROW RIFLE ? "


          Thanks
           Dave

[slayer]

I just sighted in my new Excalibur Exocet with the open sights, and can`t wait to try it. Here in PA we can`t use it all over the state for Archery season unless you are handicapped. I got mine for here near Pittsburgh and it is legal in this zone. Can`t wait to try here out in the woods, about a week and a half!! Jack.

[jh45gun]

Hi Dave and Welcome I have shot two deer with my old Barnett xbow and several grouse.  I now shoot a Excaliber Wolverine which is far and above a better xbow.  I  have to comment about your  title, but will not get too upset about it as your son came up with it but most xbow hunters and users fairly bristle when some one compares a xbow to a gun as they are not, they are a piece of archery equipment and they the projectile you shoot a arrow or bolt as some call it though modern xbows really shoot a arrow more than a bolt. Since you are a former bow hunter like I am sure you can see that the arrow acts like it was shot from a bow they drop about the same ect,
though I have found that my xbow shoots flatter at 0 to 20 a lot more then my old vert bow did. I had to compensate for close shots with my vert bow not with my xbow. I missed a 10 yard shot at a doe on Sat as I sighted in at 20 and never shot at 10 as I thought it would act like my vert bow did and I would have to aim a bit low at 10. Wrong it is so flat shooting I shot under. I know now that from 0 to 20 I can use my top red dot on my 3 dot stacked sight to aim right on.  It just bothers us  when we hear  crossbows are like a gun because we are fighting to get them legalized for all in most achery seasons. when folks compare them to a gun that just hinders it and makes the myths of 100 yard shots seem more feasable thogh they are not if your xbow is sighted in at 20 or 30 yards. but the myths still persist of rifle like 100 yard shots and the xbow is a like a rifle ect which of course it is not. Glad to hear your a new xbow user and like I said since you are not knocking xbows we are not upset about your gunbow title your son came up with.  I just had to let you know why most xbow hunters and users do not like the gun connotation as it is not really true.  Glad ya like that Horton I know several folks who just bought them and like them.  I am really happy with my Excaliber but I have shot several Hortons one my buddy has and one that he shot at the archery shop which prompted him to order one. As a side not he just shot a really nice 8 point with his new Horton the second day of the WI season. Again Welcome and good luck hunting with that new Horton. One tip with the Horton keep a eye on that elevation screw as it can come loose.  That is what I have been told anyway. Also a good thing to periodically check all screws to make sure they are tight and keep your rail lubed and string waxed good as that will prolong the string better as they wear a lot faster than a bow string. Waxing the heck out of the serving seems to really help. some guys melt the wax in by rubbing it good with a piece of leather or your fingers or some melt it in with a hair dryer. I just rub it in good. Jim

[slayer]

Hi Dave and Welcome I have shot two deer with my old Barnett xbow and several grouse.  I now shoot a Excaliber Wolverine which is far and above a better xbow.  I  have to comment about your  title, but will not get too upset about it as your son came up with it but most xbow hunters and users fairly bristle when some one compares a xbow to a gun as they are not, they are a piece of archery equipment and they the projectile you shoot a arrow or bolt as some call it though modern xbows really shoot a arrow more than a bolt. Since you are a former bow hunter like I am sure you can see that the arrow acts like it was shot from a bow they drop about the same ect,
though I have found that my xbow shoots flatter at 0 to 20 a lot more then my old vert bow did. I had to compensate for close shots with my vert bow not with my xbow. I missed a 10 yard shot at a doe on Sat as I sighted in at 20 and never shot at 10 as I thought it would act like my vert bow did and I would have to aim a bit low at 10. Wrong it is so flat shooting I shot under. I know now that from 0 to 20 I can use my top red dot on my 3 dot stacked sight to aim right on.  It just bothers us  when we hear  crossbows are like a gun because we are fighting to get them legalized for all in most achery seasons. when folks compare them to a gun that just hinders it and makes the myths of 100 yard shots seem more feasable thogh they are not if your xbow is sighted in at 20 or 30 yards. but the myths still persist of rifle like 100 yard shots and the xbow is a like a rifle ect which of course it is not. Glad to hear your a new xbow user and like I said since you are not knocking xbows we are not upset about your gunbow title your son came up with.  I just had to let you know why most xbow hunters and users do not like the gun connotation as it is not really true.  Glad ya like that Horton I know several folks who just bought them and like them.  I am really happy with my Excaliber but I have shot several Hortons one my buddy has and one that he shot at the archery shop which prompted him to order one. As a side not he just shot a really nice 8 point with his new Horton the second day of the WI season. Again Welcome and good luck hunting with that new Horton. One tip with the Horton keep a eye on that elevation screw as it can come loose.  That is what I have been told anyway. Also a good thing to periodically check all screws to make sure they are tight and keep your rail lubed and string waxed good as that will prolong the string better as they wear a lot faster than a bow string. Waxing the heck out of the serving seems to really help. some guys melt the wax in by rubbing it good with a piece of leather or your fingers or some melt it in with a hair dryer. I just rub it in good. Jim

+1 Same way here in Pennsylvania. There is a ton of Bias against crossbows here. Only disabled people with permits can use a crossbow here, except near Pittsburgh and Philly as I use mine near Pittsburgh. Not to far out, I can`t use it There is a huge lobby here in PA called the UBP that keeps the Crossbows out of Archery Season, they disgust me. Jack.

[GeorgiaDave]

Hello from Georgia,

   I am sorry to hear about the feelings of some people getting hurt by the comparison of a crossbow to a rifle. I have chosen to refer to my crossbow as a "bow and arrow rifle"  and will continueto do so. I am fully aware that it as not actually a rifle but it does have a stock, a forearm and does fire from the shoulder. I can understand the situation that some are in trying to get them legalized, but here in Georgia they are legal for anyone to use during any hunting season including small game, big game, turkeys, and yes even alligators. I have been archery hunting for over 20 years so yes I do know the capabilities of all insturements used to fire an arrow.

   The anti-crossbow group does have some valid points concerning the inclusion of Pope and Young record qualifying animals killed with a crossbow. Neither Pope or Young were noted for taking game with a crossbow. Game taken with a "bow and arrow rifle" should be limited to their own record system. I am looking forward to a long and lively history of hunting with a crossbow by people all over the country, but the people who resent them being compared to rifles need to spend their energy on educating the uneducated and hunting.

     Thanks,
      Dave

[jh45gun]

Dave, it is mostly the BOW hunters that are against xbows not other folks. If you mention the term arrow gun on any xbow forum you will get the same responses I gave and maybe not as nice though most guys who shoot xbows are a good group of guys so I would imagine they would take it easy on those who label the xbow as such. Notice that the name developed centuries ago call it a crossbow not a crossgun or arrow gun. They knew what it was and labeled it as such. I really do not know what bow hunters are so upset about the arrow kills the same no matter what it was shot out of wether that be a xbow or a vert bow. As far as records go let the bow hunters keep their records and let them start a xbow record group  works for me. I never have been big on bow hunting groups too many of them try to keep the woods to them selves and are snobs and selfish.  I have bow hunted for years but never joined any of the associations for that reason.  Call it what you wish but you are doing the xbow more of a diservice than good with your terminology.