Crossbows Now Legal for Deer Hunting for All Ages

[bigcountryok]

how do you uncock a crossbow the oppisite of cocking or what?

Shooting it is the only safe way I know of

 

[AllOut]

th PSE TAC xbows have an uncocking cycle but for the rest with maybe a few exceptions it like stated above... just shoot it

 

[lmtman]

I want to get a crossbow now! There is nothing like crossbow hunting!

 

[AllOut]

..... with an arrow in it!
just had to clearify that cause i know someone would dryfire it and blame me

 

[Buzzgun]

You can use a rope cocker to de-cock the bow.

 

[dennishoddy]

I had a run in with a horse about ten years and have been using a xbow ever since. During this time I have not killed a buck with it. Not because I didn't have a chance or because I missed, it was because I chose not to shoot. I hear "hunters" say they are hunting big bucks but they keep bringing yearling bucks home. When I ask why they say "if I didn't take him someone else would". It is pretty simple to me, if you want a big buck, don't take a yearling. My buddies and I agreed several years ago to not take a buck we would not mount and to only shoot a buck that is a new personal best. Now we see bucks ever year that go over 130 B&C. I would have not thought this possible on a small piece of property in Oklahoma.

Our wildlife dept has done a great of managing the deer herd. There are more deer in OK than ever before.

It doesn't matter what means you hunt with. The most important thing is to enjoy the hunt whether you kill or not. If you adopt this attitude, you win either way.

Yeah, I have some guys next to me that are "meat hunters".
I keep trying to convince them that a 200lb mature buck has a whole lot more meat than a 65lb button buck, but I get a blank stare from them.

 

[dennishoddy]

You can use a rope cocker to de-cock the bow.

This is correct.
I have a rope cocker, and since I started soon after my surgery, I bought the Crank cocker that mounts to the buttstock. Hook either of them up, let the safety off, and uncock it. Pretty simple, and very quiet.
When cocking mine in the stand, I'll release the ratchet, and crank it up into the trigger latch. It will make a slight "clink", but not much.

 

[Davs2601]

im not thrilled about xbows at all. I struggle every year on public land and still have not takena deer with my bow in six years. Its starting to get frustrating and Im a very patient man.

I beleive this will only increase the folks out in the woods for two reasons.

1st - easier to use than a trad or compound.

2nd - with a season that include xbow I beleive that lease prices will increase getting farther out of my reach. For example.....If our gun season was extended by a week, then out of state folk and Oklahomans would be willing to pay more for the lease. I beleive the same will apply to the xbow season.

On the other hand we need more hunters, we are slowly dwindling....I just wish they didnt want to hunt the same piece of public land I do

But that is just my two cents.

What is this talk about Chickasha Lake hunting????

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yeah, I have some guys next to me that are "meat hunters".
I keep trying to convince them that a 200lb mature buck has a whole lot more meat than a 65lb button buck, but I get a blank stare from them.

Ha, good point. You speak wisely, as usual. I hear a lot about how mature bucks killed during the rut don't taste as good, but so far they've tasted fine to me (only killed one mature one so far, but...)

 

[dennishoddy]

im not thrilled about xbows at all. I struggle every year on public land and still have not takena deer with my bow in six years. Its starting to get frustrating and Im a very patient man.

I beleive this will only increase the folks out in the woods for two reasons.

1st - easier to use than a trad or compound.

2nd - with a season that include xbow I beleive that lease prices will increase getting farther out of my reach. For example.....If our gun season was extended by a week, then out of state folk and Oklahomans would be willing to pay more for the lease. I beleive the same will apply to the xbow season.

On the other hand we need more hunters, we are slowly dwindling....I just wish they didnt want to hunt the same piece of public land I do

But that is just my two cents.

What is this talk about Chickasha Lake hunting????

Sorry to hear about your 6 year hiatus. Public land, can and is tough to hunt unless one gets way the heck away from all of the other hunters.
I used to hunt it, and found there were too many hunters that would come in about 8am and just thrash the woods with their bows and screw it up for everybody.
Don't know if your hunting on a lake WMA or what, but think about a boat, and going where the roads don't?