Crossbows?

[Sniper John]

I just noticed he/you said selling to buy a Tac15. Be sure you handle one first. They are just a tad under 4 ft long and heavy. Though lighter and shorter than a Tac15, I tried an old heavy barnett last year for a couple hunts just for grins. I ended up putting it away again for my compound. I did not feel comfortable holding my crossbow steady enough free hand due to the weight. I had always shot it before from a sitting position or from a rest. For any lenght of time, it was much easier for me to hold my compound steady at full draw. Hunting from an elevated position or from a blind the advantage of not having to draw is a mute point. That Tac15, you may find you will need a rest to accurately shoot it considering it's length and weight. If I buy a new crossbow it will by a short light one. Otherwise related to how I hunt with a bow, a heavy long crossbow would be a major disadvantage for me over a compound I found out.

 

[woolworh]

Would a Horton Explorer HD 150 be a good crossbow to hunt with?

 

[dennishoddy]

Would a Horton Explorer HD 150 be a good crossbow to hunt with?

Ya know, just about any crossbow legal for hunting deer will work fine.
My first bow kill was a doe, taken with a 45lb compound that was borrowed.
I think we need to keep in mind that all these cool new bows and equipment, are marketing tools. Nothing wrong with that, but millions of deer have been taken with nothing more than a stick and string.
crossbows all use very similar 2000 year old technology. There are many sighting systems that can be used from pins to scopes. Right now a premium crossbow will cost more than the best Mathews, and then add excessories.

 

[Tampabucs]

I just bought my first bow, a Mathews Reezen, off Ebay about 2 months ago. Sole purpose was to extend my hunting season, not because it's more challenging, more traditional, etc. I shoot nearly every evening for about 30 minutes and I really enjoy it. I've have noticed some wrist issues that I thought were gone along with my football days starting to show up again.
Said all that to say this: I'm selling my bow and buying a TAC-15. I never wanted to be a bow hunter, just wanted more days to hunt. Maybe when I master the crossbow and it becomes too easy to shoot a trophy, then I'll try a regular bow again. I've been hunting with a rifle for 15 years, and it's just as hard to kill a trophy today as it was the day I started hunting, so I don't really expect any hunting to become too easy.
If it goes like Ridghunter predicts and they make a 3 month general season, I'll sell the crossbow and buy another rifle.
I think there are a lot of people out there that will crossbow hunt that would never attempt to bow hunt. Same as there are a lot of people out there that will hunt with an inline, shotgun primed, sabotted, scoped, rifled, 200yd muzzleloader that would never pick up a flintlock or percussion cap muzzleloader.

I'm right there with you. I bought a bow, so I could actually get out there and hunt more. The same reason I bought a muzzleloader.

If they said I could hunt with my 270 from October to January then I wouldn't pick up a bow or muzzleloader.

I'm going to buy a cheaper crossbow and start practicing. I've gained access to 80 acres near my subdivision that has a lot of deer. I can now hunt every night starting October 1st. I agree, if hunting gets too easy I will go back to my compound.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

There's a crossbow out there (and H&H has one for sale) -- forget which make & model -- which has the bow reversed, facing the shooter, and the string is just pulled in instead of out. If front-heavy is the biggest concern, then you might look at that design.

As for me, I'm gonna have it rested on a bipod just like I do a rifle, 9 times out of 10, so it's not that big of a deal.

But in fact, that is one of several reasons I opted for the Tac-10 over the Tac-15.

Right now a premium crossbow will cost more than the best Mathews, and then add excessories.

Yes, but don't forget that a basic yet functional crossbow will cost quite a bit less than the best Matthews.

Yesterday I was in at H&H - the rush has NOT hit yet - BUT, they got 4 calls by 9:30 am inquiring about the new crossbow law - the word is spreading now amongst the non-wired this week, it would appear - I'd imagine in the next two weeks, the local sellers will get hit hard with xbow buyers.

I think we need to keep in mind that all these cool new bows and equipment, are marketing tools. Nothing wrong with that, but millions of deer have been taken with nothing more than a stick and string.
crossbows all use very similar 2000 year old technology.

True that!

 

[woolworh]

I'd better get one while I still can.

 

[big-triple-d]

I had a buddy at Bass Pro in OKC picking up some arrows and he said folks were coming in asking about crossbows and the kid at the counter kept on telling them NO that you need a note from your doctor to use one. Maybe the bass pro manger should watch the pending wildlife legislation section of ODWC web site.