A recent change in Texas laws made it permissible to use a crossbow during archery season (deer hunting).
I recall long ago (well before I became a gun owner) I never had a problem with hunting, just that it wasn’t for me. I always said tho that if I did hunt, I’d want to use a bow as it seemed more challenging. True that it is. Am I going to get into bow hunting? Likely I will someday, but not any time soon. One of my in-laws is a big bow guy and in talking to him it’s evident that there’s a lot of investment to get started. There’s the gear, but then also the time to know the gear and get good with it. I don’t have the time to dedicate, nor the desire to split my studying (and after all this home renovation, I don’t feel like spending the money). I’m trying to regain some focus in my life.
Nevertheless, as deer hunting season approaches, I can’t help but think about venison. I’m not really out to hunt for a trophy rack, just some meat in the freezer. Does are good for that, and does are rather plentiful. Texas Park and Wildlife has been working on herd management and has been instituting antler restrictions. For instance, you can bag a total of 4 deer during all seasons, up to 2 can have antlers, and the antlers must have at least a 13″ inner spread. I understand the reasons for the restrictions, and there’s a lot of debate on them. Not going to get into that here. Then there may be additional restrictions that prevent the taking of antlerless. So what does that mean? Either you bag a trophy buck or you go home empty handed. What does that do for meat hunters like myself? Leave an empty freezer. *sigh*
However, during archery season, antlerless could be taken.
The learning curve for a crossbow is a lot less than a bow. That same in-law of mine did work to talk me out of using a crossbow, and I respect his opinion. Still, the thought crosses my mind…..
Readers… any opinions to offer?
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Crossbows are generally easier to shoot, and easier to aim, especially for people with rifle experience. My father-in-law is waiting very impatiently for “them” to make a similer law change here so he can ditch his bow (which he’s quite good at, brings home a deer for every allow tag, every season, usually quite early in it) he hunts almost soley for the meat, I’ve never seen him display a single set of antlers. I’ve shot both bow and cross bow, though I’m not GREAT with either, mostly through lack of practice, but the crossbow was defiently easier to pick up on.
It sounds like your father-in-law would prefer a crossbow. Why? Just because it’s easier to deal with?
One thing I was told is they make a lot more noise than normal bows (given all the silencer devices one can get for compound bows). Is this true? And has it affected the deer hunting at all?
I was going back through my subscriptions via wordpress and realized I’d missed your response, sorry!
He’s got some physical issues that make bow occasionally difficult, and though NY state allows crossbow for people with severe disablilities he doesn’t qualify.
I didn’t notice them to be HUGELY louder than a bow, but I’d have to shoot first one then the other I think to really be able to tell you for sure. I know in the movies they always seem louder, but I somehow doubt thats helpfull! 😉
No worries. I kinda forgot about this too. 🙂
Hey, if the movies are any indication, you should be able to put a silencer on it and it won’t make any noise at all… in fact, since I’m sure a crossbow is quieter than a gunshot, putting a silencer on it would make for “reverse noise”… it’d probably pull in sounds from nearby and make them quiet too… total sound wave vacuum. 😉