# Don't fear the Xbow!



## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

Went out this weekend to try my first hand at "bow" hunting (OK, I was using a crossbow). Got into the stand at around 6:15-6:30AM (climber) and waited for the deer to show. It was a fairly pleasant morning, nice and cool, slight wind&#8230;but oh the mosquitoes! I have NEVER been eaten alive like I was that morning. Sure, mosquitoes can be annoying&#8230;when you can swat at them! But when you can't and there are literally 6-12 biting you at any given moment, they can be downright dangerous!

The neat experience for me was that it was the first time I was out in the open where I needed deer to come in close; where I was going to get up close and personal with them. I should say that I've not really rifle hunted out of box blinds that much, usually preferring the old-school "tree stand" with a bit of plywood sitting between tree branches. I've also done a lot of walking, something I really enjoy with open sight rifles such as a 30-30 lever gun. But even in those cases, you only need to get within 100yds of a deer to get a clean shot.

So for me it was fun sitting still and letting the deer come in close (one was actually eating acorns directly below me&#8230;I could have spit on it). It was also comical as the morning progressed and things started getting brighter on that overcast morning. After becoming a bit fidgety with the mosquitoes (by 8AM I had been bitten enough that both of my hands were swollen to the point I could no longer see the tendons when I flexed my hands!), the deer began picking me out at about 25-30 yards.

But even though they "saw" me, they never could quite figure out what I was. It was funny to watch them stare, bob their heads, and strut around stomping&#8230;trying to get me to move. One even let out a snort like they do before they take off&#8230;only to stare at me and see if I jumped. But I sat patiently, feeling my blood pressure steadily drop as the mosquitoes hauled it away by the pint. After a bit of staring the deer would shrug their shoulders and go back to eating acorns. I guess next time I need to find better cover.

I saw probably 20-30 different deer that morning, mostly doe. It was enjoyable watching the deer interact and following their behavior, picking out the dominant deer, the old deer, the yearlings. I was waiting for a nice buck or spike, but at 8:15AM I couldn't stand it anymore and I picked out a nice healthy doe (she was actually surprisingly large) and took my first shot with an arrow. A clean kill at 25 yards; she didn't make it far and actually never left my sight, making the tracking part pretty easy.

For those who are wondering, I DID practice considerably with the crossbow. In fact, on Wednesday I had practiced the exact same shot I took, from the exact same stand, exact same tree, and exact same distance. I was able to hit 5 arrows/bolts in a row within ½" of each other at 25 yards, so I felt pretty confident that morning. My shot was a bit higher than I had wanted (maybe she dropped at the sound?), but I was only high by about 1-1.5". So I was happy.

All that said, I can honestly tell you that if the law had not changed, I would not have been out there that morning. I wouldn't have had that first experience getting close to the deer and really seeing/hearing/smelling them like I had never done before. Instead I would have showed up a few weeks later with a rifle taking shots at 100+ yards.

All-in-all it was a great experience. In fact, I'm debating now whether I'm going to even use a gun during the general season (OK, I probably will&#8230 and I'm already dreaming about my next hunt! All I can think about is how much fun it would have been to share this experience with a new/young hunter; something that the crossbow can definitely make possible! So don't fear the Xbow! It really is just another way to get more hunters out there enjoying the activity that we all love!

(Sorry, for no pictures. I didn't have my camera with me)


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

Jeeze, I didn't have a clue. You can use crossbows during BOW season??? Really??? Suppose I need to spend less time on the Bluewater board, and more time here. 

Brandon


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

new thing for this year. I don't like it.


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

Agreed.


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## nhampton (Aug 8, 2007)

I don't think most bow hunter feared the xbow, I think they feared the unethical use of the xbow. Someone such as yourself that takes the time to attain the skill levels needed to ethically use the equipment is an asset to the archery, not a detriment. Congratulations on your first archery kill, and yes if you had deer looking at you and snorting or stamping their feet they knew you were there, they just didn't know what you were. Might try more natural cover to break up your silhouette and/or movement, also could have been scent, might check all the variables there.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Thermal Cell.

TH


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

First let me say congrats on your success and doe. I am enjoyed reading your write up and am glad you had such a good experience.

I agree with trouthunter...get a therma cell for the squitos.

I am not a crossbow hater, but neither do I like them or think they should be in bow season. Having said that, I do hope it gets more people out. I hold no ill will to those that choose to use them. It is the law and it sounds like you are proficient and made an ethical shot...so good on you.


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## southtxhunter (Feb 1, 2005)

Cool story and congratz on the harvest. Greenie for the first xbow deer harvest, atleast the first one I saw. Way to go!


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

Congratulations on your first kill with it. Yes, go get a thermocell. I personally do not use a crossbow but it has got my daughter out hunting with me during bow season and she can use her xbow on our bow only lease. I might shoot something with it later on. I think it would be fun.


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

Check out the Ebay sales on $100 crossbow packages  I read some feedback where people Dry fired them and wanted a refund OMG! Had a woman at the lease yesterday "as a guest" and NOT mine-she dry fired to release tension after her hunt !


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## 9121SS (Jun 28, 2009)

catchysumfishy said:


> Check out the Ebay sales on $100 crossbow packages  I read some feedback where people Dry fired them and wanted a refund OMG! Had a woman at the lease yesterday "as a guest" and NOT mine-she dry fired to release tension after her hunt !


Not knowing anything about bows or xbows I take it dry fireing is a no-no?
Same as with a rifle.


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

9121SS said:


> Not knowing anything about bows or xbows I take it dry fireing is a no-no?
> Same as with a rifle.


 100 times worse with a Xbow! I'll have one but it won't be until next years models come out!


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## Sniper John (Dec 11, 2006)

Congrats on a nice hunt. Nice read. I have been out once with the crossbow and once with the rifle (for hogs) and was going to take the bow third hunt, but I got sidetracked with Dove hunting that day. Now your story is making me lean on taking a deer or a hog with the crossbow instead. I have already taken more deer with a bow than I can remember, but never with a crossbow despite having one for several years.

The main thing is just getting out. Really don't matter what method you hunt with. Good times!
Wish I had meat in the freezer already too.


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## rodwade (Feb 13, 2007)

I had a simlar experience last year when i got my first crossbow. I took it out to my usual spot and for the first time had to sit holding the cross bow at ready for the deer to quit looking at me so I could move to take the shot. I was in a ground blind and the spotted me quickly. I took the shot and backboned the deer. She dropped like a rock where she stood. Lucky shot. I noticed as well that my deer, jumped the arrow a bit as my shots typically were within 1/2 but missed about 2" high just above the lungs when I hit the backbone. I use a recurve crossbow at about 10-20 yards.


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## AirbornXpress (Sep 27, 2006)

Great job sounds like fun I did the same last saturday ev. in weimar (a little doe control) I was so excited I forgot to take a picture. I have killed many with my compound but this was just different.


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## TXwhtlHNTR (Nov 19, 2008)

Trouthunter said:


> Thermal Cell.
> 
> TH




X (I can't count that high)

Wife won't go out before cold weather without a ThermaCell. They work. 

Congratulations, and thanks for the story. VERY well expressed. Thumbs up, and green.


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

nice posts. 

i might have to look into that. after slinging arrows all over my yard and not hitting the target i def need to do something about it.


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

Congrats!


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

catchysumfishy said:


> Check out the Ebay sales on $100 crossbow packages  I read some feedback where people Dry fired them and wanted a refund OMG! Had a woman at the lease yesterday "as a guest" and NOT mine-she dry fired to release tension after her hunt !


 READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUEL!!!!!


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## Long Pole (Jun 5, 2008)

berto said:


> nice posts.
> 
> i might have to look into that. after slinging arrows all over my yard and not hitting the target i def need to do something about it.


:rotfl:

And you talked all that chit about it 2 weeks ago.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

You for sure CAN dry fire a bow>>>>>>ONCE.....WW


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## Tombstone (May 19, 2009)

Congrats on your first archery kill! Glad to hear that you took the time to become efficient with your equipment. Green to ya'!


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## TXwhtlHNTR (Nov 19, 2008)

Bucksnort said:


> READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUEL!!!!!




Huh????

What are an instruckshun manewel?


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Why would you dry fire a crossbow??? You don't dry fire for free loose a regular bow.. hmmmmmm.... makes ya kinda wander 'bout sum fokes.


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