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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Jul 15, 2015 15:51:06 GMT -5
Jim, I think you might have to add another option to your list, commando style pointy stick.
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Post by jimstc on Jul 15, 2015 16:38:04 GMT -5
I switched to a crossbow because I simply did not have the adequate time to practice with a compound. Before kids and career changes for me and the wife, I shot my compound nearly every day from August 1st on throughout the season. I just don't have the time anymore and feel that the crossbow is a more ethical choice for me. I really understand your reasoning. I am on the other side of where you are. Kids are grown and work is winding down. I shoot at least 400 practice shots with my compound weekly. Your focus on ethical is impressive. Thanks for the insight.
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Post by jimstc on Jul 15, 2015 16:41:14 GMT -5
Jim, I think you might have to add another option to your list, commando style pointy stick. You are right. I just gave up on that after the deer kicking my butt so often. Didn't think it was a viable option, at least for me.....
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Post by Woody Williams on Jul 15, 2015 18:08:00 GMT -5
Jon,
The bow is a completely new bow. They just didn't take Hortons old RDX and rebrand it. The AcuDraw does go clickety click when cocking it. I cock it at my truck before walking into my stand. I put an arrow in it after I get in my stand.
One can cock it silently but it is not recommended. One slip and that cocking handle will beat the snot out iod your hand and knuckles ....
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Jul 15, 2015 19:12:06 GMT -5
Jon, The bow is a completely new bow. They just didn't take Hortons old RDX and rebrand it. The AcuDraw does go clickety click when cocking it. I cock it at my truck before walking into my stand. I put an arrow in it after I get in my stand. One can cock it silently but it is not recommended. One slip and that cocking handle will beat the snot out iod your hand and knuckles .... Is the end weight hard to handle, or noticeable heavy? I'm sure it's a lot lighter than mine. How do you like shooting it?
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Post by Woody Williams on Jul 15, 2015 19:22:19 GMT -5
The data for the bow says 7.7 pounds, but that is a bare bow. I'd guess with the scope and quiver full of arrows it would push 9 pounds.
With the riser/limbs in the middle of the bow and not out on the front end it is better balanced than my Stealth SS and i really like my Stealth SS too..
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Post by fowlhunter on Jul 15, 2015 21:40:46 GMT -5
Longbow for me. I hunted with a compound for many years but I love the simplicity of "traditonal" archery. I made the switch a few years ago and never looked back.
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Post by scrub-buster on Jul 15, 2015 22:26:33 GMT -5
I use a wood longbow that I made myself and I use a crossbow. Pretty much both ends of the spectrum. I like the challenge of using primitive equipment but when its time to fill the freezer I get the crossbow out.
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Post by ms660 on Jul 15, 2015 23:21:50 GMT -5
Mathews Switchback compound, Mission MXB 320 crossbow, Vintage Bear Kodiak Magnum recurve. Any of the three could be in my hand during archery season
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Post by dbd870 on Jul 16, 2015 6:27:18 GMT -5
shot compounds for over 3 decades. wasnt much fun and zero challenge when you average 293 with hunting gear and only count spots with target gear.. went trad. love it so much Im now shooting primitive. Putting the arch back in archery...and becoming an archer in the process. 160 fps YEAH BABY lol
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Post by tynimiller on Jul 16, 2015 7:35:49 GMT -5
I currently use a compound but in the future want to get into a longbow or recurve. I love the challenge aspect and also love hunting the woods in October more than any other time frame.
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Post by subzero350 on Jul 17, 2015 14:39:33 GMT -5
My wife banned me from using my compound bow (I do own one). She is a Chiropractor and said she's had too many patients come into her office with blown out shoulders that were the result of bow hunting and she doesn't want me to suffer the same fate.
So I bought a Barnett Quad 400 Crossbow when it went on sale at Dick's. It came with a crank cocking device which does produce a fairly audible click when cranking, but you can turn off this safety catch (that causes the click) and still cock the crossbow (you just have to be very careful with the catch turned off because if you let the crank go while it has tension on the string, it will spin wildly and could hurt you). I avoid the risk by just cocking the cross bow before I walk into the field. I just don't install a bolt until it is legal hunting time and I'm in my stand and/or ready to hunt.
I also found this crank cocking mechanism can be used to decock the crossbow if you turn off the safety catch, although it is tricky to do because the safety has to be deactivated before you remove the bolt (with the bolt not engaged on the string fully, the safety cannot be deactivated on this particular model). Again, this is not something you want to do in the confines of a tree stand or blind. Wait till you get back to the truck; OR just shoot a decocking bolt instead.
Other data on the Barnett Quad 400: It came with a scope, it is relatively heavy (probably one of the heaviest crossbows out there), shoots up to 345fps, and it is loud when you shoot it. But the deer I shot last season with it didn't have enough time to react to the noise before it got hit.
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Post by jimstc on Jul 17, 2015 15:04:19 GMT -5
My wife banned me from using my compound bow (I do own one). She is a Chiropractor and said she's had too many patients come into her office with blown out shoulders that were the result of bow hunting and she doesn't want me to suffer the same fate. So I bought a Barnett Quad 400 Crossbow when it went on sale at Dick's. It came with a crank cocking device which does produce a fairly audible click when cranking, but you can turn off this safety catch (that causes the click) and still cock the crossbow (you just have to be very careful with the catch turned off because if you let the crank go while it has tension on the string, it will spin wildly and could hurt you). I avoid the risk by just cocking the cross bow before I walk into the field. I just don't install a bolt until it is legal hunting time and I'm in my stand and/or ready to hunt. I also found this crank cocking mechanism can be used to decock the crossbow if you turn off the safety catch, although it is tricky to do because the safety has to be deactivated before you remove the bolt (with the bolt not engaged on the string fully, the safety cannot be deactivated on this particular model). Again, this is not something you want to do in the confines of a tree stand or blind. Wait till you get back to the truck; OR just shoot a decocking bolt instead. Other data on the Barnett Quad 400: It came with a scope, it is relatively heavy (probably one of the heaviest crossbows out there), shoots up to 345fps, and it is loud when you shoot it. But the deer I shot last season with it didn't have enough time to react to the noise before it got hit. Wow that is very interesting! Will your wife share what she believes to be the cause of the injury? My suspicion is lack of proper conditioning or too heavy of a draw weight but I am not a Chiropractor. Learned something new today. Thanks!
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Post by subzero350 on Jul 17, 2015 15:11:40 GMT -5
Wow that is very interesting! Will your wife share what she believes to be the cause of the injury? My suspicion is lack of proper conditioning or too heavy of a draw weight but I am not a Chiropractor. Learned something new today. Thanks! I will talk to her when she gets home from work tonight and see if I can get some answers for you.
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Post by jimstc on Jul 17, 2015 15:18:51 GMT -5
Wow that is very interesting! Will your wife share what she believes to be the cause of the injury? My suspicion is lack of proper conditioning or too heavy of a draw weight but I am not a Chiropractor. Learned something new today. Thanks! I will talk to her when she gets home from work tonight and see if I can get some answers for you. Thank you
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Jul 17, 2015 15:55:41 GMT -5
I have a Barnett Quad 400 too. It's relatively cheap, heavy and loud, but hits the target hard. I did put some vibration dampers on it, which just makes it heavier, but did quiet it down a bit. It's hard for me to justify a better one, as this one hits the target. Now, if I had Wood's money, I would have a dozen of them. LOL
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Post by subzero350 on Jul 17, 2015 18:08:14 GMT -5
Wow that is very interesting! Will your wife share what she believes to be the cause of the injury? My suspicion is lack of proper conditioning or too heavy of a draw weight but I am not a Chiropractor. Learned something new today. Thanks! Hi, I'm the wife (ie chiropractor) and insist that my husband use a crossbow vs a compound bow. One reason is that small muscle tears are likely with a high pull weight when pulled back by cold muscles, which while sitting in winter for two hours in a stand are likely to be cold! In my husband's line of work, he must be physically active with his arms frequently. The main reason I prefer the use a crossbow is; if there is any misalignment in the gleno-humeral joint within the fossa, excessive use of the supraspinatus muscle in an "open-pac" position is utilized to pull, which frequently leads to what most people refer to as a rotator cuff tear. My husband is tall and frequently slumps(much to my chagrin) and that leads to interiorly rotated gleno-humeral fossae (think ape shoulders). This increases the "open-pac" position (the weakest alignment of the shoulder increasing intrajoint pressures the most) and reduces the strength available to pull. Ideal alignment of the shoulder, warm muscles, and correct pull on a bow, along with the new compound bow technologies can and does mitigate the injury potential. Closed-pac position of the shoulder (where it is strongest) is your hand raised 30 degrees away from body and 30 degrees cephalad (upward) and I've never seen a bow created for that directional pull. So out of caution (and completely selfish of me not wanting to live with my husband through this type of injury and recovery) I advise for a crossbow.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jul 17, 2015 18:47:27 GMT -5
I had those shoulder problems back in 2000. I shot 70+ pounds for years. It finally caught up with me and I could not even pull 45 pounds without a lot of pain doing it and much pain afterwards.
I reluctantly went to a crossbow and was pleasantly surprised that my bowhunting did not change all that much. I was still setting up in deer the same way as before and killing them at the same distances, often out of the same stand as before . I have absolutely no regrets now going to a crossbow. I'm super glad that everyone, handicapped or not, can now use one too..
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Post by jimstc on Jul 17, 2015 19:40:52 GMT -5
Wow that is very interesting! Will your wife share what she believes to be the cause of the injury? My suspicion is lack of proper conditioning or too heavy of a draw weight but I am not a Chiropractor. Learned something new today. Thanks! Hi, I'm the wife (ie chiropractor) and insist that my husband use a crossbow vs a compound bow. One reason is that small muscle tears are likely with a high pull weight when pulled back by cold muscles, which while sitting in winter for two hours in a stand are likely to be cold! In my husband's line of work, he must be physically active with his arms frequently. The main reason I prefer the use a crossbow is; if there is any misalignment in the gleno-humeral joint within the fossa, excessive use of the supraspinatus muscle in an "open-pac" position is utilized to pull, which frequently leads to what most people refer to as a rotator cuff tear. My husband is tall and frequently slumps(much to my chagrin) and that leads to interiorly rotated gleno-humeral fossae (think ape shoulders). This increases the "open-pac" position (the weakest alignment of the shoulder increasing intrajoint pressures the most) and reduces the strength available to pull. Ideal alignment of the shoulder, warm muscles, and correct pull on a bow, along with the new compound bow technologies can and does mitigate the injury potential. Closed-pac position of the shoulder (where it is strongest) is your hand raised 30 degrees away from body and 30 degrees cephalad (upward) and I've never seen a bow created for that directional pull. So out of caution (and completely selfish of me not wanting to live with my husband through this type of injury and recovery) I advise for a crossbow. Sincere thanks for the education! That is a very impressive explanation. I greatly appreciate the response.
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on Jul 18, 2015 13:34:53 GMT -5
I mainly use a compound bow. A Mission Venture. Mostly because it extends my whitetail season and I love the challenge of it. I use a crossbow as well but mostly during the late season.
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