To understand this debate, we must go back thousands of years to understand why each of these tools was created. First came the crossbow, a revolutionary instrument that redefined the lethality of humans. When and where it was first developed is a mystery, but until the evolution of capable firearms around the 15th century, it long held the title of most lethal weapon on the planet. In fact, the crossbow’s performance was so impressive that the early church wanted it banned (unless, of course, it was used on infidels).
The compound bow evolved much later, around the 1960s. Unlike the crossbow, which was developed for increased lethality, many historians believe the compound bow was spurred by two parallel developments:
1. The desire to wound animals at longer ranges than traditional bows (long bow or recurve) were capable of.
2. The innate human need to pontificate about the purity of hunting tool selection.
Today, the ancient hunting tool known as the crossbow as well as modern implement known as the compound bow have seen a resurgence. Both are commonly used for target shooting as well as big-game hunting.
While exceptions exist, most crossbow hunters choose this weapon to increase their lethality afield (i.e., kill animals quicker). This rational logic irritates compound devotees greatly. To them, anything that predates their 60-year-old technology must be cheating due to the historical advantages of pre-cocked limbs, a shoulder stock, and manually-operated triggers, overlooking their own usage of fiber-optic slider sights, trigger-actuated releases attached to their wrist, carbon-fiber arrows propelling CNC-machined stainless steel razor blades that deploy upon contact, and modern laser-rangefinding binoculars.
According to Crossbows Suck Big Time (CSBT) president Karen McCarron, crossbows are not just unethical—they pose a threat to the very future of sport hunting.
“The existential threat to the future of hunting in America isn’t anti-hunters or a growing population that encroaches upon natural habit,” said McCarron. “The real danger is crossbows. Think about all the unfair advantages they share with guns. They have a trigger, can accept a scope or red dot, and they can be used with shooting support for a steadier shot. Rumor has it that Vladimir Putin is planning to swap out Russian rifles for crossbows to complete the takeover of Ukraine. Do we really want weapons of war used for deer and elk hunting during archery season? The CSBT will do everything in our power to prevent this from happening.”
