Pennsylvania Deer Camp

[Mr. October]

I think xbows are responsible for the vast majority of the increase. OnX, Gaia and other mapping software is just a digital copy of what we did for years on topo maps. Mark them up, look for terrain features, overlay with aerial photos... I have killed plenty of deer prior to having Gaia, just by picking terrain features on a map and going in. 1st or 2nd hunt... As far as learning, social media like Youtube, FB, etc videos, are the last place I would look to learn abouy bowhunting.

The jump from compound to xbow is less than stick to compound....

Remember the last time you nestled the stock of your compound against your shoulder. Fingers wrapped around the pistol grip. Forestock securely clamped in a tripod. Peer thru the 4x scope with lighted reticle and range preset from built in range finder. Flip the safety off. Send a razor tipped arrow towards a deer. 80 yards away.

Ya, me neither.

Exactly. Tons of people that were not willing to learn to shoot a vertical bow of any sort were more than happy for the ease of the crossbow. And while crossbows still take some practice, it is not nearly has hard to get and remain proficient. I know a couple dozen crossbow hunters that never hunted with a bow. Right or wrong they treat their crossbow like a gun. They get it out at the start of the season, take a few shots, and as long as it hits they are good to go. Should they be practicing more? Absolutely. Just like most guys with their rifles. Yet they don't. And most wind up taking plenty of deer with both of those tools.

OnX, trail cams, etc. have a far more limited effect in suburban/urban areas as well. Generally you don't need either tool to hunt smaller properties.

 

[Mr. October]

Remember looking at your auto ranging illuminated optic, bow completely steady from the front and rear stabilizers, slowly pulling the trigger of your release. Just like shooting a stick bow instinctively without fingers.

There are some outstanding hunters on YouTube. Dan Infalt comes to mind. I am a way better hunter from watching him.

Your old paper topo map doesn't show you real time, where you are, the rub line you marked or the five years of data you plotted on it. It's a huge advantage.

I used a crossbow for the last three years. I tore my shoulder and couldn't pull my bow anymore. I killed 4 deer with it. None of the shots were anything I couldn't have made with my regular bow. Offhand, I can't group as good with the crossbow as I can with my regular bow. It's an advantage, but it's not a rifle.

Honestly stabilizers are pretty meaningless for most hunting scenarios. A vertical bow STILL takes a lot of practice to be proficient.

Again . . I'm not knocking crossbows. People can hunt with whatever is legal but the introduction of crossbows remains the single biggest factor in the huge increase in archery season success.

 

[Yoder]

Exactly. Tons of people that were not willing to learn to shoot a vertical bow of any sort were more than happy for the ease of the crossbow. And while crossbows still take some practice, it is not nearly has hard to get and remain proficient. I know a couple dozen crossbow hunters that never hunted with a bow. Right or wrong they treat their crossbow like a gun. They get it out at the start of the season, take a few shots, and as long as it hits they are good to go. Should they be practicing more? Absolutely. Just like most guys with their rifles. Yet they don't. And most wind up taking plenty of deer with both of those tools.

OnX, trail cams, etc. have a far more limited effect in suburban/urban areas as well. Generally you don't need either tool to hunt smaller properties.

Look at the difference it takes to become efficient with a stick bow vs a compound with a peep, sights and a release. I've shot a bow since I was a toddler. I can shoot my bow a handful of times and be ready to kill deer at 20-30 yards no problem. A stick bow requires shooting several times a week.