I know my deer (well, I like to think I do...). On my two properties I have eight trail cameras out. So you are absolutely correct. This past shotgun season began on Nov. 19th.. Bucks started to appear regularly on the cams around the 1rst. The peak started on the 7th., got really hot on the 11th., which lasted until the 13th., then started to fizzle till the 16th.. After that they were spotty on the cams. I can go on, but for the past two years I kept thinking to myself that if I was hunting during archery season I would be taking me some nice deer, assuming I didn't miss, and got lucky . And since I haven't hunted for quite a few years, I'm gonna need alot of practice

 

After using a bow that didn't fit me for way too long, I got a Mission Riot this year. It is adjustable from a 19-70 lbs draw weight and 17-30in draw length (without a bow press). Depending on how bad your back is, a crossbow is not a bad idea; however, you could also get a bow like the Riot and start with a low draw weight and work your way up. Crossbows and compounds both have as many advantages and disadvantages that is pretty much a personal preference.

The real question, who is going to drag the deer out?

This is the deer I got this year, with my diva dog in the background:

He was a relatively young deer (2.5-3.5 years old), and only field dressed out at ~150 lbs.

 

Coolness. Gotta love a Lab.. Assuming, and hoping I get "a couple" this coming season . I'll have help.

 

Labs are great - especially free lab mutts. I got quite the kick when I looked at the pics my wife took and discovered I got photo-bombed by my dog!

 

yea, check 'er out! She's lurking. She knows........

 

Well I've been researching on the internet for a week or two now. I haven't worked for over ten years, so I have plenty of time.... to research what I'm looking for. I pretty much have made up my mind that I will go with a Crossbow. I'm sure I can get the permit I need to hunt with it. Besides, they are just plain cool . And if for some strange reason I need to drop back and punt, and have to use a Compound Bow, I can still have alot of fun with it. OK, now, I see that there are a few that have a "winding" mechanism. Tenpoint has several crossbows available with a system called the "Acudraw". The device is mounted on the stock, and once the cable is attached to the bow string you insert a handle into the mechanism and crank until it's loaded. Looks easy enough to use. Then I found the Parker bows website. They have a Crossbow called the Concorde. It has a loading system called the "Quick Draw system" It uses C02 cartridges like those used in a paintball gun, which I've never had any experiance with. Does anyone have, or have used Crossbows with these loading mechanisms? I like the idea of the C02, but I would think it may be plagued with issues. Like anything thou, if it's used as intended, it should be fine. What do you guys think?

 

more stuff going on, more things likely to break... id stick with a standard x-bow.

 

Yup, she knows. She got a big ol' leg bone to chew on about a week later.

The x-bow market is thriving right now, they just became legal all season in Indiana last year. I debated whether to go x-bow or stick w/ a compound. I was back in his shop several months after I bought my bow and he had a new Mission 360 in stock. He chronographed it and said it put up numbers in the high 350 ft/sec numbers (it advertises 360 ft/sec). He said it is the only crossbow that performs as advertised.

As for the CO2 ****ing method, it seems like it could just be something else to go wrong ... but then again, I switched to mechanical broadheads last year after holding the same theory about mechanical vs. fixed blade broadheads. The buck pictured above is the first deer I shot at with a mechanical broadhead (G5 T3s). The blood trail was nearly continuous and about a foot wide. It looked like someone just poured it out of a gallon jug while they were walking.

 

Just checked your Delaware hunting regulations, and you can hunt with a crossbow:

Archery**Statewide Sept. 1 – Jan. 31 Limit 4*
Hunters may use archery equipment during the muzzleloader, shotgun and handgun seasons provided they wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material displayed on the head chest, and back.

Crossbow Statewide Sept. 1 – Jan. 31 Limit 4*
Hunters may use crossbow equipment during the muzzleloader, shotgun and handgun seasons provided they wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material displayed on the head, chest, and back

So it is a moot point, you can use a cross bow.

 

Dude, did you read thru the posts? I'm hunting on my property in West Virginia , not Delaware. But thanks any way........

 

Never heard of the C02, but it sounds like something could easily go wrong, and it would probably run out of C02 at the most inconvinient time. Your best bet would probably be the crank mechanism.

 

So here's where I'm at. Decide to go with either a Tenpoint with the Accudraw system, or, I would like to try the Parker Concorde with the C02 system. I've read good reviews on it, it does have a lifetime warranty (although I haven't investigated that yet), and it has been out now since 2011. So we'll see. I did find a nice Archery store close to me, infact just ten minuted away. They carry several brands including the Tenpoint and Parker. So I went to check them out on monday evening. Nice place. Not a huge store but nice sized and family owned. They had a smallish shooting area behind the showroom for test shooting the bows. I'd say about 15yds. maybe. Enough to get a feel for what you want to try. So I asked away about the compounds and crossbows, what they carry and what acc. they keep in stock. They were very well stocked for a smallish store. Had everything I wanted to try except the Parker Concorde, which they said they just sold the last one they had in stock. I asked about it's reliability and they said so far, they have had no complaints. So I asked about the Tenpoints. I was able to hold them, look through the scopes, etc.. The one that felt the nicest to me was the Turbo XLT II. So I asked if he could show me how to load it and if I could try it out. We went into the small range (or room, LOL), and he showed me how to **** and load it, then let me do it. Was easy enough. He had a target set up for a crossbow with a life sized heart shaped target on it. He said to try and hit it. I raised the bow, clicked off the safety, held my breath and slowly pulled the trigger till it released the bolt. BANG! In the heart it went! Not perfectly centered. But for my first time with one in my hand...... I was already feeling confident, and sure that I could succesfully shoot it in the field. I went back the following evening for some more questioning and to try another crossbow. It was another Tenpoint, a Titan I think it was? but it felt heavier. But I still hit the target. So I am 100% sure on a crossbow. I liked the Turbo XLT II, but I want to try a few more. And I'm gonna call around to see if I can locate a shop with the Parker. I still want to give it a feel...... Thanks again guys for your help

 

That's what it takes, trial and error, to find the one that "fits" you, just like buying a gun. Check out your state laws though. I know things are more liberal out East, but in Kansas, a crossbow can be used only with a disability permit, and only during "Rifle" season, not during "Archery" season, which runs a long, long time.

 

Glad yah looked and liked the tenpoints.

 

Got a Crossbow! The archery shop called me last week while I was in West Virginia to tell me that the Parker Concorde crossbow was in. I got back into town on sat. afternoon. The shop was open on sunday (10-1 pm), so I went over to check it out. I already made up my mind that I was going to leave with a crossbow. It was just a matter of which one I prefered. Went in and it was a madhouse Full of little bowhunters running amuck. I was in no rush so I just waited for the maylay to subside. Apparently is was some type of Bowhunting "little league", which was cool . Finally the shop keeper pulled me aside and said that he would bring the crossbow out for me to handle. He showed me how it worked, the features, etc., then he handed it too me, I threw it up, and.............it weighed a ton! Exactly what I was afraid of. But, it felt balanced. I looked through the scope, sited it on the target and I tried to hold it steady. I wanted to see how long it took before it was uncomfortable for me to hold it up in a shooting position. Not long. And I could really feel the stress on my lower back. I widened my stance, tucked my arms in and kept my right elbow on my side (I shoot left handed). That felt much better, but it still felt "heavy" in my hands. Well, I decided to shoot it and see if I could even hit the target. There was a blue bunny hanging in front of a target. The shop keeper said to go ahead and fire one off at it. I did. Went thru it like butter. I wanted to take a shot at a target though. So he set up a circle target. I got set and fired one off at it. The center Bulls eye was about a four or five inch circle. I hit it about 1 inch off center. So I was confident I could fire it. But it was just too heavy for me. He weighed it. With scope, quiver and three bolts it was nearly 14 pounds! . I liked it but decided against it because it was too heavy. So I asked to see the Tenpoint Turbo XLT II again. Of the others I fired previously I liked it best. I fired three shots off with it and all went in the center circle. He weighed it. With scope, quiver and three bolts it was a tad over ten pounds. Felt like a feather compared to the Parker. So I walked out of the shop with the Tenpoint Turbo XLT II crossbow with a 3x Pro-View 2 scope, Acudraw co*king system, side mount quiver bracket, quick release quiver, three bolts with field tips, and a gripguard safety grip. In the box was also a Tenpoint window sticker and a baseball cap. I also bought three more bolts with field tips (100 grain since that's what it's equipt with), three 100 gr. broadheads (not mechanical), a strap, softshell case with pouch for the quiver and bolts, extra lube, and a nice target. I think that's it. Total was around $1,250.00 I think. I'll post a few pics later. I woke up this morning with a chest cold.......ouch.