#COMPOUND CROSSBOW FULL#

The average compound hunting bow weighs about 6 pounds, while the average crossbow weighs about 8 pounds. This can sometimes lead to excessive movement in an attempt to sit comfortably while waiting on the quarry.Ĭompound bows also tend to weigh less. A fully cocked crossbow can take up a lot of room when sitting in a tree stand, leaving less room for the hunter. While in the confines of a tree stand, a compound bow tends to be less awkward and consumes less space than a crossbow. Either way, a follow up shot is much quicker and more easily performed with a compound bow. It takes time and is usually a cumbersome process to cock a crossbow while in a tree stand. Some crossbows do have a crank style cocking device that is integrated into the stock of the crossbow. Most crossbows require some form of cocking aid, usually in the form of a rope-style cocking device that is not integrated into the crossbow. And not only are compound bows quieter than crossbows, they also have a faster reload time. And since a quieter shot is less likely to put the forest critters on high alert, that makes the possibility for a follow-up shot greater with a compound bow. And that brings me to the advantages of compound bows next.Ĭompound bows tend to be much quieter shooting than crossbows, which helps a lot when a shot on an animal does not go as planned.

#COMPOUND CROSSBOW FULL#

However, some would argue that the added challenge of getting to full draw on an animal with a compound bow makes the task of harvesting an animal with a compound bow more difficult and, therefore, more rewarding. Crossbows can be shot with very little movement by the hunter.Ī lot more movement is required to shoot a compound bow, and that increases the risk that a hunter’s movements and associated noise will be detected by their target animal and alert them to the hunter’s presence. With bowhunting being a close range sport, it is much easier for target animals to sense the hunter’s location due to movement and sound. Anyone who has ever hunted anything knows the value of being still and quiet. Just try to put in as much time as you can, even if it's only 10-15 minutes a day.Īn additional advantage of the crossbow is the lack of movement required to operate it when the time comes to harvest an animal. And, speaking of practice, it doesn't always matter which kind of archery target you use (as long as it's not the neighbor's dog). It just requires much more practice than a crossbow does. That same shooter is very capable of repeatedly hitting that same quarter sized dot at twenty yards with a compound bow. I have seen many occasions where someone shooting a crossbow for the first time can repeatedly hit a quarter sized dots at twenty yards. While the shooter plays the major role in placing an arrow down range precisely, it is an easier task performed with a crossbow. I use the term “ease of accuracy” because I believe that a compound bow and a crossbow can be shot with the same amount of precision when in well-trained hands. Clearly either choice has energy to spare when it comes to producing a clean and ethical harvest of an animal within common bowhunting ranges of 0 - 40 yards.Ĭrossbows also have the advantage when it comes to ease of accuracy.

and about 60 – 90 ft-lbf of kinetic energy. Modern compound bows regularly produce arrow speeds of 270 – 310 f.p.s. Today’s modern crossbows are capable of producing arrow speeds anywhere from 300 - 470 f.p.s. Crossbows have the advantage of producing higher arrow speeds and kinetic energy over compound bows. Both crossbows and compound bows are highly effective tools for hunting.

Compound crossbow