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What should i buy? (Archery Hunting Question)?
Ok, Im gonna start out hunting using my archery skills, But I can't decide on what to get, Im stuck between a 120 or 150lb Crossbow. Or a 55lb compound bow, As I'm used to target shooting, I'm not to sure on what to get, I want a reliable, accurate, easy-to-use weapon but I'm a "Newbie" in this whole thing, The main game where I live is Deers, Rabbits, Boars(hogs) and goats, What one would be more suitable for me? I'm only 16 if that helps any. Thanks for reading=)
p.s For all of you people who say stuff like, "Why do you hunt thats so cruel!", "How could you kill a defencless creature?"(my answer for that one is, they taste damn good and its fun=P) go away, Why are you even looking at this page? =P
p.p.s And to all other people reading this who are not like that, thanks a ton! you rock! =)
oooh, what you wanna go shoot cute Bambi for... Hah! just kidding. 
Ok, so you're thinking either 55-lb compound or 120 to 150 crossbow. How about a 55-lb recurve or longbow? They do the job just as good, and they'll help to teach you how to use a bow the right way --The reason being that a recurve or longbow does not have that "let-off' which allows you to hold at full draw for close to ten minutes while you make sure the sight pin is perfectly lined up, and you are standing the right way, and such. Recurves and longbows require more time at practice than compounds, to build up the archery skills and keep those skills honed.
I personally have nothing against compounds, but in my opinion they do make it too easy most of the time. The only type of bow easier to use than a compound is the crossbow. All you do is pull the string back, set it, put the bolt o the track and wait for the meat to walk by -- and then you take aim and pull the trigger. The drawback with crossbows is that they are not legal in all areas, so you best check with your local DNR (or FG&W) before investing in any kind of crossbow hunting setup.
Even at 120-150 lb draw, the "arrow" (called a bolt) from a crossbow still tends to drop before it reaches the target; the average hunting distance for a crossbow is still only about 25-30 yards, the same as any other type of bow. And even the most modern, "whisper-quiet" crossbows tend to be noisier than most recurves; deer, elk, rabbits, etc all have excellent hearing and can easily "jump the string" of noisy bows -- no matter how "fast" the bow happens to be. The best way to find out how noisy your bow is to have a friend stand down-range (but off to the side, or behind a ****solid**** barrier, so they don't get hit with the arrow; better yet, use a tape recorder - even target points can kill) and listen to it; if it can be easily heard, then any deer or other animal is going to hear it a lot more easily.
Now, you may be used to target work with a bow, but hunting's main difference is that you will be shooting at moving targets and targets that are dang-near invisible, and in conditions that will do their best to destroy an arrow (you might aim at the deer, but hit a branch and have the arrow ricochet off into a rock....). Unless you are 150% sure that you can hit what you aim at with ****the very first shot****, no matter how far away it is (such as 60-80, or more, yards), you better stick to the "traditional" hunting distances of 25-30 yards.
Now for reliability... The easiest to use are the compounds and crossbows, but the most reliable bows are usually the one-piece recurves and longbows. This is because they have only one moving part: The person using the bow. No wheels to oil, no parts to replace (except the string, but compounds and crossbows have strings, too), no wondering if the draw-weight really is set evenly. Basically, the more moving parts, the more likely the bow is to need adjustments and repairs. The decision on which type of bow to use depends on how much time and money you want to spend on maintenance and such. (I have spent perhaps $50 on new strings for my longbow during the past ten years; I have never had to replace bushings, bearings or cams)
Recurves and longbows are generally physically lighter in weight than compounds and crossbows, too. I would rather carry my 3-lb "stick" through the woods than lug a 10-15 lb chunk of metal (compound; the risers, bushings and bearings are generally made of metal, plus there's the weight of the cams and accessories) or crossbow into a tree stand any day of the year.
So, the real decision is yours. Ease of shooting, or building of skills? Ease of maintenance, or cost of repairs/replacment? Ease of carrying, or all the latest gimmicks? It's up to you.
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