Crossbow or Compound Bow: How Do You Choose?

Crossbows and compound bows have pros and cons. Sort through those to decide which weapon best fits your needs and hunting style. Realtree Media images.

It’s an exciting day: Your bank account finally shows that you have enough money to head for the local archery store to buy a new bow. But perhaps you’re perplexed about whether to buy a crossbow or a compound bow. Many deer hunters are torn about that dilemma.

If that’s you, let’s run through some of the pros and cons of both options so you can settle on the best choice.

CROSSBOW PROS

Although crossbows aren’t guns, you can become adept with one faster and easier than with a compound bow. Most crossbow hunters can become proficient — even deadly — with minimal practice, and have a longer effective shooting range than they would with a vertical bow.

Crossbows — especially today’s high-end models — are screaming fast, meaning a deer will be less likely to duck the arrow. The fastest crossbows shoot in the mid-400-fps range, with some reaching and exceeding 500 fps. That’s some serious snort with tons of power.

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A crossbow’s other obvious advantage is that you don’t have to draw it back when an animal presents you with a shot. You only have to shoulder it, aim, and fire, which entails fewer movements. And you can rest the fore-grip on a tripod or box blind window ledge, achieving a very steady scope picture.

Crossbows are way more versatile because several people can potentially shoot the same one accurately without adjustments. For families that don’t hunt too much, mom, dad, and the kids could take turns hunting with one crossbow, which makes it more affordable for the family to go hunting.

Crossbows also allow aging or injured folks to shoot a powerful arrow without the pain and difficulty of drawing a compound bow. In some cases, crossbows keep hunters in the field when they would otherwise have to hang up bowhunting because of physical limitations.

CROSSBOW CONS

Today’s crossbows are lighter and narrower than ever, but most are still heavier to carry and more difficult to maneuver than compound bows. Most high-end crossbows are also more expensive than compound bows. Most compounds top out around $1,200 to $1,800 for the bow only, so $1,800 to $2,500 with solid accessories. Some high-end crossbow packages retail for $3,000 to $3,600, which is a lot of money. Of course, you don’t have to spend that much to get a deadly crossbow.

I test and review many crossbows, and they are clearly louder than today’s whisper-quiet compounds. Some (even from highly reputable brands) I’ve tested had percussive pops that made my ears ring, so I resorted to firing them with hearing protection.

Further, crossbows are more of a hassle to practice with than compound bows. It takes longer and requires more movement to cock and reload crossbows. This also means that getting a follow-up shot while hunting is very unlikely unless the first shot immobilizes the animal (such as a spine hit).

A crossbow’s sheer power and radical design mean the strings and cables tend to wear out faster. Some manufacturers offer rail-less crossbows, which prolong string life, but many models use a rail, which causes bowstring friction and wear.

Finally, crossbows aren’t 100% legal for everyone in all 50 states. Some states have legislation limiting or prohibiting their use. For example, Oregon allows no crossbow hunting, and some states allow crossbow hunting during firearms seasons. Click here to determine the regulations for your state.

COMPOUND PROS

Today’s compound bows are insanely accurate. I do a fair amount of practicing at 100 to 120 yards, though I don’t shoot that far at game animals. Still, in the right hands, a high-end compound bow can shoot very accurately at those distances, making it deadly at 60-plus yards. However, it takes a lot more practice, skill, time, and effort to shoot a compound accurately even at 40 yards than it does with a crossbow.

If you like to shoot often, it’s far easier to shoot 50 arrows in your backyard with a compound bow. As mentioned, it takes longer to cock a crossbow and load it than it does with a compound. And if you miss or make a marginal hit and need to reload for another shot, it’s much easier and requires fewer movements to do so with a compound bow.

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Compound bows are more natural to carry and are generally lighter, too. Whether weaving through the tag alders or pulling your weapon up to a treestand using a tow rope, compounds are arguably easier to work with.

In addition, compound bows are unbelievably quiet. It seems like I’ve been saying that for 20 years, but today’s compounds are so much stealthier than bows were even five to 10 years ago.

COMPOUND CONS

Compound bows require more muscle effort to shoot than a crossbow. Long shooting sessions can lead to muscle exhaustion, causing your form and accuracy to collapse. Crossbows with cranks typically require less than 15 pounds of user effort.

Even today’s fastest compound bows have a velocity cap in the low to mid-300-fps range, particularly when shooting hunting arrows of sufficient weight. By the way, sufficient arrow weight is typically in the 400- to 500-grain range for most bow setups. Anyway, archers pulling 70 pounds to 28 inches, for example, will be hard pressed to break the 300-fps barrier. Those with 30-inch draw lengths can get there. Still, compounds are much slower than crossbows, yet very lethal.

If you’ve bowhunted, you’ve probably been busted while drawing back on an animal. This maneuver must be done at the appropriate time, as deer and other game animals have exceptional peripheral vision. Even if you reach full draw, the animal can easily turn at a poor angle, which requires you to hold your draw until it presents a better angle, or let the bow down, which is hard on your shoulders and requires movement and noise that can potentially alert the animal. It’s also quite difficult to draw a bow from a treestand or ground blind after sitting for hours in cold weather.

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Compound bows aren’t easily transferable between archers. Yes, most have plenty of adjustability to fit various archers, but making adjustments to draw length or weight will change the arrow’s impact, meaning that several hunters cannot feasibly hunt with the same bow through a season.

Last, most archers are subject to some pin movements, especially in the face of a crosswind. Unlike a crossbow, you cannot rest a compound bow on a tripod or blind ledge to achieve a steadier sight picture.

CHOOSE WISELY

We could probably discuss a few more things, including some politics. But you have enough considerations to help you make an educated decision. Weigh the pros and cons of both, and study the regulations. Then, head for your local archery dealer with a wad of hundred-dollar bills, and buy what makes the most sense for you to hunt with this fall.