G-son got an airbow for Christmas
Equipment
But he is eight and it is a toy. Dang fun to play with, though.
In a couple of years he will be primed for a real one to hunt with.
I hope you and your grandson both had a Merry Christmas along with the rest of your family.
Missouribreaks-Gonna be tough, my daughter, his mother, is an anti-hunter. Parents won't allow him to play with toy guns. This is a girl who grew up eating deer meat and fishing with dad. I have a signature series, Daisy Red Ryder BB-gun I bought for him. Can't give it to him.
Go figure??
At least it is a start, good luck bowriter and I hope you have a great New Year and 2019.
Boys usually have two kinds of toys. Guns (anything that shoots a projectile) and things that they can pretend are guns. Hopefully your gift is accepted Bowriter and Merry Christmas even if it's not. You always have the "Grampa Effect" on your side.
Many young women today no longer have the chore of emasculating their mates. Their mother-in-law's have already done it for them.
I have a friend who took his 14 year old grandson deer hunting because the kid was dying to hunt and both parents are hard-core anti. They went out to "look for arrowheads" and the boy killed a giant buck. Grandpa had it mounted and kept it for him.
Fast-forward to the parent-teacher conferences. The school principal congratulated the parents on the fine boy and on his great deer, and how proud they must be. Parents went ape-shit ballistic, forbid the boy and his grandpa from having any contact ever again. Both were devastated.
Little over a year later the boy got a driver's license and started spending time with grandpa, and hunting on his own with the gun grandpa keeps for him. He had to turn into a serial liar and sneak to do this. He has barely spoken to the parents since that school conference, and told them he's gone the day he turns 18. What some parents will do in the name of ideology....
The problem came about due to my son-in-law. He is nuts, a liberal in the worst way and an atheist. But...he is one heck of a good husband and father so I keep my mouth shut instead of killing him.
I got a recurve when I was a kid. That's what I hunt with now. See where I am going with this?
LOL on that last statement bowriter. Unfortunate situation.
Jaquomo that is insane! My boys couldn’t be more polar opposite when it comes to hunting. The only requirement I asked of my older boy was to take the hunter safety course so he learned firearms safety. 8 years since he’s had it he has not gotten his license which is his choice and I am fine with it. He is not anti but just no desire. For parents to push bs beliefs on their children therefore essentially robbing him of his possible passion is sad. Bowriter enjoy the outdoors with your grandson
I got a recurve when I was a kid. That's what I hunt with now. See where I am going with this?
No.
That`s why I believe extreme liberalism is a mental disease. You see that 11 year old boy who is transgender, dancing in a men`s club and men were throwing $$$ bills at him. Then Good Morning America had him on like he was some kind of hero.
When the Civil war fires up....meet me at the "starting line".
I have to assume the ones that are talking about their recurves and it’s what they still hunt with today, are implying that his first weapon was an airbow and he’ll never get off of that airbow.
But what these guys also fail to recognize or at least read and understand is that currently, this young man won’t be allowed to do any hunting, or shooting if a real bow due to his parents beliefs. So in short, in these guys eyes, it’s gotta be all Or nothing. A scorched earth approach if you will. This young man will forever be tainted by the airbow in their minds. They are not big enough men to look at it and say, this is his only chance. Hell no, his shooting an airbow is the death of bowhunting. Rather than seeing your grandson will have a chance. Get real pricks. I mean folks.
Then, explain it to me. I had a bicycle when I was a kid. Now, I drive a truck. I had a recurve when I was in college, but I was still driving a truck. I bought my son a bow when he was 12. Now he coaches volleyball and teaches. I'm afraid y"all are trying to advance a theory that just doesn't compute. It has nothing to do with the equipment. And I know, that is hard to swallow. You are either a hunter or you are not.
There was a time, when we all hunted with spears. I had a spear when I was a kid. Then, we, as humans, began to hunt with bows. I never had one as a kid. Life and evolution advanced. So did our hunting implements. But not all early man hunted. Probably true today. The evolution of hunting-the hunter gatherer-the agrarian-the grower-the farmer-the rancher-the hunter, is not tied to what equipment we had as a kid. It is tied to advancement. If it wasn't, we would still be pulling red, American Flyer wagons.
Can we pass on values and traditions? Sure. Sometimes. But they little if anything to do with what we had as a kid.
After reading this, I count myself blessed. My wife and I raised 7 sons, all of them hunt and fish. All their wives hunt or at least tried it. All of my 19 grandkids that are old enough, have hunted and love it.
Franklin - I’ll agree with you if you drop “e liberal” from that statement.
Extremism is going to rip this world apart. Doesn’t matter what flavor. When people can’t live and let live, somebody’s gonna die.
My wifes boy is a great kid, 26, a great job and married. He doesn't hunt, has no desire to at all. I bought him bows, rifles , shotguns, killing critters was just not his thing. He loves guns, owns several. Loves wild game, girds, some fish, eats the shit out of them every time he is at my house.. Killing them is just not his thing. I love him no matter what. Oh and I have been in his life since he was 4 yrs. old! He just doesn't have the killer instinct. Some do, some don't.
My dad wasn't a hunter, he liked to fish, but wasn't into killing game... But I am! I live it and breath it! I used to bring home rabbits and quail and dove when I was a kid. I would clean them and my mom would cook them and we all enjoyed eating them. Don't discount somebody just because they aren't interested. The kid may come around and be an obsessed hunter, maybe he won't. Time will tell.
" Don't discount somebody just because they are not interested "............. agree 100%. Hunting is fine for some, not for others. All can be great kids and minds.
I have a friend who is gay, came out of the closet, many years ago, and a great competitive shooter, and outstanding hunter,,,,, how people are wired is what makes the world go wrong
My kids love shooting with me.... but the killing isn't their thing. I have no problem with that. They're good boys and healthy! That's like winning the lottery these days. If they want to try hunting.... great! If they don't.... great!
Ground Hunter... WTF does that mean? OK, your friend is gay, are you saying he is wired wrong?
Tough one Bowriter... Very common anymore. I would take a good husband over a dead beat hunter any day.
Bloodtrail, let me ask you this. What if you suffered a severe injury or say, a stroke and could not use one of your arms. Would you use a crossbow or quit hunting? Simple and easy to use, to me, does equate with "easy to kill something". Is that what hunting is about? Is it competitive? Who are you competing with? To me, hunting is simply about being in the woods and matching my skills against the game. Yes, I use a crossbow. I have to. But I don't have any food plots or feeders or trail cameras. I hunt hardwood thickets and mostly from hanging stands, I have yet to shoot over 35-yards with the crossbow. I have three, vertical bows hanging in my office. If I could, I would gladly trade the crossbow in a second. The effort in hunting for me, has always been the scouting and learning. Not the shooting.
I agree Bowriter ! Very well said !
No you choose to use a crossbow. No one forced you to use a crossbow. You chose to use it for whatever reason. My question would be do you hunt with a crossbow during gun season( if legal)? And as far as competition you are only competing with yourself, trying to get game within a reasonable distance to try and kill.
Nothing wrong with crossbows, just another way to kill an animal.
Lots of people don't choose crossbows , but they want to hunt and have no other choice ! jdbbowhunter , I thought Bowwriter explained if you only have one working arm , you cant pull a regular bow ! What would be your choice if you only have one arm that works ? I would like to hear what you would choose to hunt with if it was you with one arm and you wanted to hunt ?
If I can't shoot a bow any more, yes I will quit bowhunting. That's obvious. I won't quit hunting.
Like most hunters, I just won't be hunting during bow seasons.
It will take more than the loss of one arm to stop me. Shooting with a mouth tab isnt convenient but I've tried a couple guy's set ups and it's very effective. I also have rifles, shotguns, hand guns and my old .54 round baller that would like to be dusted off and be in the woods.
Where legal for all, only a very small percentage of scoped crossbow users have any type of disability. Just sayin!
“Just sayin’ “ and just tellin’ somebody else whether he’s got a physical issue are two different things....
“I haven't hunted with a recurve after I was about 12. But I won't hunt with a crossbow....I'm too competitive to use one. Plain and simple..”
+1 for WTH does competitiveness have to do with your choice of equipment???
If there is anybody out there using archery gear for any reason other than that it’s what hives you the most enjoyment, please switch back over to whatever DOES, assuming that you’re proficient enough to do so AND hunt responsibly.
DC and Bo, not that complicated. Most folks stick with 'their' traditions and continue to use the tool they started out with throughout life, the one gift that meant the most to them, imprinted at an early stage of life. Is that a bad thing? No. Maybe the choice of weapon made by the adult could be to some. A blowdart gun would not be MY first choice. Merely pointing out what people have a tendency to do - continue to employ the most familiar object they were intro'd to for their whole lives. Not all, but some. DC, maybe you were subjected to the word "Prick" at a young age and continue to this day to use the word to deride others. LOL, maybe you should graduate to "Blow" gun.
Can’t you see our ancestors arguing how the one family killed their food by cheating with a (insert whatever weapon u don’t approve of in YOUR season) as the other family too proud, to take the easier successful road, starves to death!
If I had only use of one arm, I don't think I would hunt. Seema to me it would be pretty difficult if not impossible to hunt with the use of one arm. And as stated earlier majority of people who hunt with cross bow aren't handicapped at all. Just choose to take the easier way of doing things. To each his own.
Can a 70+ year old one-arm (useful) crossbow hunter cock and load his weapon using just a good arm? I have no clue. How long does it take a one-arm (useful) 70+ year old crossbow hunter to cock, load and accurately put a second projectile downrange? I have no clue.
I just hope I am able to even be out in the woods at 70+ years old, much less climbing treestands, killing yummy animals and then being able to get them back out again! I'm 50 and that can be quite the task now!
I love bow hunting , but I love Hunting anything ! I have a friend who shoots a crossbow with one arm and kills a couple deer every year . I have another friend Austin Jones , he cant even hold a cross bow , his dad holds it and his dad pulls the trigger when Austin tells him to pull the trigger, Austin also cant breath without respirator . Austin also won the A.S.A crossbow world championship this past August against guys who could shoot a regular bow if they wanted . I you go on U tube and type in Austin Jones hunting , you should see at least 3 of his videos and yes he has killed many animals , even a buffalo . Austin has taught me to have fun , adjust , and over come anything that gets in the way of having fun ! Austin will not use a gun , but that's his choice !
This is ridiculous. You’d rather not hunt than use a crossbow? I would question your “passion”. If it’s legal and effective, what’s it any of your business? No wonder the anti’s love us. We just devour each other. What a joke!!
The devouring will not get any better. Able bodied scoped crossbow hunters during the general archery seasons is the epic divider of modern times, no turning back.
My dad had one when I was a kid, with aluminum limbs. It was fun to shoot, but illegal to hunt with then. I would have no problem hunting with it if I didn't have other choices. But they don't belong in regular bow seasons without special circumstances like handicaps, and are being treated like bows that 'are' (Trad and cp's)..
The joke is people that think crossbows should be allowed during archery season. But we live in a world where we cant disappoint anyone. Everyone needs instant gratification. Passion shouldn't be questioned by people who are always looking to take the easy way out. But we have no one to blame but ourselves!
Every time I read a post by a compound shooter wringing his hands over the Death Of Bowhunting due to Crossbow inclusion, I remember getting reamed out by a Born Again Bowhunter who never even considered archery tackle until after releases were legalized and let-offs hit 65%, and it just gets funnier and funnier.
20 years ago I observed that it’s like a crowd of party-crashers who show up, eat all the best food, drink all the best wine, and then piss and moan because there’s no whiskey.
They weren’t invited, they didn’t contribute a damn thing, and now they think it’s too crowded.
Who’s acting “butt-hurt” NOW??
Quote GF "They weren’t invited, they didn’t contribute a damn thing, and now they think it’s too crowded"
GF; I gotta believe you're the guy that shows up at the coffee shop and can't figure out why your "friends" all just suddenly happen to have someplace they have get to. Every time!
I don't think anyone here has said a thing about allowing un-restricted crossbow access during bow season. People with disabilities are a different matter all together! Why don't all the other haters go hang out on the leather wall or Archer Talk!
Sportoutfitter, I think you are dead on,! I will do my best to hunt until I am dead! Crossbow, rifle, shotgun, pistol, slingshot... whatever it takes. If you don't like the way I hunt, too F'n bad! Go cry in your safe place, it isn't any of your business!
Some of the biggest complains think it's ok to use trail cams, blinds, treestands, baiting, expandable broadheads, whatever..... what's the difference? Someone always has to hate. I use most of the above, and I will use a crossbow if I ever need to!
I only bowhunt, but man I am tired of all the purest hater B.S. No wonder we are losing to the antis...
OK, I am done...
Maybe I'm nuts, but I would rather kill something at 20-40 yards with a crossbow than 200-400+++ with a rifle. Any Day Of The Week!
OK.... JTV
You can use all those things at close range, I didn't say you couldn't. I was just stating my thoughts. Pistols are great at close range, I love them! It's just opinions brother, roll how you want, and I'll do what I want when the time comes.
I think the only differance between us, is you are dead set in what you think is the only way, and I am more flexible as to what I think is ok. Crossbows for the disabled is fine with me. Not Crossbows for all in archery season... AND NO AIRBOWS... EVER!
You may shoot an expandable, or a fixed broad-head, I could care less! you may shoot a compound or a recurve, I could care less! Hunt The Way you Want, and I will too!
And you won't change my mind on this no matter how mad you get.
Can we agree that we may disagree and just move on now?
Scoped crossbow users are not bow and arrow hunters, they are scoped crossbow hunters. Huge difference.
Just checked in to see if this thread was going the usual way..................yep, it is......
I’m a bow hunter too, Scar. I’ve never even shot a crossbow, but I’ll be darn if I’m gonna throw a fellow hunter down because that’s what he wants to use. IF HE’S HUNTING LEGAL IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS PEOPLE! Before you go off the rail about combining archery/xbow seasons, I’m not even advocating that. I completely understand that argument. That does happen to be the way it is here and it doesn’t seem to be the end of the world. It is what it is. Unless it’s knocking you out of hunting, why the hate JTV? I’m sure it’s more of a challenge to kill a deer at 50-80 yards with a crossbow than a high power rifle. If you say you’d rather not hunt than use a crossbow, how much do you REALLY love to hunt? Just saying...
I didn’t know I was lost but thanks for looking out for me :)
Uh...did I mention, my grandson got a toy bow fro Christmas?
Nope, you said airbow :^)
Just about every time I see a crossbow argument erupt almost no one talks about adaptive equipment. That is taking a typical bow, compound or traditional and making necessary changes so a person who has a disability can shoot it. Plenty of modifications already out there, a lot cheaper than investing in a crossbow and you can still get the personal feel of the draw, hold and release without mechanical means. Look at the one-armed individuals shooting with their teeth, or the guy with no arms shooting with his feet...
