1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: which has brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is just kind of all 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 2: about crossbows. Love them or hate them, They're here to 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 2: stay for a while. In the archery industry, even saying 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: the word crossbow was like uttering Voldemort's name in Hogwarts, 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: which is an example you can use if you have kids, 13 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 2: but probably shouldn't if you don't. Anyway, cross bowl legalization 14 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 2: has gone really well for cross bow enthusiasts, and it 15 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: seems like it's a matter of time in most states. 16 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: It's also a very widely adopted weapon that I've learned 17 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 2: quite a bit about because of my daughters, which is 18 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 2: what I'm going to talk about right now. A year ago, 19 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 2: a buddy and I boarded a flight headed toward Orlando. 20 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 2: We were headed out on a saltwater fishing trip and 21 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: we were pretty excited. In addition to the canal fishing 22 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,279 Speaker 2: in the backyard of our rental house, we were planning 23 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: to borrow a canoe from a friend of mine who 24 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 2: lives down there so we could paddle out to the 25 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: mangroves and fish. Now, when I say that messing around 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,559 Speaker 2: with saltwater fish in the flats is something I enjoy, 27 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: I mean it. I rank it right up there with 28 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: following a good lab around where the pheasants live on 29 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 2: the pure fund meter. So we were pretty excited to 30 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: get down there. Better yet, through that canoe owning friend, 31 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 2: we had a trip out to the big water planned. 32 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: In all of my time in the salt I've never 33 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: once gone out on the ocean and tried for big fish, 34 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 2: so that was extremely exciting. It only got more exciting 35 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: as we loaded up the boat idled past the jetty 36 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 2: and left the land behind. Well, it was exciting for me. 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: My friend immediately started puking, and at one point he 38 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: leaned over to me while looking almost grinch like because 39 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: he was so green and I could tell he was 40 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: in trouble. So I said, you look like you have 41 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: a two inch grip on a six inch turd. Buddy, 42 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 2: to which he responded, it's more like a two ounce 43 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 2: grip on a six ounce turd. Then he went back 44 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 2: to chumming the water with his breakfast. We caught him 45 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 2: mahi mahi right off the bat, which is about as 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: beautiful of a fish as you can see on the 47 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 2: end of your line in two hundred feet of clear 48 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 2: blue water. After that, we trolled for five hours without 49 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,959 Speaker 2: a bite, and I realized that deep sea fishing isn't 50 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 2: really my jam. I need to cast or jig or 51 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 2: somehow just actively fish. It kind of surprised me, but 52 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 2: I wouldn't do it again unless I had a hell 53 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: of a lot more time to waste. When I was 54 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: around the salt, outdoor opportunities are like that. I remember 55 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 2: growing up and talking mad shit about Texas hunters because 56 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: everything we on the Bloodsport channels was all about some 57 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: dudes sitting over a feeder or a corn road and 58 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 2: seeing more deer in an afternoon than we'd seen in 59 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 2: an entire season. I thought you couldn't choose a less 60 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 2: ethical way to hunt at the time. Then I went 61 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: to Texas and I shot some deer on film over 62 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: feeders and corn roads, and I realized something. It maybe 63 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: wasn't for me, but I could sure as hell understand 64 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 2: why some people would love it. When that feeder goes off, 65 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 2: the critters roll in and you see all kinds of 66 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: cool stuff. It wasn't as easy as I thought it 67 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: would be, but as sure as hell wasn't as challenging 68 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: as a lot of folks want you to think it is. 69 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 2: But for me, it just made me understand the appeal, 70 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: even if it just doesn't quite fill my cup up. 71 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: As you get older, you bump into a lot more 72 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: stuff like this in life. This also perfectly sums up 73 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 2: my relationship with crossbows. I used to work at bow 74 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 2: Hunter Magazine, and if you know anything about the history 75 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: of that publication, you know that it was a bow 76 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: hunting magazine and not a crossbow or gun hunting magazine. 77 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: We fought the good fight against covering crossbows, but the 78 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: money always wins no matter how principled you are. What 79 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 2: I mean by that is that at first, the people 80 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: who work on commission and sell ads, they come to 81 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 2: you and they say, you know, this manufacturer who has 82 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 2: supported us for a long time is coming out with 83 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: a crossbow. And while we don't need to give them 84 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 2: editorial love. They are going to buy ads. The slow 85 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: creep starts then, because once the ads are placed, the 86 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 2: first wave of readers loses their minds, but they mostly 87 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: stick around. So another manufacturer makes a crossbow and more 88 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 2: ads show up, and soon your revenue is tied to 89 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 2: a category you didn't want anything to do with, and 90 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: the advertisers know it, so they threaten to pull the budgets. 91 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: Unless someone goes hunting with a crossbow and writes a 92 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,160 Speaker 2: story on it, or maybe does a gear review about 93 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 2: their latest offering, it never ends, my friends, and that's 94 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 2: just how it goes. During that process, quite a few 95 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 2: of us were against covering crossbows in any way, we 96 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: lost because we don't make the big money decisions. There 97 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: was a long time there where I knew I'd never 98 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: own a cross bow, and I certainly wouldn't hunt with one. 99 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: But along came my daughters, one planned and one unplanned, 100 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: which is the case with most twins. Anyway, when the 101 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: great State of Wisconsin decided it was best for parents 102 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: to decide when their kids are ready to start hunting 103 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: big game instead of the state, I realized that the 104 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 2: girls would be able to crossbow hunt over there, and 105 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 2: I bought one almost instantly. I mean, whatever resolve I 106 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: had due to my personal ethics and feelings on the 107 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: topic evaporated so fast you'd have missed it if you blinked. 108 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: In fact, I now think that my resolve on the 109 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: issue might have been thinner than Mark Kenyon's beard to 110 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 2: begin with. When we set up that crossbow, which took 111 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: almost no time, and I sat down first to sit 112 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 2: it in at twenty yards, it took three shots before 113 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: I was worried we'd be shooting off Knox, and I 114 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: had one of my daughters sit down and shoot it. 115 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,799 Speaker 2: She and her sister hit bullseyes instantly, and I realized 116 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 2: that we had been fed a load of total horseshit 117 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 2: from the crossbow industry. You see, that gig I had 118 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: that bowhunter had me setting up tuning and hunting with 119 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: like half a dozen bows a year for a decade. 120 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: It got to the point where I hated setting up 121 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 2: bows because I did it so much. Now. A common 122 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: refrain during the crossbow debates from the pro side is 123 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 2: that they are really no different from a vertical bow, 124 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 2: but that usually means performance wise, which is also total bs, 125 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: but setting them up is amazing, and nowhere near the 126 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: exercise it is with a vertical bow. Now, while I 127 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: haven't used a ton of them, everyone that I have 128 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: has not only been super easy to side in, but 129 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 2: has also perfectly shot every kind of broadhead I've ever 130 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 2: tried to shoot with them. There's so much more consistency 131 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: in the shot sequence with them that it's almost unbelievable. 132 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: When you draw a vertical bow, you know you might 133 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: punch the trigger, you might drop your bow arm, you 134 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: might flinch just a little, you might can't the bow 135 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 2: a tiny bit squeeze, the grip three to is tighter 136 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 2: than usual, or maybe you're shooting in a fifteen mile 137 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: per hour crosswind that takes you from lungs to liver 138 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: with your aiming point. With a cross blow, your influence 139 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: on the shot cycle is so much more minimal. They're 140 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 2: just worlds apart, and once the bolt is on its way. 141 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 2: The argument is that it's lighter weight when compared to 142 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: a full sized arrow, meaning it's going to shed more 143 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 2: kinetic energy and not be as effective at longer ranges. 144 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: And sure that's true in some scenarios, but the sub 145 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 2: forty yard crowd will never know the difference and their 146 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 2: reach out and touch them. Crowd has plenty of options, 147 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: with some crossbows advertising their performance as more like a 148 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 2: rifle than a bow. One is just far superior to 149 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 2: the other if your goal is to kill a deer easily, 150 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 2: and it's not really up for debate, which is also 151 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 2: the reason why once crossbows become legal, people tend to 152 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: use them more than vertical bows. It's not good or 153 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: bad in my opinion, it's just like objectively the truth, 154 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 2: that's where we go as hunters. Now, there are some 155 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 2: considerations to make if you're planning to go this route 156 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: or maybe start out a youngster with a crossbow, and 157 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: the first is safety. Crossbows have a short power stroke, 158 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 2: so they are designed to harness and hold a hell 159 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: of a lot of energy in a small package. That 160 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 2: energy has to go somewhere, and ideally it's going to 161 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: be transferred to your bolt, but it can also cause 162 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 2: wear and tear on your strings and cables and cams 163 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,119 Speaker 2: and limbs too. Paying attention to those parts matters because 164 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: when they really start to wear out, they can break 165 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: on any given shot, and that's no bueno. But there 166 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 2: is also the reality that to fire a crossbow, you 167 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 2: either have to have it on a good rest, locked 168 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: into a tripod, or held with both of your hands, 169 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: and the hand that you put on the forearm is 170 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 2: the one you have to worry about. When crossbows first 171 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: started hitting the scene, a lot of the early adopters 172 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 2: found themselves in the er with thumb related injuries. That's 173 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 2: why every modern crossbow has a thumb guard built into it, 174 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 2: which works really well unless you're like my buddy Scott, 175 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 2: who still managed to break his thumb last year on 176 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: the second crossbow shot of his life. Now, beyond safety, 177 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 2: crossbows require a little bit different line of thinking when 178 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 2: you're actually hunting for starters. All of that energy they 179 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 2: store and then release on the shot also turns into vibration, 180 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 2: which is just sound. Crossbows are loud, much louder than 181 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: vertical bows, and this is something you're probably not gonna 182 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 2: notice when you're shooting in your backyard, but you'll notice 183 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: it in the field on a calm, cold morning, or 184 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 2: at least the deer will notice it. At short distances. 185 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 2: This is usually a non issue because crossbows are pretty fast, 186 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: but if you start stretching things out a little, you 187 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: will notice that the deer are guaranteed to drop at 188 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 2: the shot, or at least they will do that even 189 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: if your eye doesn't register it. My daughter shot a 190 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 2: small buck on film two years ago at twenty yards 191 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: with a crossbow, and when you watch it frame by frame, 192 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 2: that little spike probably dropped five inches in the time 193 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 2: it took for the trigger to break and the bolt 194 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 2: to get there, which is almost no time at all. 195 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 2: If you double that distance, you're looking at a potential 196 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: high lung spine or backstrap shot, maybe a miss who knows, 197 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 2: all of which aren't great. Some are far worse than others. 198 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 2: A good rule of thumb is to either aim for 199 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: the center of the heart or at least the top 200 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 2: of the heart. This way, if the deer drops, because 201 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,839 Speaker 2: it will, you'll still be in the good stuff in 202 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 2: your margin of error will be well within the range. 203 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 2: It'll still give you a short blood trail. It's also 204 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: a really good idea to use a rest, which might 205 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 2: seem super obvious but isn't as simple as it sounds. 206 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 2: For anyone who goes from a vertical bow to a 207 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: crossbow that hang on stand or saddle that you love 208 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 2: for your vertical bow hunts will work just fine for 209 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 2: your crossbow hunts, but those hang and bang setups generally 210 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 2: don't come standard with a good rest. Again, a close 211 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,839 Speaker 2: shot with you leaned up against the tree as your 212 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 2: rest is going to be plenty of steadiness overall. But 213 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 2: while crossbows are easy to shoot accurately, they're also kind 214 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 2: of heavy and awkward to hold an aim, which means 215 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 2: it's not out of the realm of possibility that you 216 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 2: might can't the crossbow some or not be as icy 217 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 2: in you're aiming an execution as you plan to be. 218 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 2: This is one of the things I'm dealing with with 219 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 2: my daughters who want to get out of the pop 220 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: up blinds and sit more natural blinds and tree stands. 221 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: The natural blinds generally allow for a lightweight tripod, which 222 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 2: solves this issue, but tree stands are a different story. 223 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 2: The ladder stands with the shooting rail they work just fine, 224 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 2: but hang on stands are just tough. That's extra tough 225 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: for us because I use them a lot and have 226 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: yet to figure out a great way to get a 227 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: thirteen year old girl in one in a way in 228 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: which she can aim really well when a deer shows up, 229 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 2: all while not spooking that deer, which is another issue 230 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 2: that you might run into if you decide to use 231 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 2: a crossbow. When I mentioned they are kind of awkward 232 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 2: to carry an aim, I wasn't lying. It's a very 233 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 2: common complaint amongst the recently converted, and while it's probably 234 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 2: just a matter of reps on the target range and 235 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 2: in the field to the point where the comfort level 236 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 2: is high, they are also the kind of weapon that 237 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,599 Speaker 2: doesn't demand a ton of reps. When I'm carrying my 238 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 2: daughter's crossbows, it's like I'm almost intentionally trying to make 239 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 2: noise with them, whether that's getting into a ladder stand 240 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: and banging it on the ladder, cocking them in the blind. 241 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 2: I'm pretty good at hitting limbs and stocks on random gear, 242 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 2: which is rarely a quiet affair. Now here's where I'm 243 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 2: going to piss some people off with this, but I 244 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,719 Speaker 2: don't care. You might have seen recently that Oklahoma has 245 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 2: decided that non resident hunters are lower than pond scum 246 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 2: and they deserve to be punished as much as possible. 247 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 2: That's a separate issue, but one of the driving forces 248 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 2: behind the non resident hate is residents who are having 249 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:00,319 Speaker 2: a hard time killing deer. I've haunted that state three times, 250 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 2: and every time I've had a blast, and I've run 251 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 2: into the nicest people I run into hunting anywhere. I 252 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: actually love Oklahoma, which is why it bums me out 253 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 2: so much that I'm probably not going to get to 254 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: hunt there very much anymore. It's also the state where 255 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 2: I happen to run into more crossbow hunters than anywhere else, 256 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 2: although Wisconsin and Minnesota are certainly catching up in my experience, 257 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 2: and I want to make this clear just to stave 258 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: off some of the potential hate mail. I'm not saying 259 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 2: this is an Oklahoma hunter specific thing. It's a crossbow 260 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 2: hunter thing, but it has just been obvious during my 261 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:36,079 Speaker 2: hunts down there. Crossbows seem to make hunters think they 262 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 2: don't have to work at hunting or try too hard. 263 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,079 Speaker 2: The setups I saw down there in Oklahoma on my 264 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 2: last hunt, and I've seen on previous ones, some of 265 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 2: them are so bad, not all of them, but a 266 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 2: lot of them. Like think about a camp chair set 267 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 2: up with a little bit of camo netting on the 268 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 2: ground in woods that are just wide open, or you know, 269 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 2: a six foot tall ladder stand facing right where the 270 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 2: deer should probably a poach fum. Setups like that just 271 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: aren't going to work very well on public land deer. 272 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 2: The feeling you get with a crossbow is one of 273 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 2: holding a gun, especially if you're very used to a 274 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 2: vertical bow. But it's not a gun. It's a better 275 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 2: version of a bow, so you still need the deer clothes. 276 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 2: And if you're going to put your back to a 277 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 2: tree Turkey style and expect to shoot a public land 278 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 2: bucket twenty yards with your crossbow, you're probably out of luck. Worse, 279 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: if you think you're going to walk around half an 280 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: hour before dark and sneak up on one and shoot it, 281 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 2: you probably just won't. This is a weapon that still 282 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 2: mostly requires bow hunting effort, and I guess I don't 283 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 2: know how to put that any other way. You definitely 284 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: have the advantage of not having to draw when deer 285 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 2: or close, which is huge, but you still have to 286 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 2: have the deer close and hopefully unaware of your presence. 287 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: It's not a three to zero eight where you can 288 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 2: pull a spencer new Heart and put your back to 289 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 2: a fence post out west somewhere and still shoot a 290 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 2: good buck because you're just outside of his red zone. 291 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 2: You need to be tight, and that requires the right setup, 292 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 2: or at least a setup that has enough thought behind 293 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: it to keep the deer in the dark until it's 294 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 2: too late and their lungs are starting to rapidly deflate. 295 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 2: There's a lot to consider here. I'm actually pretty agnostic 296 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: these days on the issue of crossbows. I absolutely get 297 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: why people want to use them, and I get white 298 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 2: people lobby for that. I also get the other side. 299 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 2: It's not the same as bowhunting, because if it was, 300 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 2: people wouldn't push to include them. It's just a better weapon, 301 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: at least in the realm of ease of use, and 302 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 2: they aren't for everyone. I don't have any interest in 303 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: hunting with them myself, but I love, love, love taking 304 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: my daughters out when they're hunting with them. Maybe someday 305 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 2: I'll change my tune, probably after my shoulders fall apart 306 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 2: and shoot out of my ass while I'm doing something stupid, 307 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 2: or maybe there will be a less painful reason. Who 308 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 2: can say. I just know that what I thought about 309 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 2: them isn't quite what's true, and a lot of what 310 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 2: I didn't consider about them is definitely true. They're here 311 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: to stay, whether you love them or you hate them, 312 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 2: whether you're dying to hunt with one or working hard 313 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,239 Speaker 2: to get your state to stave off the inevitable inclusion 314 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 2: that's coming for the last holdouts. It's just something to 315 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: ponder anyway. It's just a part of deer hunting now 316 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 2: and this is a good time of year to think 317 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 2: about this stuff as we start to consider some early 318 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 2: summer practice sessions and maybe some other gear considerations for 319 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 2: the year. So do that and come back next week 320 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 2: because I'm gonna drop some more deer knowledge, or at 321 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 2: least I'm going to try to. That's it for this episode. 322 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the Wired to Hunt 323 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: Foundation's podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 324 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: As always, thank you so much for listening, and we 325 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 2: have a request coming down from the top, which only 326 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: makes sense if you do what we do. If you're 327 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 2: not subscribed to Wired to Hunt, please do that. That 328 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 2: helps us a lot. Maybe head on over to Clay's 329 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 2: feed and subscribe there. Maybe just run the gamut of 330 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: meat eater feeds would help us greatly and keep the 331 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 2: C suite people off of our asses. Anyway, if you're 332 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: looking for some new hunt content, maybe some new fishing content. 333 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 2: Maybe you want some dog training tips. Maybe you just 334 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 2: want to listen to an entertaining story from a fellow 335 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 2: Like Brent Reeves and his This Country Life podcast. The 336 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 2: meat Eater dot Com has you covered. We put up 337 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: new content literally every day. There's tons of stuff there. 338 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 2: Go check it out and thank you.