Are crossbows legal in your state?

[Redlegz]

Legal here in Nebraska. We picked one up to start hunting them earlier. We've only killed 2 with it. 1 dropped and never went anywhere. Other ran 20 yards and took a nose dive. Once shotgun opens the crossbow gets left at home. Ours is NOT a $2,000 crossbow but a decent PSE brand. I feel comfortable to 30 yards with it. No further

[Howieg]

Unless your over 65 or crippled ,, crossguns shouldn't be spoken of ...

[Vintage]

No whining on OG

[Hook hanger]

Unless your over 65 or crippled ,, crossguns shouldn't be spoken of ...

I used to say the same thing about them vertical wheel bows.

[Sir-diealot]

Legal in MO

Ethical range depends on personl ability.

And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.

Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?

I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!

For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.

Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.

[Hook hanger]

First you have to be able to hit the mark in the field  next you have to know when an ethical shot should be  taken. Last year I passed up a 15yd shot on a 160" buck just for that reason. I've passed up shots with a rifle because of it not being an ethical shot. Each person has their own decisions on what an ethical shot is. And some get so excited they shouldn't even be trying to shoot a deer at 20yds.

[joey46]

Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades.  To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous.  Boo.

[the Ward]

Legal in MO

Ethical range depends on personl ability.

And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.

Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?

I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!

For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.

Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.

Must be a thing where you live. Everyone I know has hunted with crossbows forever, none of them do
stuff like that. I shoot recurves and long bows, but I have hunted with crossbows and compounds in the past. Don't really care for them, only because I really enjoy shooting simple stuff.Just pick it up and shoot, like playing catch with a baseball.

[the Ward]

Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades.  To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous.  Boo.

Lol so true! Ohio boy here too!

[Sir-diealot]

First you have to be able to hit the mark in the field  next you have to know when an ethical shot should be  taken. Last year I passed up a 15yd shot on a 160" buck just for that reason. I've passed up shots with a rifle because of it not being an ethical shot. Each person has their own decisions on what an ethical shot is. And some get so excited they shouldn't even be trying to shoot a deer at 20yds.

On most game but the really big ones like Moose, Buffalo and Elk MAYBE Mule deer but I have never seen many of those and none in person so I can't really say just to name ones in the states 35-40 is ethical, more with those others mentioned but not by much.

Grew up in Ohio so I've followed these crossbow arguments for decades.  To be able to take a gobbler with a 3 1/2" TSS and then critize someone for using a crossbow is IMO sorta ludicrous.  Boo.

Lol so true! Ohio boy here too!

I want to try TSS for the same reason that I like to try different vanes and wraps on my arrows, it is something new. I still will not shoot beyond 35 yards though. By the way I can only go 3" with my shotgun.

Legal in MO

Ethical range depends on personl ability.

And this comment right here is why I do not ever want to be put in with that lot. The best crossbow users I have found have been older archers that had respect for what they hunt with a bow and understand ethical is ethical when it comes to range, especially when it comes to something that moves slow like an arrow or a bolt.

Argued this with just about every crossbow shooter I have met and get the same thing over and over "I can shoot 100 yards (Or other blown our range) in my back yard on my bench" Well you may have a rest in the woods but it will never be as good as a bench, there are no twigs or branches hanging down in your way in your backyard range and a deer can be in the opposite direction it was when you released your arrow or bolt at 30 yards so how much do you think it will move above that range?

I am NOT anti-crossbow I am anti the stupidity that seems to run rampant with most of those that shoot them though. Respect what you are hunting regardless of the tool you hunt them with or get out of the frelling woods!

For my next rant we shall talk about those that say they can shoot right through a shoulder bone because they have a one piece construction head or maybe those that condone shooting for the spine with a bow or crossbow.

Or you could all just tell me how sexy I look in my camouflage.

Must be a thing where you live. Everyone I know has hunted with crossbows forever, none of them do
stuff like that. I shoot recurves and long bows, but I have hunted with crossbows and compounds in the past. Don't really care for them, only because I really enjoy shooting simple stuff.Just pick it up and shoot, like playing catch with a baseball.

Everyone I have talked with on the net that used them except the much older hunters say the same thing, it is a vast thing unfortunately and in all honesty a lot of it is from the crap they have been shown in movies, youtube videos and so on. Even some on TV with some of these guys, I no longer have TV because I no longer follow sports since they started the kneeling crap and then all the unethical crap I was beginning to see on the shows with the kill at all cost to sell my show garbage.

[the Ward]

^ Can't say I blame ya S.D, I pretty much only watch historical aircraft and ww2 stuff on you tube when I watch
any t.v. Some shooting stuff too for entertainment, don't watch any turkey hunting except for Claycomb
day by day series and old J.allen smith hunting africa stuff.

[Sir-diealot]

^ Can't say I blame ya S.D, I pretty much only watch historical aircraft and ww2 stuff on you tube when I watch
any t.v. Some shooting stuff too for entertainment, don't watch any turkey hunting except for Claycomb
day by day series and old J.allen smith hunting africa stuff.

I truly miss the history channel when it was still the history channel.

[fallhnt]

Crossguns for everyone in IL...it sucks.

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[Gooserbat]

Legal in Oklahoma

[Treerooster]

I just saw that here in Idaho, as of July 2022, one can now hunt upland game birds, including turkeys, with a crossbow. Didn't know that.

Question:

Is spring turkey hunting with a crossbow legal in your state?

If you spring hunt with a crossbow, what can you say about it? What's the ethical range? Any advantages or disadvantages? Crippling issues?

I've heard crossbow hunting in general has grown out east, but honestly I really don't know anything about it.

Back to the OP's question.

I hunt with a crossbow. I think I have taken about 15 gobblers with it over the years. I hunted the early spring turkey archery seasons in NE & KS and thought it would be almost like hunting with a shotgun...NOT.

A crossbow is awkward and heavy. If you move it slightly there is a lot of movement for a turkey to pick up on because it is so wide. Also hard to hold up on your knee for a good length of time. Getting a decent shot at a gobbler is much harder than a shotgun, mostly because of small vegetation that gets in the way. Plus I need the gobbler in a good position and still to take a shot. In other words an almost perfect scenario. I have called in quite a few gobblers that I could have shot with a shotgun but didn't take a shot with my crossbow. My range is less than with my shotgun too. Haven't shot a turkey over 25 yards with the crossbow yet and I don't know if I would take a 30 yard shot, such a small vital area and I just don't like the head shot with an arrow. I would rather have my shotgun tho, and switch to it as soon as firearm season kicks in.

Here is a link to a video on where to aim on a turkey with an arrow. There is an add that you can skip after a few seconds, and some kill shots in the beginning, but it gets pretty informative soon after. Worth a look if you are going to try and kill a gobbler with an arrow.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6blN4_l00b0