Just bought my first crossbow

[Kingcreek]

I always said I would give up hunting if I couldn’t pull my bow. But I caved in and got a crossbow.
The Illinois whitetail deer are looking great this year, healthier and more of them than I’ve ever seen. Archery tags are available over the counter and cheap.
I saw a bass pro ad and was going to order but found it even better price at Midway. Retail $749 paid $539 and will get a $100 mfg rebate. Bought the Centerpoint 430 fps and holy crap is this thing fast!
I’m still working with getting it dialed in then I’ll try the broadheads but it’s like shooting a rifle. Even has a good trigger.
I’m feeling good about filling the freezer this year. I got one of my best hunting spots back to myself after several years of “sharing” it with the farm renter’s a-hole son and his drinking buddies. The owner switched renters and told the new renter that I have permission and no one else is to hunt it. I get along great with him and he wants as many deer taken out of there as possible.

[230RN]

...

I’m still working with getting it dialed in then I’ll try the broadheads but it’s like shooting a rifle. Even has a good trigger.
I’m feeling good about filling the freezer this year. I got one of my best hunting spots back to myself after several years of “sharing” it with the farm renter’s a-hole son and his drinking buddies. The owner switched renters and told the new renter that I have permission and no one else is to hunt it. I get along great with him and he wants as many deer taken out of there as possible.

May I but touch the hem of your robe?

Terry, 230RN

REF (Bible):
touch the hem of (someone's) robe
To express one's respect, fealty, awe, subjection, or reverence to someone else. An illusion (sic: allusion) to the Biblical story of a woman who was healed by Jesus after she surreptitiously touched the hem of his garment.

[Kingcreek]

Uh sure I guess. I don’t wear my robe out in public very often. And never while hunting.
I always said someday I would shoot a deer from my porch in my underwear and socks but you may not touch my underwear. Sorry but I have boundaries.

[230RN]

Heh.  Agreed.  Figurative.  Some versions of the Bible have it as "garment," others as "cloak."  The common expression of the concept is "robe."

I got one of those 80 lb self-cocking pistol crossbows some years ago and testing revealed that for target purposes, it was "too powerful" since if the target was soft (cardboard and newpapers), the little shortie bolts would penetrate completely and strip the fletching off, and if the target was hard (plywood), it would destroy the piles.  Range, maybe ten or twelve yards.  I bought a crapload of extra bolts for it since both the piles and the fletching screwed onto the shaft, but I couldn't buy extras of just those parts.

The sights were excellent visually, but fragile mechanically, and I had to exchange the first one for this reason.  Some aspects of handling the crossbow would damage the sights if one wasn't careful.

I didn't have a practical use for it, it was just a playtoy for mechanical understanding, and I parked it in a closet and haven't played with it since.  I can see a practical use for it in controlling dangerous small predators (coyotes, e.g.) silently (pretty much) around the house or campsite, but creeping around the woods with it would have been awkward since parts stick out of it at all angles, and of course at the time crossbows would not have been legal for legitimate game.  (I don't know what the current status is for full sized crossbows Colorado DOW-wise. Hell, IIRC it was like pulling teeth to get them to OK mechanical string releases for archery hunting.)

So: pistol crossbow:  Fun, impractical for any game purposes, possibly OK for silent "control" <ahem> of small nuisance species.

Terry, 230RN

[Kingcreek]

Illinois went from crossbows during archery deer season only with disability letter, to over age 60, to anyone after firearm season. Now it’s legal for anyone on any archery tag anytime during season.
They have become very popular.
Unfortunately a lot of slob hunters have now taken up crossbow deer hunting without ever using vertical bows. Because the tags are cheap and unlimited OTC, and the season is long (Oct 1- mid Jan).

[Hawkmoon]

I have had a firearms hunting license for years, but never managed to connect with the required extra class to get the archery license. The gun cklub I belong to just set up an archery licensing class, which I'll be taking in September. After that I'll have the license. I'm looking forward to the class. Should be interesting.

[230RN]

When "manner of taking" finally allowed handguns for deer, I volunteered to be a proficiency tester for the DOW since I had my own range.  I forget the requirements; W shots in X inches at Y yards with Z foot-pounds handguns.

I haven't looked at a DOW brochure in detail in two decades, but it looks like extensive examinations for hunting are required nowadays.  I took the Hunter Education Class with my son in the late 1980s even though because of my age at the time, I did not have to take it.

Without delving into today's requirements, I was already at that time gathering the slight impression that the DOW really doesn't like deer hunting in this state, but that probably just marks the beginning of progressive geriatric paranoia on my part.

Same old story... give them the power to regulate and sure as hell they actually go ahead and regulate.

Seems like if someone stubs a toe while hunting, they'll dream up a requirement for steel toed shoes.  I know, I know, but that's just an exaggeration for the sake of illustration.

Terry, 230RN

REF (Sample.  I didn't actually look this over, just a URL for your convenience):
https://www.hunter-ed.com/colorado_exam/

[Kingcreek]

I think Illinois adopted an online hunter safety course during Covid.
I’m old enough I never had to take one but I’ve hunted in at least 7 states over many years.