Crossbow ?

[Smok]

Here is something good http://rudderbows.com/crossbowkit.html

[spiritman]

I have similar instructions for a rubber band gun around here somewhere....

[Beo]

Crossbows were invented by people not good enough with a longbow.

[carpet_ninja]

im interested in making some kind of crossbow i wouldn't be able to do it any time soon tho.

i dont know how i would tip my bolts tho

[Proud American]

Id like to introduce you to a great invention......a gun!Think about it.

In all seriosness a cross bow could be quite useful, especialy if you stink with a bow(like me),but this is a kit and youd be hard pressed to make one in the wild with this as your template, but if you know how to make a crossbow out of things you find in the woods tell me about it seriously.

[Rick]

Proud and Ninja,

I'm not too keen on a crossbow. I've said in other posts that I'm not too keen on active hunting if I don't have to. I prefer to set snares and/or fish traps and let them do the work for me. That way I can conserve my energy, my resources (you lose bolts if you miss) and still be able to capture protein. I don't want to take down big game in a survival situation because then I have the problem of storing large amounts of meat.

If you live a primitive lifestyle or hunt, and specifically want to take larger game with a bow (or gun) then that's a different issue altogether.

Always try to keep in mind, how can I make the least do the most. In other words, carry items that have multiple uses so you aren't loaded down with items that only perform a specific task. Weight is important. To me, a crossbow is a single purpose item that justs ads weight to my pack.

[Proud American]

I know you like traps and snares better. Just that snares wont protect you against a bear. Wait, I know stay away from Bears and they wont bother you gun or no gun I dont want to get mixed up with a bear anyway.But Rick the thread is crossbows not traps.Just bein annoyin, acorss your right but a gun has more uses then a cross bow so Im still right, but you cant neccesarily make a gun out of natural materials wich is why id take the crossbow if Smok or anyone knew how to make them from scratch.So basssicly thats it, dont bagg on me though spiritman was talkin about a rubberband gun lol.I know you were just helping me and Ninja out thanks for the info Rick

[Rick]

Proud - Crossbows is the subject. Both you and Carpet Ninja expressed an interest in them. My point is that for most individuals, crossbows are next to useless. I understand the fascination. I think they are pretty high on the "cool meter" myself but pretty low on practicality. I'm not trying to hammer on either of you. I"m trying to teach. If I came across too strong, my apologies. That wasn't my intent.

A couple of things to keep in mind. Where I live, I am the top of the food chain. Bunny rabbits and possums don't kill and eat people. So I have little to fear other than my own stupidity, an accident, or other people. While I do carry a weapon for protection when I'm in the field, its caliber is based on the environment I'm in. If I were in Smok's Rocky Mountains or in AK or Canada for example, then I would make some changes in the weapon because I could be on food chain. If I meet up with a bear or another top predator and it looks like I can't avoid being on the menu then I want something a whole lot more substantial than a single bolt in my shaking hands. The odds of being able to cock a crossbow and re-arm it for a second shot are pretty slim in my mind and I want to do a lot more than just make the predator angry. A bear is a very fast animal. He can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. So can a mountain lion.

Which comes back to practicality. I can also use that weapon as a distress signal if I'm in a survival situation. Remember that three of anything is a distress signal so three shots could get someone's attention. I could also use the black powder from a bullet to start a fire. The crossbow doesn't offer any of those conveniences so I'm back to a single use instrument as I indicated above.

Hunting with a crossbow is either banned, heavily restricted or restricted to those with disabilities in many locations across the U.S. and Canada. Only about 8 U.S. states and Ontario (I think those numbers are correct) allow hunting with a crossbow without some heavy restrictions so its practicality is further reduced by legislation.

As for making an expedient crossbow in the field, you would expend a lot of energy creating something of little value when something more practical (long bow for example) could more easily and readily be made or if you're just lazy like me, you can let your snares and fish traps do the work for you.

In the end, crossbows are dangerous to play around with and of little value in the field for most people. Those are just my thoughts for a couple of young guys just learning survival skills.

[Proud American]

Thanks Rick as always.O BTW i am against crossbows any way rather have a gun, and you are so right about that makin the bear angry.Sorry lame hypothetical argument, but just to put your mind at ease if you see a teenager in the woods with a crossbow it wont be me. Ill be the kid packin a M240 SAW......jk!No bear can handle that(I dont think I CAN handle that gun its big)!

[Sarge47]

I always thought a cross bow was a bow that got angry...you know..."cross"..."angry"...no?

[Rick]

Don't you hate it when the dog sleeps all day then gets up confused?

[FVR]

The problem with crossbows are that many of those that use them, take rifle distance shots with what is basically a cocked and locked compound bow.

Distance on the crossbow is the same as that of a compound and should be adhered to. When the big outdoors companies made a push for the use of compounds for hunting deer, I was one of those that wrote letters to a variety of reps and papers, matter of fact, a few got published in the Ga and Md local papers.

As I've grown older and somewhat wiser, I've realized that it's not the equipment one uses to hunt, but rather the hunter. If it's legal, though I may not use it, I can justifiably sit across the fire from someone and discuss many topics. But usually the stickbow shooter is the brunt of humorous jokes.

As a society of some hunters, we are getting away from the art, yes art of hunting for what is really harvesting. You may be against the crossbow, that is a tool. Why not speak out against the guy who leases land, feeds them corn, grain, and vietamin suppliments to grow them to trophy size, then hides behing a blind waiting for the critter to come to a food plot. He then justifies his manhood by the size of the headgear.

That's my rant.

[corndog-44]

Here in Indiana crossbows legal only in late archery season and only for anterless deer.

[Rick]

Hmmm. Not certain if that was directed at my post or not. If it was, I tried to take great pains to differentiate between a 13 year old's fascination with a crossbow and someone that is a serious hunter and chooses it as his weapon of choice. I also tried to point out the differences in survival options between the cross bow and a fire stick.

If it wasn't directed at my post....never mind.

Corndog. If you carry a hack saw, all deer are antlerless. (duh)

[corndog-44]

Rick, you gotta cut the antlers off while it's still running wild and free before you shoot it...good luck to ya on that .

[toasta]

my dad has one of those exactly like that in storage. I know cause i shot my brother with it.

[corndog-44]

my dad has one of those exactly like that in storage. I know cause i shot my brother with it.

With a crossbow?

[spiritman]

or the rubberband gun?

[Sarge47]

my dad has one of those exactly like that in storage. I know cause i shot my brother with it.

I'm making my list, hmmm, let's see: Ate Poison Oak, fell down an embankment,
found a bullet buried in his multi-tool with no idea how it got there, shot his brother with a cross-bow, real name is Chris, Nick-name is "Lucky".

[Jay]

I'm making my list, hmmm, let's see: Ate Poison Oak, fell down an embankment,
found a bullet buried in his multi-tool with no idea how it got there, shot his brother with a cross-bow, real name is Chris, Nick-name is "Lucky".

If I had a list like that tacked to my name...I'd get clean outta town!!