I've used to bow hunt back in my 20's into my early 30s. I'm 38 now, but have several issues with my neck. I've been dealing with it, with injections and chiropractors. Pretty soon I think Im going to have to bite the bullet and get a fusion done. My question is this, do you think I could break the bow out of storage? I'm considering getting a crossbow. Seems to me setting the crossbow would be just as bad as pulling a bow string back. I guess you wouldn't have to hold that tension though. I've read some other forums where people said hunting with a bow didn't bother their neck. Does anyone else have any experience with this? What did you do to overcome?

I think you would be ok. Back and shoulder muscles are going to be what you use the most. Liten up the draw weight on your bow and give it a try. Just take it slow.

When you talk about "take the bow out of storage" is it an older bow? Technology has changed quite a bit just in the past five years much more if it is older than that. They seemed to me a lot harder to pull back and hold. My advise is to look at or try shooting a newer bow.

I've been doing injections and therapy for two and a half years due to a collapsed disc and two more bulging ones in my neck. I finally quit the process 6 weeks ago. The only answer left is the fusion but the stretches help minimize the head aches so I am putting that off as long as possible. The pain is the least of my concerns. The lack of sensitivity in my trigger finger makes it a real surprise when the release does. But it has caused me to be more careful about where I have the trigger finger when. I have dropped to a 60lb draw but that is more about the shoulder reconstructions than the neck. Get you a smoother cam bow like an Elite and it will help. Having a little more valley to not have to deal with a jumpy cam is nice as well.

I cut off my fingers on hand and can't pull my bow any more got a crossbow with a crank and it takes about 5lb. To pull the string liked my bow, but the crossbow works great.

As a matter of fact my bow is older. I was speaking more metaphorically though. I don't want to go spending a bunch of money on a new bow just to find out it jacks up my neck. From a lot of the reading I've done though, a lot of people say it helped develop their muscles back in their shoulders and neck, even after fusions etc. I'm just wondering if I should put that new bow money into a crossbow instead.

I wouldn't do it. When I had a bow it would agitate a nerve in my shoulder neck. I was plenty strong , just the agitation got old causing me not to practice. So I recently I got a crossbow. I can draw it back with an assist or use the accudraw. Anybody can use the accudraw and if you truly have a back problem look into that kind of system

It's really up to you. I will use a compound bow as long as I can. Discomfort or no. When that time ends I will quit bowhunting. Hopefully that will coincide with the day I die. In fact I plan to pull out the recurve and start doing what I've talked about doing for years and get good with it. (or at least try) Like I say, pain just lets you know you are alive and that you've done something that a lasting affect.

I had invasive neck surgery from my C-2 to T-5. Between my shoulder blades from the base of my skull to midway down the middle of upper back. The surgery cost me a lot of lost motion from side to side and up and down. I lost a bunch of muscle and strength in my shoulders, arms etc.

I still bowhunt. I can no longer pull back on 70lbs though. I tamed it down to 60 and do ok. Play with it a bit and you should be ok.