I was all set to go out for my first time hunting last year in firearm season, went to the hunter safety class etc and was about as ready as a newbie could be. Unfortunately the guy I was going with had an illness in the family and we were not able to fit anything into the tight firearm season window.

This year I want to expand that window with a bow. My only experience with bows was shooting a Parker Enforcer 160 crossbow at Cabelas (I liked it a lot), and then struggling like all hell to use a new Bear compound bow belonging to another forum member. This elicited much ribbing as I could not pull the string back all the way, the 2 times I did manage it I found shooting the arrow where I wanted easy enough, but it was hell to pull it past the breaking point (correct term?). Maybe the reach and poundage were just all wrong for me, I don't know.
My wife is heartily encouraging me to get which ever I want, but I don't know which to get.

Crossbow- Pros?
-Easy enough to cock it.
-Has a trigger so makes it a whole lot easier as it's a more familiar feel.
-Cock it and wait for the right shot to come to me.
-Red dot or scope could offer me better shot accuracy.
Cons?
-If I screw a shot up it's going to take time to nock another bolt.
-I perceive there being a stigma about hunting with a crossbow.

Compound Bow- Pros?
-I have seen that many view using a compound or longbow as a purer form of hunting (although to quote another forum member, "Can the deer shoot back? So is any of it really sporting?")
-If I screw a shot up I can nock another arrow relatively quickly with practice.
Cons?
- A seasoned hunter told me he recently switched to a crossbow from a compound as he said pulling the string back and waiting for the shot to come to him could take an eternity and then his arms might be too tired to let off a good shot.


I guess at this point I have a heavy leaning to the crossbow, I've always kind of wanted one even before I considered going hunting, and maybe my negative experience with that 1 compound bow bolstered it, but I would like to hear some unbiased opinions and input from those of you way more seasoned and knowledgeable on these things than I.