Crossbows shoot a lighter arrow than your Hoyt. Also a lot noisier due to the heavy draw weight/arrow weight. All of that energy has to go somewhere and translates to noise. Even the fastest crossbow or compound cannt come near the speed of sound, so the deer hear the bow noise 3 times faster than the arrow gets there. You can help the crossbow by shooting an aluminum bolt and heavier broadhead. Initial speed will be less, but retained energy will be more. And a bit quieter.
If you sight both for 20 yards and then shoot 50 with that sight setting, you will see that the compond will hit slightly higher due to retained energy.
I am not a fan of mechanicals as the blades are thinner and can bend more easily due to their design. They are unsupported once they open. And the mechanicals take a lot more energy to open up as they hit the hide.
