>>267528So, the TL;DR highlights are this:
XBOW PROS
*Shorter learning curve (see cons)
*Well suited for cold months when heavy clothing may affect bow form
*Remains at the ready and cocked - no issues holding bow at draw. Good for those with shoulder injuries or other limitations that impair ability to draw bows of legal hunting poundage.
*Better aiming system than compound sights (within reason - marginal advantage, really)
XBOW CONS
*Heavy
*Front-heavy, ideally need a rest or lots of practice to shoot off-hand and kneeling
*Require more practice than many believe - false sense of confidence in weapon leads to poor, unethical shots (offsets perceived pro of ease)
*Not a magic ticket - still have to learn to hunt well enough to get in bow range
*Often expensive compared to a comparable bow by a few hundred dollars.
*Awkward to move with compared to bow.
*Remaining cocked when stalking presents safety/misfire/dryfire risks.
*LOUD compared to bow - game more likely to "jump the string" resulting in injury to animal and/or drawn-out death.
*Slow, awkward reload sequence. Much, MUCH slower and requires more motion than nocking another arrow and drawing. Unsafe to re-cock in a tree stand.
And, a personal con is that I don't find them anywhere near as enjoyable as a bow. They have their place in my arsenal, but all things being equal I'll always choose my bow.
If you have four years to prep for this, I'd encourage you to get a bow instead.
