Crossbow resource

[William Yanda]

I am investigating crossbows for whitetail hunting. Anybody here got any good resources for investigating the details of the sport?

[richhodg66]

I used to be a die hard purist where archery was concerned, wouldn't touch a crossbow. Kansas started allowing them during the archery season a few years ago and after being so busy with work I had few days to hunt (Kansas has a very long archery season and very short gun season) I broke down and bought one, a Barnett, think it's a 175 lb draw weight.

Forst off, it is not the equal of any kind of rifle, there are those who will tell you it's a 100 yard weapon, NOT! Inside of 35-40 yards, which is how I hunt, it is pretty effective. I killed a small buck my first morning out with it, and two good bucks the next two years. I didn't get it out last year. They are very powerful, the first one I shot was almost straight down from a 16' high tree stand and it went all the way through his chest an buried itself completly in the ground underneath.

I replaced the red dot thing that came with it with a conventional scope. You may like a red dot, but I couldn't get used to it.

[trapper9260]

richhodge66 you got it right on some thinking of about a rifle they are not. and yes it is not for 100 yards ,I use my not normal over 40 yards, I hunt from the ground. no tree stand. it works for me . I got a old Barnett that is 130 lb draw then later got a Ten Point after my Barnett was taken when out looking for a deer I was looking for ,The TenPoint was 135 lb pull. I made sure the both had a hand crank for the string. The first one I had to add on it and the 2nd one came with it. I use the sites that I had to get was a ladder site and the other one had it but lite up for the lighting for when I need it to be by turn the knob. I did got the 1st one back after the county Game Warden show up with it and I had to have it repair, I use fix broad heads on my that is 125 grs.

[richhodg66]

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I had a good run for three years with the crossbow. I need to get it back out this Fall, and I really need to work with it more.

[725]

I was a compound guy with a growing interest in longbows & recurves until I wrecked my wrist. Thinking crossbows were my only hope, I bought a Canadian crossbow that was a straight recurve on a crossbow frame. Wow. Shoots like a rifle and is incredibly accurate. Had to get used to the very limited distances associated with crossbows because of the light weight of the bolts used. They bleed energy quickly even thought they really hit the gate running. Excalibre is the brand name and I highly recommend them.

[Brokenbear]

WY: ..been crossbowing for near 20 years due to gone shoulders ..here are some things that i believe are pretty good parameters :
The above comments all have good stuff ...my 2 cents ..start with 350 to 375 FPS ..above those speeds cost lots of $$ and the material difference in added range is minimal at best plus .. I've never ever NOT had a pass thru on a deer with range of harvest from 6 to 41 yards ..average is 17 yards on 27 deer ...THE even bigger pain than cost for 400FPS + bows is repair/maintenance and equipment failures of various sorts (limbs,strings,triggers etc) which are under tremendous stress/strain as you can imagine to deliver 400FPS "honest velocities" ...notice i say honest velocities because.. some makers will use a very light arrow to attain an advertised feet per second ..a 400 to 425gain arrow flying 350/375 FPS will go thru a broadside deer and bury deep in dirt to boot.. I never shoot anything but broadside deer out of respect for the animal ..I started on the old original Horton crossbows ..still have every one of them ..325/340 ..but Horton (original) dies and the name has been taken over by one of the big name bow makers and they use it for their "beginner/economy" entry level bows ..I am now shooting a cheapie Centerpoint Sniper 370 ..It will sling a 435grain (total weight) Easton aluminum w/100GR broadhead at 360FPS ...PSE also has a similar bow that is also relatively trouble free also ..My Sniper is light and trouble free ..I keep looking for an excuse to buy one of the big names for 2 to 4 times the money but the deer just don't seem to know the difference ;-)

The scopes that come with the bows whether cheap or high $$ bows to some extent are not always a positive ..I have HAWKE brand range compensating scopes on every one of my crossbows ...

Things change fast ..I have not researched crossbows n optics in 2 years ..so just start reading "crosbow nation" and the crossbow section in "archery talk" to see whats what today ..FOR SURE know quality and quality control ebbs and flows ..and every one of them (manufacturers) to some degree have had bad models/bad years/bad customer service cycles etc ..so you will need to do your own "make your case" research

Last.. your physical condition as well as your method of hunting will determine your need for a mechanical cocker(crank) ..hand re-cocking a crossbow in a tree stand can be a real adventure for example ..and even if not high in a tree ..pulling cold ..no loose up on a 180+ pound pull gets dumber and dumber as you age ..at age 73 I can do it but it's not worth it I assure you!

It's great to just get nose to nose with nature and I assure you that you do not have to spend big $$ to have great results

Enjoy
Bear

[richhodg66]

I hunt almost exclusively from tree stands. I walk in before dawn and even though I hate making any movement or noise once in the stand, I always walk in with it unloaded and uncocked and do that as soon as I'm in and have my safety harness connected.

Mine has a safety feature that won't let it fire with a bolt nocked, I still don't trust it. Mine has a pull rope with T handles on each end and two hooks that grab the string. You put your foot through a stirrup on the front, the rope goes through a channel on the back of the "receiver" and you pull it up until it clicks. Leverage works for you and someone a lot weaker than me wouldn't have a problem doing it, but I really doubt I could just grab that bow string and pull it back until it locked.

[Rick Hodges]

https://www.crossbownation.com/
Its a forum dedicated to crossbows and crossbow hunting.
I own two Excalibur crossbows. They are recurve bows, one rated at 355fps. the other at 305fps. They launch 400gr. arrows at 329 and 301 fps as my bows are set up.

I have pass throughs with both bows, the longest was at 31 yds. with the slower bow. Both are adequate for hunting inside 40 yds. I rarely get a shot even approaching that where I hunt. I don't feel they are any longer ranged, for ethical hunting, than a compound bow.

[RU shooter]

Another vote for crossbow nation I got mine a few years back it's a Parker and since gone outa business, one thing I can say about crossbows, their deadly accurate and easy to shoot compared to regular bows mine has a dot sight with 3 dots for range, at 50 yds hitting a3-4" target is routine it's like shooting a gun The only downfall to them for me anyways they are loud in comparison to a decent compound and not really much to do to quiet them down just nature of the beast

[Thumbcocker]

I hunted with a Parker for several years. Got a Ravin last year and it is awesome. Got 2 turkeys with it; deer did not cooperate. Crossbows are scary accurate and quiet. They will grow on you. Illinois archery deer kills have gone up since crossbows were legalized and, while I don't have data on this, I am sure that the number of lost deer has dropped. Crossbows allow for better accuracy for the average hunter and better shot placement. I could easily hunt the rest of my days with just a crossbow east of the Mississippi.

[pertnear]

Modern crossbows technology is relatively new & is still evolving. The new crop of xbows each year are faster, more accurate & more convenient to operate. High-end models are quite expensive but coming down. The good thing is that xbow's growing market makes used & prior-year's models a real bargain. I say start with a quality used or clearance priced model. If you really get into the sport, & you will after your first kill, you may want to upgrade. But as I unfortunately found out too late, you really should have 2 xbows in case of a problem.

My other suggestion is always remember that xbows are still short range weapons & arrows can't keep up with a bullet. A quiet xbow has not been invented yet. An archery shot within 25 yds is still ideal no matter the bow.

[NSB]

Sent you a PM with some info

[SSGOldfart]

My Excalibur is dead on,and they make a easy to use handcrank too. A 330 fps.( Rated) will sling a 400 grain bolt at 355 fps,it's scoped and works well at 35-40 yards( my limit with just one hand) very easy to use. I'm planning to upgrade this year before deer season,( I Just wish the state of Colorado would allow crossbows during Archery Elk Season at least for the handicapped hunters).Guess I'll just have to keep hunting whitetail deer here in Texas.

[jcren]

The stock bolts will be ultra light to meet the factory speed rating, but carry little energy. Throw them in the trash or save em for squirrels. Buy quality shafts and fit with the heavy brass or steel inserts, omni-nocks allow you to load any fletch down without string slip and a quality fixed blade 125+ grain broadhead. Mechanicals will not survive these energy levels. Buddy of mine and my brother in law have both lost deer to cheap mechanicals shedding their blades and poking a hole. My wifes little 125 pound recurve crossbow hits like a hammer with slick trick standard or dirt nap single bevels.

Btw, my BIL has a ten point, and it is an impressive piece of hardware for the money.

[William Yanda]

Sent you a PM with some info

Generous offer NSP. I got both PM's. I sent you my phone number, let's make it happen. I'll bring lunch.
If PM's aren't getting through to you, please try email.
Thanks again!

[NSB]

Generous offer NSP. I got both PM's. I sent you my phone number, let's make it happen. I'll bring lunch.
If PM's aren't getting through to you, please try email.
Thanks again!
I’ll call you tonight. My old computer died and I’m struggling with this Apple IPad. I’m just starting to figure it out.

[mickbr]

Its a good sport as long as you dont mind being part of a space race. Aka its a developing market, varying quality and design limits being pushed to maximum, frequent warranty returns as competing brands push new models onto the market for each season and basically use their customers as beta testers.

I am not being overly critical I have just seen the difference in the market over more than 2 decades. Buying one in the 90's and 2000's meant you got your steady 300-350fps with reliable big limbed bows that last forever and shot to a dime, and the few US and Canadian companies ruled quality.

By the 2010's there were multiple competing brands all chasing power and small size at any cost . More power into smaller limbs meant even with advances in materials, things began to snap more often. GFC also occurred meaning a lot of components or even complete bows got outsourced to china to make profits. The advent of compound crossbows in the mid 2010's those design limits were pushed even further.

There are some very impressive bows pushing blistering speed these days dont get me wrong, and their exponents will tell you how 'easy and rewarding' the sport is. But its worth pointing out to 'gun people' it aint like buying a gun. You are buying something the majority of which, including the areas storing energy, are not steel but degradable, flexible materials. Its when you see a new 450fps bow released , and check on crossbow forums and discover people recommending a hairdrier to melt/deform and remould various parts to get it accurate, you realise being part of the 'space race' may not be for everyone.

The latest generations are less bothered by the continual warranty returns. You hear it on forums a millions times a week for a variety of items. " My xyz broke when I got it BUT great customer service by the company to send me another rightaway". To my generation thats not customer service. Customer service in the day meant the salesman smiled politely while he faciliated your sale. You never had to talk to the company again because the item worked for the next 4 decades.

Not to put you off, just be prepared for all suggestions. My personal view is pick some middle of the road, proven bow that has lasted a few seasons without being majorly overhauled by the company, until you get the hang off things. That 350-370fps still beats 99.99% of vertical bows, it will go right through big game all the way and game hasnt gotten any tougher in the last 10 years. Then decide how far you want to go.

[William Yanda]

NSP asked via phone call: "What makes you interested in Crossbow Archery?"
Several things, but I think mostly parallels with the attraction to cast boolits. The roll your own aspect of arrow making, maintenance of the crossbow itself, possibility of making strings, sight choice etc.
Something else to keep me from frequenting bars and chasing women now that I am retired.