Crossbows

[illini40]

Good evening

For those of you who crossbow hunt, what advice can you provide me in regards to shopping for a first crossbow?

I have only hunted deer with a shotgun, but I would like to try to hunt during archery season with a crossbow. I’m not sure where to even really start.

Are there any good options out there for around a $500 budget?

 

[olaf]

Crossbows are a lot better now than they were in the past. The $500 can go real fast, if you physically are unable to co k the bow you would need a crank system$ quiver$ bolts$ and a target that can stop the bolts$. I'm sure the bows in that price point shoot well but will have a cheap scope and other shortcomings that you may not like.

 

[chef jimmyj]

A Crossbow would be a blast to hunt with. I used to Bow Hunt. At the time, Crossbow was Restricted to Disabled Hunters. Good Luck in your new Adventure...JJ

 

[pineywoods]

Check this one out heck of a buy
TenPoint Titan CLS Crossbow Package with ACUdraw | Bass Pro Shops
Ten Point makes a very good crossbow Barnett also makes a good one my brother in law has been shooting a Barnett for around 15 years he just replaced his first one and actually gave it to his brother to use.

 

[smokerjim]

I bought a Barnett jackal package online through I think sportsman guide 5 years ago for 279.00, for me it works just fine yes it may be a Chevy and not a Cadillac but it gets the job done, got 4 deer with it so far. I'm comfortable shooting this 50 yards or less. Hope this helps

 

[gsurko]

I hunted with a crossbow once, once. I hate crossbows, they’re cumbersome, heavy, slow to reload , noisy and they encourage unethical hunting practices. They do launch a bolt at remarkable speeds and are incredibly accurate. I telescoped the first two bolts I shot in fact but this isn true archery. The skill required is next to nil thus encouraging the unwilling to learn to fling bolts at too far ranges thus wounding and crippling far too many deer. If you want to bow hunt get a bow and learn to shoot it. Archery is a rewarding activity, relaxing and fun, crossbows are just killing.

 

[crazymoon]

I'm a Tenpoint owner with no complaints.

 

[pineywoods]

I hunted with a crossbow once, once. I hate crossbows, they’re cumbersome, heavy, slow to reload , noisy and they encourage unethical hunting practices. They do launch a bolt at remarkable speeds and are incredibly accurate. I telescoped the first two bolts I shot in fact but this isn true archery. The skill required is next to nil thus encouraging the unwilling to learn to fling bolts at too far ranges thus wounding and crippling far too many deer. If you want to bow hunt get a bow and learn to shoot it. Archery is a rewarding activity, relaxing and fun, crossbows are just killing.

To each their own nobody forces you to hunt with a crossbow. Not all crossbows are heavy or cumbersome it depends on which model. As far as unethical I would bet there are just as many people taking unethical shots with a compound bow and a lot more with rifles, shotguns, and muzzle loaders. There is also the fact that some people have arm or elbow problems and can't pull a bow

 

[smokerjim]

To each their own nobody forces you to hunt with a crossbow. Not all crossbows are heavy or cumbersome it depends on which model. As far as unethical I would bet there are just as many people taking unethical shots with a compound bow and a lot more with rifles, shotguns, and muzzle loaders. There is also the fact that some people have arm or elbow problems and can't pull a bow

Agree totally with you piney , lots of people who enjoy the fall archery season that can't use regular bows for one reason or another can now enjoy it again. I hope my crossbow doesn't make me unethical though.

 

[rc4u]

so is this progress or progressive???? smooth bore to rifled or open sites to scoped. or all the $50 dollar accessories you put put on ur recurve bow or is a multi compound with cams and fluorescent sites, ect..left or right??. or just cause i dont you cant??? i hunted with 25# recurve in the day but then again i dont drive my '62 chevy cross country anymore. to many think they are the only one to have common sense..
quoted "I hunted with a crossbow once, once. I hate crossbows, they’re cumbersome, heavy, slow to reload , noisy and they encourage unethical hunting practices. They do launch a bolt at remarkable speeds and are incredibly accurate. I telescoped the first two bolts I shot in fact but this isn true archery. The skill required is next to nil thus encouraging the unwilling to learn to fling bolts at too far ranges thus wounding and crippling far too many deer. If you want to bow hunt get a bow and learn to shoot it. Archery is a rewarding activity, relaxing and fun, crossbows are just killing."

 

[chef jimmyj]

30 years ago the 70 pound initial draw of my PSE Compound Bow was nothing. Now, I would need a Crossbow and drawing assist tool. But I didn't take any shots I was not 100% confident would be in the vitals and 30 yards or less, my practice distance.
I didn't take stupid shots then and having a Crossbow would not change that...JJ

 

[motocrash]

I've got an old school Barnett recurve so I can't be of much help. Your budget seems low for the modern day models.
They are a blast to shoot. I have fond memories of bullfrog hunting at dusk from canoe on Goose Creek. Locate croaker, paddle upstream, orient boat, grab old school 6 v top handle flashlight with left hand, grab crossbow, all the while drifting up on said croaker.....skewer'em to the bank. Fresh frog legs over campfire, still twitching.

 

[TNJAKE]

Add me to the list of unethical folks who can no longer pull a compound back!

Good luck on your search. Lot of nice ones out there

 

[mike243]

Been shooting a Barnett for a lot of years till I retired from flinging sticks at em, xbows been around a lot longer than any rifle, I just shootem with something that goes bang these days lol I would buy another Barnett if I needed 1

 

[Murdy]

I picked up a Horton crossbow on Ebay after the original company went out of business. It works fine, though I've recently upgraded to a Ten Point. There are plenty out there in your price range.

I've heard many times that guns don't kill people, people do. I guess that doesn't work with Xbows, they make you take unethical shots.

 

[illini40]

Thank you, very much, for all of the replies. I appreciate it.

A couple of questions that come to mind:

- I think that I prefer rope cocking, rather than a crank system. I do not have any concerns of drawing it. Are there any other points I should consider, regard rope vs. crank, if I am comfortable pulling the rope?

- How much emphasis should I put on the speed (feet per second)? I see some new models 425+ FPS. But, then I also see plenty at 350 or so.

- Are there certain features/etc. that you would suggest I really consider, beyond price and cocking mechanism?

- Do you cock your crossbow before walking into your stand/blind? I’m thinking that trying to cock the crossbow in a tree stand would be fairly tricky.

For context, I would be whitetail hunting typically from a stand/elevated blind. I am comfortable committing to taking only good shots at 50 yards and in.

 

[illini40]

Check this one out heck of a buy
TenPoint Titan CLS Crossbow Package with ACUdraw | Bass Pro Shops
Ten Point makes a very good crossbow Barnett also makes a good one my brother in law has been shooting a Barnett for around 15 years he just replaced his first one and actually gave it to his brother to use.

Thanks for sharing this. This does look like a good price point for a Ten Point. However, I was surprised to only see 350 FPS. Seems like a lot of other crossbows are shooting much faster now. How big of a deal is that?

 

[GaryHibbert]

Thanks for sharing this. This does look like a good price point for a Ten Point. However, I was surprised to only see 350 FPS. Seems like a lot of other crossbows are shooting much faster now. How big of a deal is that?

Since your max shot will be 50 yards (150 feet), a bolt moving at 350 fps will only take just under half a second to arrive at target. If you make a noise before you shoot, the deer will freeze longer than that.
Gary

 

[forktender]

Some people would say that all hunting with anything other than a rifle is unethical.
To those people I say kiss my unethical @$$, I don't care what they think about how I fill my freezer with healthy food.

 

[pineywoods]

Thanks for sharing this. This does look like a good price point for a Ten Point. However, I was surprised to only see 350 FPS. Seems like a lot of other crossbows are shooting much faster now. How big of a deal is that?

I'm not sure about the speeds on any of them I've shot some that claim to be over 400 FPS and didn't really notice any difference. I know the Ten Points and the Barnett's and the Horton's have all taken a lot of deer and they are all capable of doing the job. That being said it does seem at times a deer will "jump the string" using any type bow.
I have a surgically repaired elbow and have a hard time cocking a crossbow even with the rope cocker so the crank device sure is needed, I think with age many find the crank a nice option as well. Practice time is also a nice time to have the crank system and some will even use a cordless drill to make that even easier. Personally I think you practice with the bow a lot and figure out what the farthest your comfortable shooting is. I know a few people that say they are comfortable shooting out to 60 yards and some say 50 and others 40 I think practice and common sense will tell you what your range should be.
We as I think most cock any system other than the crank one before climbing the stand or going up the tree in a climber and use a rope to pull it up and once comfortably in the stand and ready to hunt put the bolt in. If we don't fire at anything while in the stand we remove the bolt and lower it with said rope then once back at camp put a practice bolt in and fire into a target we have set up.
As far as what to look for I personally want something over 175 lb draw and something that is comfortable for me. As was said some bows feel heavy and cumbersome so find one that fits you.
sorry for the long reply