CROSSBOW HUNTING PROs & CONs ?

[hunterdan]

Another thing to keep in mind is, are you hunting from a tree or the ground? Hunting from a tree can make cocking a crossbow with the rope a bit more difficult since there's little room to do so. The nice thing about my crossbow with acudraw is, I can leave it mounted in the tripod or resting on the rail and crank it back with minimal effort. The killer instinct I had, the crank was junk. It was hard to crank with the 200 pound draw and once nearly broke my hand when the ratchet mechanism pin backed out.

[27hand]

I'm on my second 10 point Wiched Ridge.
First was the Invader that I shot at a Cabelas.
Sales guy showed me how to cock it and they had a 10 yd practice range. I would look into an archery store that allows you to try a few.
Invader was listed as 330 ft IIRC and it put down every deer I aimed at except one. That one was on me as a quartering to shot that I should have been more patient.
I think that was around 400.

I got the 10 pt wicked ridge FX4 listed as 370 with carbons.
I've used Spitfire 100s mechanical opening heads since my Golden Eagle evolution.

Last 3 years with the FX4.
A decent 8, decent 9 and a nontypical 14 along with a doe 2 of those years.

As previously posted, I wish I started earlier.

[bogey1]

Mind your thumb.

[Gunplummer]

I don't hunt with a crossbow, but know a couple guys that do. They don't complain, so I guess crossbows are OK.

[jakebrake]

Mind your thumb.

Words to live by right there.

[aubie515]

I own crossbows and compound bow and will say the only "con" with a crossbow is that they are louder than a compound bow, and that won't matter at archery ranges.

With a crossbow, it does not require you to be proficient all year long as with a compound.

I like Mission crossbows because you can change strings/cables without having to purchase a press. Mission also offers the RDA crank and it's silent if you have an issue cocking the crossbow. Many of the cranks out there are not silent.

If you like a recurve crossbow, Excalibur or Middleton if you can find one.

A huge pro for crossbows is that you can keep it cocked all day and in the ready position.

I would avoid Barnett as they have been in the crossbow business for years, but they make sub par products. If you want cheap, the CenterPoint or PSE Fang are great choices. Just replace the optic as those package deals just like with rifle package deals come with cheap optics.

You don't need 400FPS speeds to kill a PA Whitetail. My Mission "SniperLite" is a 300FPS crossbow that kills.

[Gunowner99]

I like my Specialist 370. Great price and accurate. I agree with Grim Reapers and Eagle Executioners.

[ItchyTick]

I have a wicked ridge 10 point. At 20 yds if you aim at the same spot you will wreck arrows, no problem with accuracy. However, It is loud! I won't take a shot over 30 yards because of the chance of deer jumping the arrow. Only crossbow I've hunted with, but my compounds were all much quieter.

This is the same crossbow I have.

Every crossbow I have tried was louder than my former compound bows.

The deer I killed 2 years ago was at 40 yds, and it looked up, but didn't matter as the Rage mechanical broadhead dropped it in less than 20 ft.

[bigandy1966]

+1 on rage mechanical broadheads.

[Yoder]

Even with a rope they aren't that hard to cock.