CROSSBOW HUNTING PROs & CONs ?

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

I have Bowhunted over 50 yars with Compound Bows,Given Arthritis and Strenght I am considering a Croosbow they start at $ 299 and go high up but dont want to invest more the $ 399 .Pros and Cons and sucess rate without just injuring a deer and ability to cock the crossbow itself. Any Hunters here with experience. I have been an exceptional Archer over the years with my Compound and a League shooter with a PSE/Citation Target bow also.

[Qtrborecrazy]

MDT, I can*t help with the 400 dollar limit but I can help others. I bought a Mission 320 and it*s an excellent crossbow and I paid 720 bucks for it. Grim Reaper mechanical broad heads and Eagle executioner bolts.

[Deerminator]

Currently have 2 Barnetts that are cocked with a rope cocker. Just got the Whitetail Hunter STR for my 13yo. They're both dead nuts accurate. They are 175lbs draw weight so it does take some strength to cock. I would recommend looking into a crank if strength is a concern. Also, the cocker makes it easier to unload after coming out of the field. We carry a target with us to unload when back at the truck, but that's one more thing to lug around.

[hunterdan]

Here's my .02. Check the classifieds, let go, etc. Look for a higher end used crossbow. The cheaper 299 bows work, but watch the draw weights. Many of the cheap ones will exceed 200 pounds to get the competitive speeds of 400+ fps. Look for a bow with acudraw or acudraw pro. You can crank it back, with the built in crank and not have to take the crank mechanism off before every shot. Something like the wicked ridge rampage 360 can be had with the acudraw 50 or acudraw. New, the price is a bit higher than 400, but its a usa made bow. If you look around, you can probably find a lightly used one for $300 or so. If you can kill it with a compound, you can kill it with a crossbow. My success rate is much higher with the crossbow. Last year I connected on every deer I shot, and everything was recovered. The same physics and principles of archery hunting still apply to the crossbow. You hit them in the right spot and avoid dense bone, you'll have success.

[Roland45]

" If you can kill it with a compound, you can kill it with a crossbow."
I agree 100 %.
find one that you can cock without over extending your back / shoulders. being able to cock the xbow with a rope cocker without raising you hands over you shoulders every time you want to fire it is, to me, a key issue. i am 5'6", in my mid 50s, and i have buddys that are my size that have gotten xbows that they would have to stand on a foot stool to cock. after 5 or 6 shots i can see them struggling with cocking. some can be nose heavy, put your hand on as many as you can, shoulder them, think about climbing in and out of a tree stand with it. and find out who much pull you need to cock it.
my parker feels nose heavy to me, but its an older model, it shoots carbons aroung 330 fps, aluminum around 300fps. i have never lost a deer due to bolt speed.
hope this helps

[bigandy1966]

Carbon express Pile Driver
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/carb...ossbow-package Read the reviews some douche double posted
I have a CE Blade I got on sale some years ago, I wish I had started X bow sooner. Stupid accurate. Shot a deer last year opening day, dropped in its shadow
Practice a lot with it and you should be GTG use the rope cocker
Draw backs?
I wish I started sooner

[jakebrake]

I have a Carbon Express, I do not remember the model name. I will have to look it up for you. The Bow itself works great. The trigger absolutely sucks.

Over the weekend, I bought a Killer Instinct lethal. trigger breaks like glass. However, it's 210 lb draw weight vs if I remember right 150 for the carbon.
That hundred and fifty or a hundred 75 lb draw weight I have on the carbon there's not really feel like a hundred fifty to a hundred and seventy-five pounds with a rope Cocker. Look to see if you can find one with a crank attachment. Some folks really love the cranks.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

Lots of good info here.Main concern is can I cock the X bow ! I will also see a few friends that have a X bow and get to cock it and shoot it.I have no doubt now that they are very accurate.TY for all the input and advice . MDT

[Qtrborecrazy]

When you gonna be a Toby again, I*ll bring my mission and see if you can cock it?

[daddy]

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.