Crossbows for hunting?????

Code54 · Jun 5, 2015

Here in WV they recently decided to allow crossbows for hunting. I been kicking around the idea of buying one and was looking for advice. The big question is what do you recommend. I am figuring on it costing me at least $600-900 for something good but just have not decided what really is best. Been looking at ten point "compound" style cross bows a lot and like them (have good reviews) but there are a lot of other choices out there - Wicked Ridge,Horton, Barnett, etc. I want something that is effective on whitetail deer out to a max of 50 yards (expecting to shoot closer but using 50 as a max) in mainly wooded areas.
I sort of like the reverse compound style but if there is a good reason to use a recurve style I am not opposed to it. Any thoughts would be welcomed - thanks in advance

Ted Summey · Jun 5, 2015

Excalibur Crossbows should be in your shopping list. They are plenty fast, launch a bolt heavy enough to take deer, bear, elk, moose. The advantage is they are recurve vs. compound so you don't have all the cams and pulleys. The draw back is they are usually wider than a compound crossbow.

I've owned two Excalibur crossbows. Both were dead-on accurate right out of the box. Why two? The first was stolen in a home break-in. I did not hesitate in replacing the first with another Excalibur.

Mine shoots a bolt at about 300 fps. I could do a couple of mods and increase speed but just how fast does an arrow NEED to go to get the job done? I bagged two 8 point bucks last season with mine so it is fast enough for me.

There are several excellent manufacturers of crossbows, I liked the construction of the Excalibur.

grnmtnboys · Jun 5, 2015

They legalized crossbows here in Vermont this year for hunters 55 and over; also suppressors (but not for hunting...). A Crossbow and Silencer Emporium sounds like an interesting business model

nybirdman · Jun 5, 2015

I had a friend purchase one;what I really didn't like is the "strings" only last for about 150 shots and cost $100 to replace.Not cheap shooting.
They have their place but I found them to be very awkward and about impossible to reload in most tree stands.

Ted Summey · Jun 5, 2015

nybirdman said:
I had a friend purchase one;what I really didn't like is the "strings" only last for about 150 shots and cost $100 to replace.Not cheap shooting.
They have their place but I found them to be very awkward and about impossible to reload in most tree stands.

I'm sure your information is correct to purchase the string and have it installed on a compound crossbow. Strings cost in the $30 to $50 range. On a recurve the string is a user replaceable item without the need of a bow press so no labor expense on replacement. The Excalibur stringer device is $40 or so at Cabelas. It is reusable device.

Bow hunting isn't cheap shooting no matter vertical or horizontal bow. Bows are $500 plus for anything that will be dependable for more than a few years. An arrow, broad head and luminoc will be a $9 or $10 projectile and has a high likelihood of loss or breakage. Modern bow hunting isn't a cheap shooting sport for sure.

Crossbows do offer a challenge to cock in a hang-on stand but with anything bow hunting, practice will allow you to master that. I can cock mine without to much trouble but I've been using mine for several years. It does take several seconds to cock. One key is to not get too caught up in high draw weights. Mine is 150 pounds of draw weight. With the cocking device draw weight is cut in half.

BTW I deer hunt several times a week between September when bow season starts and January 1st when gun season closes. I also use my Xbow during turkey season with some success as well.

C4Ranch · Jun 5, 2015

Have a Barnett. Been legal in TX for some time. Was amazed at how powerful and accurate it is. Mine is pretty heavy and string is hard to pull. I would recommend going some where and trying out before you buy,

Code54 · Jun 5, 2015

Trying before hand is a good idea. I think our Cabelas has a range where you can test them out, I will check on that.

I was looking at some Hortons on line with the reverse limbs - interesting concept, and looks pretty cool!

I am a little concerned about the string life that you mentioned - I don't care if I need to replace it yearly or every thousand or so rounds but 150 seems a little much.

What cocking system do you all recommend?

hutchman · Jun 5, 2015

I used to live & hunt in WV too. I bought a Parker Cyclone after I came home from an all expense paid vacation (that lasted a year) to a really hot sandy place. My oldest daughter expressed interest archery around that same time but she is a lefty so I rationalized that since crossbows are ambi ... I could justify getting one and if she lost interest I could still use it and it wouldn't be a waste of money (I think it was $800 in 2008). Well, she lost interest.

Parkers Bows are in Mint Spring, VA so they were practically local (just over the mountain from me ... not too far from you either). I think my bow is 175lb pull. I think most are around 150 - 165

Here is their site:
Parker Bows - Crossbows

They do have a few cocking aids:
Parker Bows - Sidewinder Cocking Device
Parker Bows - RED HOT EZ Roller Rope Cocker

I have a chronograph and it will do a bit over 350fps. A bunch of guys from my church got together to sight in bows before hunting season one year and I mentioned how fast mine shot and one of the guys didn't believe me. I brought my chrono there in case anyone wanted to use it and so I set it up and proved it right there in front of everyone. My Matthews UltraMax (old compound bow) shoots 300fps.

Regarding 50yds. Yea, it will easily do it (and more) with plenty of accuracy. I killed a turkey (only one I've ever shot with at bow) with the Cyclone at about 55yds once but don't know that I'd try it on a deer ... a wary deer can jump the string and completely move out of the way at that distance ... the crossbow is fast but it isn't speed of sound fast!

My crossbow has M4 style collapsible stock on it too which is nice to accommodate youth & adults to shooters.

Happy hunting ... I'm sure you will love whatever you decide on. I'm surrounded by snobs that look down on using a crossbow unless your disabled but I've been in the woods enough to know that things go wrong no matter what you are hunting with and nothing (no paticular kind of weapon) guarantees you're going to bag one. Stuff happens.

Edit ... Oh yea, almost forgot ... USA made and lifetime warranty.

bullbreaker · Jun 5, 2015

Been hunting with Excalibur Crossbows for years now . Started off with a Horton . I own two EXCAL'S . I like the camless concept. If I was to buy another brand I would look at TenPoint's . Just my :2cents:

1quik70 · Jun 5, 2015

I bought my wife a Mission XB-320 and it is amazing! Its the first crossbow I have handled that didn't feel like a toy. The rope cocker makes it easy to cock and shoot, plus they make a crank device that is even easier. As a diehard bow hunter, I find it a little awkward in the tree, but my wife loves it!