Confusion on crossbows
08-06-2006, 07:49 AM
#22
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3
RE: Confusion on crossbows - Excalibur Is Great!
Gentlemen
Just joined today. Thought I'd throw my two cents worth in.
Hunted with a rifle for almost 40 years (I'm a northern Ontario boy) and took up bow hunting three years ago for a better challenge. Because of a right shoulder/arm disability I chose a crossbow.
I initially ordered an Excal Exocet but the store screwed up and they brought in an Excal Vixen instead. With the hunt only days away I fussed a bit but since I was a regular they discounted it heavily and I went with it.
The first shot I took at an animal a week later was a bull moose at a range of 27 metres. He dropped within 150 metres. And that was with Excal's "low end" model rated at 275 fps.
Excal's products and support are excellent. They went with the KISS principle and use a recurve design for all models except one.
Bottom line; take the 'bow off the rack, string it and go hunting; no tuning, no resighting (although I do check the sights with a couple of shots) plus I regularly tighten all the fastenings.
Excalibur all the way!
I use the bow for turkey, whitetail, moose, black bear (unless it's a nuisance bear) and ruffed grouse. Planning a caribou hunt in Quebec in the next year or two.
Our bow hunt club (myself and two others) got a bull moose tag and we'll be off on September 14th to Manitouwadge. We're fully digital now and should have good pics to post.
After that, bow season for deer opens October 1st and ends December 31st.
It's going to be a sweet fall!
Canuck
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Just joined today. Thought I'd throw my two cents worth in.
Hunted with a rifle for almost 40 years (I'm a northern Ontario boy) and took up bow hunting three years ago for a better challenge. Because of a right shoulder/arm disability I chose a crossbow.
I initially ordered an Excal Exocet but the store screwed up and they brought in an Excal Vixen instead. With the hunt only days away I fussed a bit but since I was a regular they discounted it heavily and I went with it.
The first shot I took at an animal a week later was a bull moose at a range of 27 metres. He dropped within 150 metres. And that was with Excal's "low end" model rated at 275 fps.
Excal's products and support are excellent. They went with the KISS principle and use a recurve design for all models except one.
Bottom line; take the 'bow off the rack, string it and go hunting; no tuning, no resighting (although I do check the sights with a couple of shots) plus I regularly tighten all the fastenings.
Excalibur all the way!
I use the bow for turkey, whitetail, moose, black bear (unless it's a nuisance bear) and ruffed grouse. Planning a caribou hunt in Quebec in the next year or two.
Our bow hunt club (myself and two others) got a bull moose tag and we'll be off on September 14th to Manitouwadge. We're fully digital now and should have good pics to post.
After that, bow season for deer opens October 1st and ends December 31st.
It's going to be a sweet fall!
Canuck
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Ducks Unlimited Canada
08-07-2006, 06:17 PM
#24
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 162
RE: Confusion on crossbows
Just for another viewpoint and testamonial, I shoot a Horton Legend, in 4 years I have killed every deer I shot at with it. That is 5 dead with 5 shots.
My Horton will consistently shoot less than 2" groups at 30 yards, so those Excal guys can yak all they want about how great their bows are, they arent the only good bow on the market.
The point is if you get any quality Crossbow, set it up correctly, and practice with consistency you will be able to harvest deer cleanly.
By a quality Bow I would include Horton, Excal, and Ten-Point for sure, some folks like Barnett also, but I have no experience with them. Noone in my area that I know of hunts or shoots one so I can not give much info on them either way.
Even though they make fun of the training wheels of the Hortons and Ten Points at least those of us who dont shoot Excals can get into the barn without turning crosswise.
My advice is to go to a shop where they will let you shoot each one and see which one feels good to you.
My Horton will consistently shoot less than 2" groups at 30 yards, so those Excal guys can yak all they want about how great their bows are, they arent the only good bow on the market.
The point is if you get any quality Crossbow, set it up correctly, and practice with consistency you will be able to harvest deer cleanly.
By a quality Bow I would include Horton, Excal, and Ten-Point for sure, some folks like Barnett also, but I have no experience with them. Noone in my area that I know of hunts or shoots one so I can not give much info on them either way.
Even though they make fun of the training wheels of the Hortons and Ten Points at least those of us who dont shoot Excals can get into the barn without turning crosswise.
My advice is to go to a shop where they will let you shoot each one and see which one feels good to you.
08-08-2006, 05:28 AM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Land of Rocks, Ozarks of Mo.
Posts: 3,048
RE: Confusion on crossbows
Not true, i live in a barn and i always have get one of the big doors open fer my Phoenix. Of course the deer i get all have to be brought in with a tractor and use come along to hang them up on beam
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08-08-2006, 06:58 AM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Newtonville, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,896
RE: Confusion on crossbows
No offence taken, I was worried that you took offence at my friends poking. They mean no offence, some of us just can't help ourselves
. Kinda like grade two you know! LOL!!!
Yeah the width of those limbs makes me crazy sometimes, not to mention the noise the limbs make when the brush passes over them
. But they are accurate. Did you see the pic of my offhand shooting that I posted earlier? And some day I will get a wheel bow (10 point) and keep it in my truck as back up and for still hunting.
. Kinda like grade two you know! LOL!!!Yeah the width of those limbs makes me crazy sometimes, not to mention the noise the limbs make when the brush passes over them
. But they are accurate. Did you see the pic of my offhand shooting that I posted earlier? And some day I will get a wheel bow (10 point) and keep it in my truck as back up and for still hunting.
08-09-2006, 08:21 AM
#29
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 162
RE: Confusion on crossbows
Mymain point is with any descent quality crossbow the most important factor is the Hunter. The Hunter is the one that has to learn to perform consistently.With the exception of equip malfunction the bow you use will repeat itself endlessly.
Too many hunters overlook these steps or take them for granted.
As with many other things you are as good as you practice, and without it you may get lucky but I wouldnt count on it. It takes time and consistency in your shooting to makegood groups off hand at 30 yards. Which personally is what I recommend for anyone getting ready for Bow Season, weather you shoot a Vert or Horiz bow, doesn't matter.
Once you can shoot that consistently, then shoot other ranges and from your stand or a stand similar to the one you intend to hunt from (it does make a difference).
Mark trees in your hunting area with different color markings to know your range or keep a rangefinder handy, then anything that comes in you can have confidence in harvesting cleanly. That is the whole point of what we are all working towards.
Then one of these days I will figure out how to ride my Horton back to the barn using them training wheels and show all you Excal guys a new wrinkle. Ha!
Too many hunters overlook these steps or take them for granted.
As with many other things you are as good as you practice, and without it you may get lucky but I wouldnt count on it. It takes time and consistency in your shooting to makegood groups off hand at 30 yards. Which personally is what I recommend for anyone getting ready for Bow Season, weather you shoot a Vert or Horiz bow, doesn't matter.
Once you can shoot that consistently, then shoot other ranges and from your stand or a stand similar to the one you intend to hunt from (it does make a difference).
Mark trees in your hunting area with different color markings to know your range or keep a rangefinder handy, then anything that comes in you can have confidence in harvesting cleanly. That is the whole point of what we are all working towards.
Then one of these days I will figure out how to ride my Horton back to the barn using them training wheels and show all you Excal guys a new wrinkle. Ha!
08-09-2006, 12:13 PM
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: arkansas
Posts: 3,147
RE: Confusion on crossbows
Omegalover: Those are all some good points. Nothing beats familiarity w/ your equipment. I started off w/ a "Whammo" 80 lb pull. Remember those cheap wonders? Next, a Barnett Commando, a PSE, Barnett Quad 400, Excal E'max, Phoenix, and last an older model Excal wheel bow called a Paradox. I live in the sticks in Arkansas, no pro shops for 80 miles, so the simplicity of the Excals has more appeal to me than folks closer to town. We joke and kid around here alot, but everyones bows will do the job. I had been shooting 40 or so shots a day until this heat wave hit. We had a guy post a challenge here awhile back, he shot 1000 shots w/ same arrow!! If they were all at 30 yds, thats like 34 miles of walking to and from target!! Bet he gets his tags filled no problems.
