crossbow beginner
04-15-2007, 08:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 8
crossbow beginner
Want to start hunting with crossbow this year, but don't have much knowledge about them. Can anyone help with pointing me in a starting direction? Things like best beginner model, best prices, and some tips or tricks. Thanks in advance for any help.
04-15-2007, 08:20 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 702
RE: crossbow beginner
Look at the Excalibur's.... Very high quality, the training video which comes with the bow gives you all you need to know. Also IMO these are the best bang for the buck out there.
Look at the Phoenix.
By the way, I just got my first cross bow (Excalibur Vortex), right out of the box it is great.
Look at the Phoenix.
By the way, I just got my first cross bow (Excalibur Vortex), right out of the box it is great.
04-15-2007, 08:45 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 604
RE: crossbow beginner
ORIGINAL: rojow
Want to start hunting with crossbow this year, but don't have much knowledge about them. Can anyone help with pointing me in a starting direction? Things like best beginner model, best prices, and some tips or tricks. Thanks in advance for any help.
Want to start hunting with crossbow this year, but don't have much knowledge about them. Can anyone help with pointing me in a starting direction? Things like best beginner model, best prices, and some tips or tricks. Thanks in advance for any help.
Otherr then that, I would recomend trying to kwwp things simple and purchase quality equipment.
04-16-2007, 01:21 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: n.e. pennsylvania
Posts: 645
RE: crossbow beginner
aye....waiting for a little history so we can give you good advice. btw welcome to the forum. have you bowhunted with a conventional bow, how much do you expect to pay, how much do you shoot, that type of thing.
04-16-2007, 09:12 AM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Findlay, Ohio
Posts: 3,286
RE: crossbow beginner
This is copied and pasted from past post so there may be things in here you did not ask, but my opinion on CB choices.
One of the first things that people try to look for is a quite CB. That is something you will not find in any CB, FACT! Do a search on this forum for ear plugs, you find that alot of people that have been using CB's for a while recommend them when new people start talking about trying to quite their CB. My friend, it is not going to happen. A CB has alot of energy in those small limbs so that in it's self will make more sound then a normal long bow. Then you have the stock, in my opinion the stock is like a set of speakers and mic for the loud powerful limbs. If you ever find a CB that is half as quite as a regular bow, you let us know cause we would all like to know.
Second thing that gets asked about is the cranks, I can offer no help. I think all the CB makers offer some type of crank. Some are permanently mounted some slip on and such. A few offer a rope style cocker that have a pulley affect to greatly reduce pull weight and I think Excal has that and a few guys on here really like it. I say I can be of no help because I have never used one so my advise only comes from what I have read on here.
For a CB recommendation I can recommend my CB,which is a Horton. You made a reference to price, I have realized in the last year that this is a statement you need to keep in mind when buying a Horton. Horton has evolved into a huge CB maker that has been on the seen from the get go since Ohio and Arkansas first opened up the hunting world to CB hunting. Horton and Barnett were first on base to harvest the new market and in time that has proved to be a draw back. Horton has been sucked into the makem cheap WAL-MART game! I have always had a Horton, Dad gave me my first when I was sixteen I think and I used that bow for fourteen years and it is still busting knocks if you aim for the same spot twice. My new CB which was bought last year is the Horton Supermax, another fine Horton product that will keep me happy and anyone else who lays hands on one. If you choose the Horton line you need to look for one thing in my opinion. It must have a machined aluminum barrel. The ones that they make for wal-mart and the other lower CB's they offer are a composite barrel of some sort. I think they are OK CB's but from what others say they lack in quality. But I also wonder when some only has a few bucks and make a last minute purchase from wal-mart with no knowledge is set to fail from the beginning IMO. So in short get one of the higher end ones and you will be set, cut cost and you could be taking a risk.
Lastly I will offer support for the Excal crowd. It's re-curve design is what lures me into it's seduction as time goes on. There is plenty of good guys on here that can offer hard facts about there products that I can say you can trust, some of them should post, Don, Dave, Robert, Dan and Mike are all familiar with them and there are more, so they all can help you on this. I have never shot an Excal but them boys sure seem happy. They do not sell them and they have all killed deer with them so I think they are good sources. One thing I can add about the Excal that gets me is the independence you get with one. The re-curve design lets you do all your own work without a bow press. If you buy a wheel bow you will be at the mercy of a shop, which I deal with and dislike.
As for optics I like the Excal's custom adjustable speed scope called the V-ZONE. I have it on my Horton and love it. It has a adjustable speed ring on it that can be set to your CB's speed and then your 20, 30 and forty will be dead on. Some guys say the low light conditions are not the best with these, but I am happy with it. Some guys like a Red dot, but after switching to a scope I am much more happy. To each his own for a sight. Sorry so long, but thats my scoop and good luck! Keep us posted!
One of the first things that people try to look for is a quite CB. That is something you will not find in any CB, FACT! Do a search on this forum for ear plugs, you find that alot of people that have been using CB's for a while recommend them when new people start talking about trying to quite their CB. My friend, it is not going to happen. A CB has alot of energy in those small limbs so that in it's self will make more sound then a normal long bow. Then you have the stock, in my opinion the stock is like a set of speakers and mic for the loud powerful limbs. If you ever find a CB that is half as quite as a regular bow, you let us know cause we would all like to know.
Second thing that gets asked about is the cranks, I can offer no help. I think all the CB makers offer some type of crank. Some are permanently mounted some slip on and such. A few offer a rope style cocker that have a pulley affect to greatly reduce pull weight and I think Excal has that and a few guys on here really like it. I say I can be of no help because I have never used one so my advise only comes from what I have read on here.
For a CB recommendation I can recommend my CB,which is a Horton. You made a reference to price, I have realized in the last year that this is a statement you need to keep in mind when buying a Horton. Horton has evolved into a huge CB maker that has been on the seen from the get go since Ohio and Arkansas first opened up the hunting world to CB hunting. Horton and Barnett were first on base to harvest the new market and in time that has proved to be a draw back. Horton has been sucked into the makem cheap WAL-MART game! I have always had a Horton, Dad gave me my first when I was sixteen I think and I used that bow for fourteen years and it is still busting knocks if you aim for the same spot twice. My new CB which was bought last year is the Horton Supermax, another fine Horton product that will keep me happy and anyone else who lays hands on one. If you choose the Horton line you need to look for one thing in my opinion. It must have a machined aluminum barrel. The ones that they make for wal-mart and the other lower CB's they offer are a composite barrel of some sort. I think they are OK CB's but from what others say they lack in quality. But I also wonder when some only has a few bucks and make a last minute purchase from wal-mart with no knowledge is set to fail from the beginning IMO. So in short get one of the higher end ones and you will be set, cut cost and you could be taking a risk.
Lastly I will offer support for the Excal crowd. It's re-curve design is what lures me into it's seduction as time goes on. There is plenty of good guys on here that can offer hard facts about there products that I can say you can trust, some of them should post, Don, Dave, Robert, Dan and Mike are all familiar with them and there are more, so they all can help you on this. I have never shot an Excal but them boys sure seem happy. They do not sell them and they have all killed deer with them so I think they are good sources. One thing I can add about the Excal that gets me is the independence you get with one. The re-curve design lets you do all your own work without a bow press. If you buy a wheel bow you will be at the mercy of a shop, which I deal with and dislike.
As for optics I like the Excal's custom adjustable speed scope called the V-ZONE. I have it on my Horton and love it. It has a adjustable speed ring on it that can be set to your CB's speed and then your 20, 30 and forty will be dead on. Some guys say the low light conditions are not the best with these, but I am happy with it. Some guys like a Red dot, but after switching to a scope I am much more happy. To each his own for a sight. Sorry so long, but thats my scoop and good luck! Keep us posted!
04-17-2007, 08:33 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 8
RE: crossbow beginner
First of all, thanks to those of you that have given advice.
As for experience and background..... iv'e never hunted.. just joking. Actually i learned to shoot bow at a decently young age(8 or 9) and have shot a couple of nice deer with it. I am 35 now and have not been able to shoot more than 3 or 4 times without cringing after i did some muscle damage to my back at work. I do still go out and shoot a couple of times in the back yard during the summer though. There is just something that draws you (or at least me) to the primitive yet intense sense of power that you feel when you have a bow (compound or recurve)in your hand. Killing a deer or splitting the shaft on a friends arrow(i always let them shoot first!) is an amazingly satisfying accomplishment . I have started my 8 yr old boyon a jr.compound this year. We are still looking for a good fit for him.. Basics... a lot to learn.. But yet.. Pride.
What was the question again??
Anyway.. Because of the back injury i would like to try something to at least get back in the "bow" game. I know it's not the same.. but..
As for price, i guess i wouldhave to see the merchandise to decide. I'm not interested in the Wal-mart 49.95 special. I guess it would be nice, but no. I'm not sure exactly what to expect to pay for what i need.
Hopefully that answers some of the questions.
As for experience and background..... iv'e never hunted.. just joking. Actually i learned to shoot bow at a decently young age(8 or 9) and have shot a couple of nice deer with it. I am 35 now and have not been able to shoot more than 3 or 4 times without cringing after i did some muscle damage to my back at work. I do still go out and shoot a couple of times in the back yard during the summer though. There is just something that draws you (or at least me) to the primitive yet intense sense of power that you feel when you have a bow (compound or recurve)in your hand. Killing a deer or splitting the shaft on a friends arrow(i always let them shoot first!) is an amazingly satisfying accomplishment . I have started my 8 yr old boyon a jr.compound this year. We are still looking for a good fit for him.. Basics... a lot to learn.. But yet.. Pride.
What was the question again??
Anyway.. Because of the back injury i would like to try something to at least get back in the "bow" game. I know it's not the same.. but..
As for price, i guess i wouldhave to see the merchandise to decide. I'm not interested in the Wal-mart 49.95 special. I guess it would be nice, but no. I'm not sure exactly what to expect to pay for what i need.
Hopefully that answers some of the questions.
04-17-2007, 08:56 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Newtonville, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,896
RE: crossbow beginner
I really don't think you are going to see a really big difference in hunting with the vert bow versus the xbow. At least I don't.
Does't sound to me you are going to shoot more than a hundred shots a year. If I were you I would check out the all of them but pay attention to the Hortons, Ten Points and the Excaliburs. Arrow junkies like Awshucks, Pydpiper and Squirrel test the durability of their equipment. The Excaliburs certainly endur the test of arrow junkies but from the sounds of it a good xbow that has a good trigger and backed by a good manufacturer seems suited to you. If you want power, durability, accuracy, a great trigger and an awsome manufacturer then the Excal is the way to go. The simplicity of recurve limbs may not be your cup of tea so check them all out and let us know what you are thinking about, then we'll beat you up! LOL! Just kidding!
Does't sound to me you are going to shoot more than a hundred shots a year. If I were you I would check out the all of them but pay attention to the Hortons, Ten Points and the Excaliburs. Arrow junkies like Awshucks, Pydpiper and Squirrel test the durability of their equipment. The Excaliburs certainly endur the test of arrow junkies but from the sounds of it a good xbow that has a good trigger and backed by a good manufacturer seems suited to you. If you want power, durability, accuracy, a great trigger and an awsome manufacturer then the Excal is the way to go. The simplicity of recurve limbs may not be your cup of tea so check them all out and let us know what you are thinking about, then we'll beat you up! LOL! Just kidding!
04-17-2007, 09:08 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 604
RE: crossbow beginner
rojow you will find that crossbows have the same archery range as the vertical compound.
My recomendation would be to go with a simple but quality bow. By simple, I mean a recurve, less things that can go wrong and you are not tied down to a proshop for repairs (change change a string in less then 5 minutes)
The advantages that you might gain with a compound crossbow, in my opinion, do not overcome the fact you are limited in what you can do with it if you need work on it (could leave you high and dry if on a hunt you need to replace a string).
Excalibur produces a high quality bow and best factor with this company is that if you ever need any equipment service, they are great. You might find a company to equal their customer service, but not beat it. There are other quality bows on the market, but I personally like the keep it simple system.
If you had quality heads already, they should work with a crossbow. Crossbows are loud compared to the vertical bows, but if your shots are limited to around 30 yards, the deer will not have time to react before the arrow is passing through it. Purchase a quality bow, prices will range from $500 - $1500 for packages (complete ready to go) and you should do ok. Just a little research on a product you are intrested in will give youu an idea if it is quality or not.
Good luck and keep asking questions.
My recomendation would be to go with a simple but quality bow. By simple, I mean a recurve, less things that can go wrong and you are not tied down to a proshop for repairs (change change a string in less then 5 minutes)
The advantages that you might gain with a compound crossbow, in my opinion, do not overcome the fact you are limited in what you can do with it if you need work on it (could leave you high and dry if on a hunt you need to replace a string).
Excalibur produces a high quality bow and best factor with this company is that if you ever need any equipment service, they are great. You might find a company to equal their customer service, but not beat it. There are other quality bows on the market, but I personally like the keep it simple system.
If you had quality heads already, they should work with a crossbow. Crossbows are loud compared to the vertical bows, but if your shots are limited to around 30 yards, the deer will not have time to react before the arrow is passing through it. Purchase a quality bow, prices will range from $500 - $1500 for packages (complete ready to go) and you should do ok. Just a little research on a product you are intrested in will give youu an idea if it is quality or not.
Good luck and keep asking questions.
04-17-2007, 09:28 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: n.e. pennsylvania
Posts: 645
RE: crossbow beginner
i think you'll be pleasantly surprised that hunting with a xbow is little different than with a vertical bow. the one thing that is hard to get used to is the noise. no way to silence an xbow. speeds and arrow flight are comparable to conventional bows. most importantly the joy of watching an arrow in flight is still there. i'm sold on excaliber but, there are several good manufacturers out there. many of us also made the switch due to injuries. sorry about your's but, welcome to the club. i was so happy to be able to shoot again that little else mattered. hehe. good luck.