schwaby

Hi everyone,

I found this formum on the web and love it. I need some advice and don't know who to ask. I have been an avid rifle hunter for 25 years now and I really would like to start hunting archery next year. I live in PA and the county I hunt in allows the use of crossbows.

I never archery hunted before but really have a great interest in it. I would like to purchase a cross bow but there are so many out there and the prices range so much. I'm willing to invest some money but don't want to pay $1500 for one.

What do I need to look at when purchasing a crossbow? I see that some of them have a scope, does that help with archery? Does anyone have any recommendations?

Any assistance or advice you can provide would greatly be appreciated. I also see that there are a bunch of portable tree stands out there. I never used a "climber" before? Are they hard to use. A buddy of mine says he uses "steps" that screw into the tree but I don't know how he gets the tree stand in the tree. Again, any thoughts?

Thank you,

Schwaby

Pydpiper

There are a whole lot of bows out there, and there will be a whole lot more this month, keep your eyes open, we will be seeing them on here in the very near future.
A lot of guys lean towards the Excalibur line, easy to use, affordable, and likely the most accurate out there without having to mess around with it. Excalibur has their own scope which gets great reviews by those of us that use them, they can make an accurate guy out of anyone.
Try lots of bows, find one that feels right, after all, it is a very personal decision. They fit like a rifle, but the similarities stop there.
Spend some time reading through the forum, you will see lots of options, and we will be here when you have more questions.

Dnk

Welcome to the forum!
I am very partial to recurves for their simplicity, weight, longevity and long term consistancy. My advice is to pick up a Tenpoint recurve and an Excalibur crossbow, handle them, shoot them and then look at prices. Nothing good has been said of the Horton recurves so stay away from them.
Yes get a good quality scope. Much of the crossbow crowd uses the Excal Varizone and the Lumizone but I use high quality rifle scopes. You will need a device to cock the bow as well as a stringing aid. I think the rest is obvious(arrows, string wax etc).
I don't like tree stands but I do know that I'd rather use a ladder stand than any type of hanging or climbing stand. I also would rather use a ground blind than any stand.
Let us know what you are thinking about and ask lots of questions before buying anything and look out for trolls and weasels.

schwaby

Thank you very much Pydpiper. I really appreciate the information

schwaby

Thanks Dnk for all the information. This is very helpful.When I find one I like, i wll put it on the forum to see what you guys think. Thanks again. Archery seems like it will be a lot of fun and I can't wait.

Hotburn76

Exactly what gets most of into it, at least me. I wanted a longer season and was tired of playing the gun games and putting up with the mass of people, longer season, less people means more safety to me!


There are plenty of fine CB's out there. Its all in what you want. Most guys do not have the cash to slap down on a high dollar CB's just like in rifle most guys cant step up and get a high end Rem 700, they know plenty of other options will do the job just fine. You first have to decide how much you want to shoot. If you will not shoot a bunch as in just pre season and then hunt you can get any style, compound or recurve. If you plan on shooting a bunch then I would get a recurve style. The more you shoot the faster the center serving will wear out. With a recurve you can swap strings on your own and reserve or take to a shop. With a compound style you will have to have a press for any service. Again, if you are a seldom shooter the compound may be the way to go. Recurve are a little wider only when uncocked and are just about the same when cocked, most recurves are lighter also. As Dave said alot of guys in here like Excal's, you can get a complete CB set up and ready to go for less then 500 bucks and carry a respected piece of equipment. Ten Point gets some pretty good reviews and also has a new recurve this year and Horton's mid to upper end CB's are pretty good to IMO, I have one that is 16 years old still doing just fine. They to came out with a recurve last year but forgot to test it before they sold it so they had some issues with them but I am sure they will get them worked out for this year. Just go to a shop and at least pick up several brands and shoot them if they let you.

The nice thing about a scope is you get alot of clarity with them and it is harder to nock a scope out of alignment then a set of pins. I always was bumping my pins on my old Horton and then the rest of the hunt was full of doubt. The Excal scopes are the best CB specific scope ever made IMO. I love mine and am glad to have it on my Excal and Horton. You do not gain magical range with them, Deer hunting with a CB is a 30 to 35 yard or less hunt for a responsible, sure thing hunt IMO. The scope just give me clarity and confidence in the shot placement.


Climbers work pretty good, problem is the few times I have used them I felt I made enough noise to clear the woods while setting up. Also I am "husky" or slightly bigger, and when I used a climber I was ready for as nap and to go home, also sweating like a pig. To much like work for me IMO. Hang on stands are ok, but the last time I used one was when I about fell out of one. Most are not that large and when in a tree I need all the space I can get. I like ladder stands, they are secure and stable and I feel really good in them. I have a couple that have sides on them and the chair is a little lower and I feel totally safe and confident in them. I also have some ground blinds, but my choice is a ladder and the blinds only get used on days when I have come off of nights and know I have a great chance of a nap, or its raining out.Good luck and keep the questions coming!