Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting first crossbow

I am a recurve guy, exaliber seemed to be the natural choice. This is the Micro. What a great little bow! I don't have anything to compare it to. I do know that I can't shoot groups with the bow as the arrows want to go into the same spot!

I am finally legally allowed to use a crossbow. Has there been a thread about a good crossbow for hunting?
I knew for years what the VA doctors just recently confirmed about me but I had hid it in order to keep serving. The joke was on me because I did not know how severe the lack of strength and mobility was. I just hunted at a 45 lb weight with a big let-off figuring I could hold it long enough to aim and shoot. Of course I never had to test that because I saw no legal deer the few times I got out. I am hoping for more time and better hunting prep will change that.

So a crossbow would be a cool addition to the stuff in the garage. Any suggestions?

I spent a fair amount of time researching mine. I bought the Excalibur Matrix because more dealers told me it was the most bullet proof reliable crossbow available. The only thing I am not real happy with is the scope. The scope is fine for decent light, but when it gets down to last minutes of shooting time and under heavy canopy it does not cut it. It's better than unaided eyes, but not a lot. The bow is very accurate. It has plenty of power and speed. It has a good trigger, even by rifle standards. Strings are cheap. Hard to beat.

The scope on the micro is great. I thought I would upgrade prior to looking through it. Now I see no need.

I really appreciate you saving me the research time. I have a lot on my plate right now. I read your other posts and was very impressed.

Thanks.

Ranger Green

In all fairness, I should say that what I consider to be a good low light scope is European Alpha glass designed for night hunting they do over there. I use that on some of my deer rifles and it's just hard to use lesser glass after that.

Because the shots I have taken with the crossbow this year require a very high degree of precision, the low light performance of the scope that came on the Excalibur Matrix just will not satisfy me at the end of legal shooting hours (1/2 hour past sunset) here, and under heavy canopy. For all but the worst light conditions the scope that came on my Matrix is a very good tool. The buck I shot Friday eve I held in the crosshairs for a good fifteen minutes after sunset by the clock in the trail cam before I pulled the trigger on him.

I have an overabundance of deer, I am hunting 100 feet south of one house and 100 feet north of another with a third one close enough that a bad shot could let Bambi make to in front of someone's dining room window while they're eating dinner. The only reason for the crossbow is that a muzzle loader while perfectly legal still makes too much noise, even downloaded some.

As plastikosmd noted, they are accurate enough you don't want to be shooting groups, you can place the arrows accurately enough that you will hit preceding arrows at twenty yards.

I shot the Micro in an indoor range a while back and decided I liked my Matrix better.

Best scope on the market for a crossbow is the Nikon Bolt. PSE Fang with Nikon Bolt scope and the first time in the tree stand with it.

That looks a lot like the scope that came on the Matrix. Wouldn't surprise me were it OEMed by Nikon. I need to get my hands on one to see for sure I have been giving serious consideration to swapping what I have for a Nikon Monarch Gold 1.5-6x42. That's a hell of a scope for rifles and would do what I want. The 1.5-6x42 doesn't come with a BDC reticle though, but it is a FFP scope and it could be perfectly acceptable with a little hold over and a little sight in for say 40 yards PBR.

Thanks for posting that

That deer looks like the one I shot Friday night. Little sixer rack but the body up here is heavier.

My youngest son has one of those scopes on his crossbow. Last years results.

The moment I read that they were making the crossbow legal for hunting I had to get one. I never used a bow much.
I got a entry level crossbow with a target and I shoot it in the basement!

Nice bow^

Also to be fair, I don't hunt anymore and the lowest light I have used the scope in was about 8am in the morning. Hardly low light. I didn't expect much from the scope and planned to upgrade. Once I got it, it holds zero, crisp and clear. I will keep it for now. ( this is from a bit of a scope snob, can u say overscoped? Z6i Swarovski 50mm on a 10/22 ) at least it is fun to watch the round go all the way to the target!