Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Crossbow

I know some don’t consider them archery equipment but the state of Florida does so I thought I would try one out. I have been intrigued by the reverse draw crossbows since they came out and finally took the plunge and bought a TenPoint Siege RS410. I got their back pack for it and the TenPoint Center Punch broadheads to try. I still plan to use my Hoyt also, this just adds another tool in the chest

Oh yeah, hunting with a crossbow is great fun...Enjoy👍......Hb

Plus One - you're in outdoors, and getting after it - don't let the deer baiters get you down.

I won't use an X bow, but don't care if others do.

If its legal and you're having fun, that's good enough.

If you can, get the aluminum bolts and run a heaier head. The extra weight helps with the noise and improves penetration at the longer distances.
Still only a 40 yard weapon though. The lighter weight of the bolts means more loss of energy past 20 yards.

You may need a new target too. I ended up with the Block crossbow target. My Excalibur blew right through an alleged Morrell 400fps bag.

They are hammers for certain.

The bolts are not lighter weight. Most are 400-450 grains. Some manufacturers supply 350-370 gr bolts to exaggerate the fps, but most have gone to 400+. His Siege, with a 400 gr bolt will exceed the ft. pounds of energy of a fast compound bow at the bow...at 70 yds.

Got one ordered

Ordered a Ravin R26 yesterday. Figured I try the dark side.

Used one to take a 5X6 bull last year and am headed to Utah in a couple weeks to see if I can find a spike.

Picking one up this week. Excited to try something new. Set up a "walking around" range on my property with different targets. Hunt the generously long bow season in WV when I normally only hunt the 2 week rifle season.

in my home state x-bows are legal for handi-cap hunters and hunters over 60 years of age ,46 states allow x-bows in some way , i do know Montana does not allow even for the handi cap not sure Montana is following the Federal handi cap provision on federal land by not allow the use of a x-bow for the handi cap during archery season ,Montana does allow the draw-lock bow system for the handi-cap and tried this system its even more difficult for the handi cap to carry. nothing wrong in my eyes for anyone to use a x-bow anyplace during archery and / or rifle season you still can only tag your quota or maybe its just one buck. > for the people that are against x-bows someday you will be old or maybe hurt and become handi cap do you still wanna hunt or just stay home and rot ? so if your a x-bow hunter as i now am enjoy that x bow and be safe , > i did hunt with a regular longbows and recurve bows since i was 10 years old that`s 55 years with a drawn bow even compounds , but started before even compounds were used or invented by ALLEN , for the last 3 years at age 68 and handi capped i now used a x bow , so is that wrong ? i don`t think so ! all forms of hunting and all tools to kill / harvest an animal to eat are fine remember animal rights ,peta and so on these snowflakes want us to fight among ourselves that`s why now we a high wolf population and that`s mess up too. take care ,Pete53

Pete53, I hear you. I'm only 3 years behind you. Same situation, Been deer hunting all my life. I fell and broke both of my wrist's last year. My bow hunting days are over. I really enjoy bow hunting. Last year I bought a Ravin 29. It shoots as accurate as a rifle at 50 yds. That's as far as I have shot it. That's plenty far enough for me. I prefer to shoot at 20 - 30 yds. I know the Xbow is capable of much greater distances, But it is a lot more fun getting close to a nice buck.

Im banged and beat up and still dont want an x bow.
Have shot em, buds have em.
I got a lighter weight compound and am still waiting for my lighter weight recurve limbs.

I have killed enough stuff. How I kill is important to me
Have not put a deer in the freezer for the last 2 yrs

Sucks but no bucks worth shooting seen

Have a disabled kid, in her 20s. If she wants a Mission X bow i will buy one for her. She cant handle the cold so itd be ground blind w heater. Whatever she wants, Ill buy it.

She can fill my freezer w X bow.

Im gonna fight the aches and pains and damage as long as I can

Im a bowhunter.
Not just a deer hunter that uses a bow.

Like guns too.

But late October is magical and it just feels right to tote a recurve.

Dont care what other people do.

I don't need to kill a deer.

So how I go about it matters.

some us are even past the small aches and pains we just can`t draw a bow anymore , 55 years i used a drawn bow and i have always hunted deer in all of October most of November all the way tell December 31st. , sometimes i never shot a decent buck tell late December in the snow in below zero weather but now after all these health problems i don`t have a choice i got to use a x-bow or quit . i was a power lineman for 35 years in Northern Minnesota that climb a lot of poles over many years , this was a hard job on the body . i just had my 4th back surgery 11 months ago with plates and screws installed, have also had a disc replaced in my neck ,both shoulders have been rebuilt my left shoulder surgeon wants to replace it , knee has had surgery and needs replacement ,eye surgery ,heart surgery too. so tell me how i can pull a bow back anyone with a 30 lb. weight restriction for life ?

Pete, I feel your pain. When it comes to hunting, To each his own. It sucks when you physically can no longer draw a bow. When it comes down to making the transition from a bow to a Xbow, or not going hunting. I'll take the Xbow hands down, no questions asked. Its about still getting out there in the woods that time of year. Not how you kill a deer or if you kill a deer. I enjoy hunting and would like to do so as long as I possibly can. If a Xbow helps me do that so be it. Beats the He!! out of sitting home.

i have a love - hate relationship using a x-bow but i can not wait to be back hunting again next fall ! and maybe turkeys too this spring ?

Correct...those who have a handicap, or age has taken their strength, should be allowed to use a crossbow..

The rest should also be allowed to use a crossbow....during the regular rifle season. I mean they even place scopes on them.

for the bowhunters who are still able to draw , shoot and hunt with a bow be happy or maybe still feel blessed you can still use a bow . but if you see a old guy with a x-bow just remember that old dude just might have been a long time bowhunter who has a health issue now . i had the privilege to shoot bows with a archer a few times who was know as the best target archer in America back in the 60`s he shot 300`s with a recurve bow with no peep and with his fingers not a release , now days Jim just x -bow hunts but he still misses and dreams of drawing his old Wing recurve bow , sharpening and using Zwickey broadheads for a few more bowhunting seasons. > SO just remember someday you may still want to bowhunt during those wonderful fall days with a drawn- bow and shoot but because of your health you have to either quit or use a x-bow. think about it ? > we all wear out sooner or later ? good luck in the future ,Pete53

My days with my Elite GT500, with 90 pound limbs, are definitely over. Last year I picked up a new Elite EnKore with 60 pound limbs, what a great bow! And when presented with a Ravin R26 package for a couldn't pass up price, bought that too. I fit pete53's description, busted up old fart that still loves to be out and in it. I look at the Ravin as another tool to be used to keep me going. I've tried and tried recurves and decided it's better for the deer if I don't use one and my primary bow will be the EnKore. But I do like knowing the Ravin is there if I decide to try that too. I did get Ravin's 500gr arrows to use with the 125gr Rage as I like heavy arrows. They help quiet your set-up and have more energy. But what I like the most, is the ability to make it what you want from it and there's pretty much no wrong answer as long as it's legal and ethical.

I love bowhunting and do it quite a bit each year. After shoulder surgeries on both sides, the amount I can practice and the distances I comfortably shoot has decreased (most of my practice is at 40 as opposed to 60). I picked up a crossbow for Christmas as the writing is on the wall. I won’t shoot it further than I presently would with a vertical bow….but I don’t have to worry about drawing a bow in cold weather further damaging my shoulders. Our season is such that it’s not legal until the rut which means I’ll continue to hunt the month of October with a vertical bow-which is in many ways my favorite time (bachelor groups are patternable, temps are comfortable and our bowhunting plots are crazy productive (I’ve never not had a shot opportunity). As I’ve gotten older, harvesting an animal is far less important than enjoying the fall colors and watching animals interact. A crossbow will simply allow me to extend the years I can bow hunt without further damage/pain.

one thing most archers have no ideal about is accuracy with a x-bow off hand , try shooting with a bow VS a x-bow. i shot many archery outdoor and indoor shoots in my home state with a compound bow and did well . but now using a x-bow exclusively this is what i have noticed i was more accurate with a compound at all distances compared to off hand shooting a x-bow. before you get negative with what i posted try a x-bow at these distances off- hand you will find the x-bow is hard to handle off hand for many of us . so don`t think its a walk in the park using a x-bow either and then add your handi-cap and its no advantage.

During the archery season, I hunt bear with a bow but I still prefer a rifle. It has far better balance and is easier to maneuver through the bush

Good luck I hope that you enjoy it.

Buy a well balanced bow that is not front heavy and get back to me. A quaiity reverse draw bow has almost perfect balance.