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Posted By: 7magking New bow hunter advice please! - 10/02/14
Ill be using a barnett vengeance crossbow this weekend. Ive done plenty of hunting with a muzzleloader and rifle and am wanting to get in to bow hunting. I planned on buying a new bowtech compund bow this summer but didn't get a chance to. I am going to bass pro friday morning and want to know what is a good brand of arrows and broadheads for a crossbow to buy. All help appreciated. thanks
You want the crossbow that fits you the best.

Something that shoots 300-350fps


Any good crossbow bolt and broadhead (Muzzy 100 gr.,4 blade) for instance, will get the job done, just make sure whatever you select reaches the minimum arrow weight established by the manufacturer.

The most important thing is keep the shooting distance reasonable, crossbows are noisy.

Make sure everything is sighted in properly...

[Linked Image]

This was the first deer my dad killed with an X-bow. Not a fancy bow, a Parker shooting around 285-300fps. He was using Parker X-bow arrows with the Muzzy 100gr 4 blades. Shot was 25-30 yards broadside. Bolt zipped thru that deer, including ribs, and kept going, never found the bolt.

Put the bolt in the vitals and you'll do well...


for what its worth hunting with a crossbow is more like hunting with a handicapped rifle than bowhunting....most that i know that have seriously tried both prefer a normal compound bow because a crossbow is clumsy to use in comparison....

but if you like crossbows by all means have fun, ive always thought they were neat from a phuggin around with perspective but for hunting either a rifle or a compound bow have more pluses geared towards them than the crossbow....atleast to me...but then again unless your handicapped you cant use a crossbow during Montana's bow season and there is no dedicated crossbow season....
What exactly do you mean when you say bolt. (Probably a dumb question)
bolt=arrow.....with a bow its an arrow, with a crossbow its a bolt....
"bolt" is a crossbow's arrow. Why they are not called arrows? Don't know.
Originally Posted by tex_n_cal
"bolt" is a crossbow's arrow. Why they are not called arrows? Don't know.


i believe it goes back to their first use but not sure....do know ive run across 'bolt' in some fairly old text reprints so im pretty sure its not a new thing....plus it seems that its only fairly recently that crossbow bolts have more than superficially resembled arrows.....crossbows have always seemed to shoot a shorter more thickly constructed projectile
When you talk about the minimum arrow weight. You are talking about what the bows says it'a minimum arrow weight you should be using? I didn't know the weight if the arrow mattered! Thanks for the heads up!
Not sure about your area, up here there are regulations regarding minimum arrow weight for hunting. The bow will also have minimum safe specs. Make sure your getting the right length too.

As for broadheads, there's a ton of good ones out there but whatever you choose, make sure they are hitting where your aiming, they may not be hitting with your field points. Slick Tricks are very popular, Muzzy still has a good following too and there's really few bad choices as long as they fly good. Bolts I really couldn't say, when I was shooting the xbow it was still mostly Easton aluminums. I've shot nothing but carbons in the compound for years now, so i don't know if xbows have also followed suit.

Range is critical, so don't forget your range finder. Pay attention to your limbs and how much clearance you have. Trust me, you do not want a limb hitting a tree when you fire!
For one thing, I would never go buy a crossbow Friday and hunt with it on Saturday..... you owe it to game to practice, zero in etc....
Practice with your bolt/broadhead combo as they may fly very different than your practice bolts. Muzzy's are good and if you can shoot carbons as the fly flatter and penetrate better in my father's crossbow. Tenpoint has great customer service.
Originally Posted by rost495
For one thing, I would never go buy a crossbow Friday and hunt with it on Saturday..... you owe it to game to practice, zero in etc....


Yeah...you're not even CLOSE to being " hunting ready". Archery is not a grab and go sport to take up in one weekend. Stick with your rifle...
I remember when I worked in a bow shop, selling and setting up so many compounds for first time �bow hunters� and the season opening the next morning.

Then there were the ones carrying in their new-in-box bows from the local discount store, asking for help.
Originally Posted by 7magking
Ill be using a barnett vengeance crossbow this weekend. Ive done plenty of hunting with a muzzleloader and rifle and am wanting to get in to bow hunting. I planned on buying a new bowtech compund bow this summer but didn't get a chance to. I am going to bass pro friday morning and want to know what is a good brand of arrows and broadheads for a crossbow to buy. All help appreciated. thanks


My advice is to not go hunting this weekend.



Travis
One thing is for sure, whatever you choose, absolutely make sure you keep your fingers, thumbs, toes, hair, and any other body part below and behind the string. I ate breakfast yesterday with a guy who had his thumb nearly severed by a crossbow. It was his first crossbow, and he was holding it like he did his rifles.
This has got to be a put on.

Stand by for a "i shot it in the liver i think, tracked it for 15 minutes, bushes got thick, had to be a pizza hut to clock in so i said fuggit"
Put in the time to be confident in a clean, quick kill.

In other words, practice, practice, practice!
cross bow = "bow" hunting? ...never looked at that way....and I ain't going to.
Originally Posted by slumlord
This has got to be a put on.

Stand by for a "i shot it in the liver i think, tracked it for 15 minutes, bushes got thick, had to be a pizza hut to clock in so i said fuggit"


That's what I was thinking
Originally Posted by slumlord
This has got to be a put on.

Stand by for a "i shot it in the liver i think, tracked it for 15 minutes, bushes got thick, had to be a pizza hut to clock in so i said fuggit"

"But, But I went back and found her today, smell was really strong when I got out of the truck, I must have walked by here at least 20 times. I hate to lose one but hell I do it so much it doesn't even affect me. I'm just flinging them arrows at anything that moves. Had to get to work, somebody has to scrub the Shiit off the walls at the Sonic"
Originally Posted by 7magking
What exactly do you mean when you say bolt. (Probably a dumb question)
Uh Yeah. Uber Stoopid!
Don't shoot an elk, then lose it, then find it (rotted), then take the antlers without tagging it, then go shoot another elk, tag it, and then brag about it to others. Don't do that.
Originally Posted by 7magking
Ill be using a barnett vengeance crossbow this weekend. Ive done plenty of hunting with a muzzleloader and rifle and am wanting to get in to bow hunting. I planned on buying a new bowtech compund bow this summer but didn't get a chance to. I am going to bass pro friday morning and want to know what is a good brand of arrows and broadheads for a crossbow to buy. All help appreciated. thanks

The TN Deer FKIA's couldn't answer this so you posted it here?
http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ub...mp;Number=3780274&page=1#Post3780274
Too many buzz words and set-ups in this thread, I call BS.
Originally Posted by atvalaska
cross bow = "bow" hunting? ...never looked at that way....and I ain't going to.


Some folks do have injuries that prevent using a regular bow.... I happen to have one from tearing parts of a burning house apart in a structure fire tryign to save two children, that really hamper my drawing and holding ability to be able to practice with my recurve at this point.

I have a crossbow and use it when I feel like it.

I guess we can call it whatever you want to though.
Originally Posted by rost495
Originally Posted by atvalaska
cross bow = "bow" hunting? ...never looked at that way....and I ain't going to.


Some folks do have injuries that prevent using a regular bow.... I happen to have one from tearing parts of a burning house apart in a structure fire tryign to save two children, that really hamper my drawing and holding ability to be able to practice with my recurve at this point.

I have a crossbow and use it when I feel like it.

I guess we can call it whatever you want to though.
I hear ya ..their is room for them.
i found the deer
gut shot big time
brought it home

and took pics of it
then threw it in the ditch on the way to burger king for my job as the fry guy


mom is getting upset with my frog gulag and why i want to kill everything



beavers are hardto kill man
takes 14-15 shots witha .22
Originally Posted by atvalaska
Originally Posted by rost495
Originally Posted by atvalaska
cross bow = "bow" hunting? ...never looked at that way....and I ain't going to.


Some folks do have injuries that prevent using a regular bow.... I happen to have one from tearing parts of a burning house apart in a structure fire tryign to save two children, that really hamper my drawing and holding ability to be able to practice with my recurve at this point.

I have a crossbow and use it when I feel like it.

I guess we can call it whatever you want to though.
I hear ya ..their is room for them.


There is room for legit handicapped people or if your state allows crossbows.

Regardless, you can't just buy a bow of any kind on Friday and expect to hunt Saturday.

I just passed up a hell of a deal on a LH bow for my kid because he thought he could hunt with it this year. By next year, he will have outgrown it. I told him we will get him one in the spring and if he promises to practice all summer, he can hunt with it.
Originally Posted by bea175
I hate the Crossbow and don't ever consider it Bow Hunting. I have nothing against other people hunting with it, but i just can't bring myself to use one.
did not think I was the only one...... then again "broken people like beal175 should take another look ..I say the same ...when ever I'm in the sitting position shooting at boo ...up hill with my moose bow...
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