Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Crossbow

So, after finally getting a crossbow permit approved by the DNR in March, the law was changed and now they're legal during archery season without the disability permit.

I'm loving mine, but my son likes it as well. I didn't realize they were so accurate with a probably adjusted speed dial scope.

What did you buy? Couple of my guys bought Ravin and Ten Points. I had no idea how expensive they could get. Accuracy at 60yds is unreal.

I went with an Excalibur Bulldog 330 that I got used. I wasn't a fan of the scope that was on it, and am glad I got a Vortex for it.

With the Excalibur crossbow you can change strings and adjust brace height at home easily.

I’m actually considering one, rotator cuff is trashed.
Hate missing the opportunities that our 4 weeks if early season in Oct presents.

I'm liking the simplicity of the Excalibur. It'll be a hunting machine.

Just wait until your first deer with one.

They are more efficient than a rifle.

with an xcal if you turn the scope that came with the bow down to the FPS it will shoot to the marks in the scope, turn down the fps nob down 1 time then shot the 50yard mark at 60 yard. if you play with it you can shoot to 70 80 plus yards

i have bohunted since i was 10 legal or not at that age and it was with a recurve ,then in the early 70`s i used a compound from the start of those years to now at 70 years of age with poor physical strength and a bad shoulder that the surgeon wanted to replace 4 years ago that i don`t want to , i already have had surgery in both shoulders so my body is a mess . > here is what i see is a negative thing that might happen to us handi cap and old bowhunters = Minnesota the state i live in the DNR is following who kills a deer with a x- bow during the archery season this year and probably even more in the future so myself and other handi cap old bowhunters will end up with the same law/rules for all x-bow archery hunters if it gets changed . i think x-bows are fine in the archery for all but there are plenty archery hunter selfish whiners out there that will try and change this law about x-bows in Minnesota, i hope it don`t happen but if it does i sure hope they leave the handi-cap old bowhunters alone in the archery season. Montana is one state that has a lot of whining selfish bowhunters with plenty butt hurt against handi-cap x-bow hunters during the archery season even on Federal land in Montana x-bows are not legal . so i hope Minnesota does not do this bowhunter butt hurt chit to x-bow archery hunters, at least not for the handi cap and old.

Um, they already changed the law in Minnesota to allow crossbow use in archery season by anyone.

Are you concerned that they'll stop letting you use a crossbow?

Lots of crossbow scopes do that. I zero'd my Vortex at 40 yards, then shot at 80, and adjusted the power ring/speed dial until POA=POI there, and verified at 20, 30, and 50. The reticle isn't too busy, and I like the illumination.

It was nuts on. I want too check it at 100 next time I'm out.

this is B. S. ever shoot a x-bow free hand at 50 yds. ? myself i was always much more accurate with my compound bow when i was healthy than with a x-bow free hand. so if you feel you can shoot that x-bow so accurate at 50 yds. free hand come to my place and if you can out shoot my son and his compound bow at 50 yards 5 shots each i will hand you a $100.00 bill. you loose you hand my son the $100.00 bill , i will post the results on 24 hr. Campfire. so some weekend let me know if want to do this , Pete53

Where did anyone mention shooting free hand with an x-bow ? Did I over look it ?

I love my Vortex Crossfire crossbow scope. Like I said in the optics forum, it works as advertised. Been using it for the last two seasons and have filled all of my archery tags.

No.

It's apparently an "old man yells at clouds" moment.

Get yourself some heavy shafts and broadhead. You don't lose much speed but the extra momentum is really noticeable. Helps with noise and vibration as well. Vibration is hard on the bows and eventually takes it's toll on their lifespan. I have a Matrix 380 for late season and shoot a 500 grain bolt.

Shoot what makes you happy, but this statement is why many bowhunters resist including crossbows in "primative" or "restrictive" seasons. It's not bowhunting. it's rifle hunting without powder.

Like so many of those who hunt the muzzleloader seasons are still using iron sighted side locks ? Those compound shooters should STFU. If you're smart you'll restrict your shots with a crossbow to 40 yards. They're loud and still not fast enough so deer can't jump string.

shooting your xbow for fun has nothing to do with hunting get off your high horse. I did not say any thing about free hand or hunting . pete I have nocked bolts together at 50yards free hand before

I can't shoot a bow enough to be confident hunting with one due to shoulder issues. If I do, I'll need another surgery rather quickly.

So, due to crossbow being legal, during archery season I'll finally be back hunting. I self limit distances due to deer jumping the string, and don't really GAF what others do or don't do. I don't look down on guys that shoot deer at 300+ yards with a rifle just because I've almost put powder burns on one with my 44mag.....

And if you're shooting expandable broadheads, they will have penetration issues at longer distances. You won't get pass throughs, so get a moderately fast xbow or keep the shots shorter.

I'd never shoot at 80 or 100 yds myself at an animal, but I do at target for fun and tuning. Arrows and broadheads are a big part of the accuracy, so tune and check spine/nock tune if needed.