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First time posting on this forum;

Shoulder damage prevents me from drawing a 40# bow so I've received a draw lock exception. This is my first season using a crossbow.

When is the proper time to cock the bow? Surely I'm not suppose to cock it while in a tree stand but what about a ground blind? Also, what about still hunting?

I've been out a couple of days and have used it both ways, cocked and uncocked; of course no arrow mounted.

I would cock it before getting in the stand and leave the arrow off until i was seated and conformable in the stand. Myself i don't really like crossbows except for someone with injury's like yourself.

Bea's advice is good.
When I use mine -
I would always cock it when I got to the stand for a morning hunt, assuming I'm walking in during the dark. For an evening hunt, I'd cock it at the car and hunt my way in. I have a 2009 Excalibur Exocet 200Lb and it is rated at 330fps.
To unload, I take my Rhinehart 18-1 and shoot it into my target. I have to do this in my car headlights in the evening.

Crossbows:
Hell yeah, I have one! I don't like using it near as much as my bow, but I hunt from the ground and I want every advantage I can get. My Mathews bow is set at 70lbs and I could pull 90lbs if I had to, even at age 50.
The crossbow helps me when the deer are spooky. Effective range for both weapons is about 40 yards. At least with the bow there is a chance for a follow up shot. With the crossbow you get 1 shot and that is it.
The only advantage I see with a crossbow is the lack of movement it takes when the deer come in.
I have a red dot sight. 1-dot and I set it for 30 yards, the same as I do for my bow. I enjoy using both weapons but prefer to grab my mathews bow first.

It is really not hard at all to uncock by putting your foot in the stirrup and pulling the string back with your left hand, just a little (assuming right handed) and pulling the trigger. It will not jerk you near as much as you think that it will. I do it all of the time and I have bad shoulders. miles

Yikes!
It may be, but there is NO WAY I'm risking the injury.
That Rhinehart 18-1 can take thousands of shots at pennies a piece. I keep a field tipped bolt in the car for unloading.
The first day of 2009 archery season, I was so excited to try out the crossbow, I left my cocking rope at home.
Rather than go back home for it, I was so amped I cocked my 200lb crossbow by hand and did it easily. I couldn't believe it.
I could probably unload it too, but why try? Now I see Rhinehard makes a smaller, crossbow unload target.

Note:
I don't recommend unloading a crossbow by hand. Not for anyone, for any reason. Just shoot it.

Thanks for the comments. Good luck to all of you this season.

For about $18, you can get a decocking bolt, usually a solid fiberglass shaft with a blunt tip that you can fire into the ground and save your hunting heads. I have even seen biodegradable single use bolts for decocking at a local Gander Mtn store. I've used a crossbow one season, and I have cocked on the ground and in the stand, drawbacks to both. I'd rather cock in the stand for my setup, but JMO.

I understand, but if you could see it done by me or someone else used to doing it, I think that you would be all right with giving it a try. My first time, I expected it to be a lot more strain on my shoulders than the reality was. miles