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Switching from compound to xbow

Exhumis

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
3,932
Location
Northern Virginia
Hello crossbow shooters,
For a couple of reasons I’m looking into switching from compound to crossbow. I’ve been reading up about the idiosyncrasies of crossbows and saddle hunting but is there any tidbits of wisdom you wizened folks wouldn’t mind sharing with a greenhorn before I go out and plop down some scratch on a crossbow?
 
You don‘t have to worry about when you are going to draw your bow or how long you can hold it back. Not trying to be a smart ass, the point I’m trying to make is that you do the same things with a crossbow that you do with a bow, except you don’t have to worry about the two hardest aspects of hunting with a regular bow….oh, and you have a magnifying scope, you are shooting what is effectively a 120lb draw weight, and you don’t have to spend months practicing with your bow to be able to hit the 10 ring almost every shot. if you feel that those advantages will ruin your experience, then you should pass. If not, get a Ravin R10 and never look back. Good luck!
 
The most important thing is get one as narrow as possible.
Absolutely spot on. Or.... get a Hickory Creek Mini.... advantages of a vertical bow in an xbow set up. There's a whole thread about drinking the HC Kool Aid that would be good reading if you're considering one. I also like that you don't have to buy special bolts for the HC Mini. You can just pick up regular .300 spine arrows and use them. Of course they need to be cut down shorter than arrows but save the money you would spend on a $1500 to $2500 Xbow and buy the mini and a few dozen .300 spine arrow shafts and a good arrow saw and have a long lasting tried and true setup. Also, get a better scope or I put a red dot on mine. I never used a crossbow for hunting until a couple of years ago because I won one at a Hunter Safety Instructor recognition banquet. This was a Carbon Express Blade or something and it is a decent crossbow but what I don't like about traditional crossbows the front heavy horizontal orientation of the limbs. To me, who has always been a vertical bow hunter, they just seem bulkier and clunkier in the woods. The HC Mini is not like that and still has all the advantages @2Sloe mentioned previously.
 
I’ve been hunting with crossbows for eight years. Started off with an excaliber which I love, but the width can be problematic out of the saddle. I purchased a wicked ridge M370 a couple of years ago and have been very pleased. It’s extremely narrow when cocked, and is one of the lightest crossbows on the market coming in at around 6 1/2 pounds. Wickedridge is made by Ten Point, and is their less expensive line. The biggest difference I have seen in the lower price point is the quality of the trigger. It’s completely usable, but not as nice as the triggers you get on the higher end crossbows.
 
You don‘t have to worry about when you are going to draw your bow or how long you can hold it back. Not trying to be a smart ass, the point I’m trying to make is that you do the same things with a crossbow that you do with a bow, except you don’t have to worry about the two hardest aspects of hunting with a regular bow….oh, and you have a magnifying scope, you are shooting what is effectively a 120lb draw weight, and you don’t have to spend months practicing with your bow to be able to hit the 10 ring almost every shot. if you feel that those advantages will ruin your experience, then you should pass. If not, get a Ravin R10 and never look back. Good luck!

The OP‘s initial sentence is literally “hello crossbow shooters.” Just curious if you are one? If so, which one do you shoot?
 
I like the Hickory Creek mini but there's plenty out there that exceed the performance for cheaper. I like the fact maintenance is really easy on the mini and I also like the way it shoulders. The design allows you to tuck in close to the tree where others with wider horizontal limbs may not. There's a few quirks with the mini that need worked out that some may not have the patience for (they're all explained in the HC Mini thread).
If I didn't have the mini, I'd probably look into an Excalibur for ease of maintenance or go cheaper and plan on replacing the whole crossbow every few years.
I just did a quick search and one of the big box outdoors stores has a xbow for $220 and shoots 405fps. You could buy a couple of these or more before reaching the price of some. A guy could keep one as your main hunter and one as a backup/parts bow and still be money ahead, just something to consider.
 
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The OP‘s initial sentence is literally “hello crossbow shooters.” Just curious if you are one? If so, which one do you shoot?
Yes, I can read quite well so the phrase “Hello crossbow shooters” didn’t escape my attention. What? You thought I was a bow hunting crossbow hater and you thought you would call me out? Ok here’s a couple of pics. But hey, now I’m curious too. Can you show me that you are actually an adult instead of an adolescent?
 

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Yes, I can read quite well so the phrase “Hello crossbow shooters” didn’t escape my attention. What? You thought I was a bow hunting crossbow hater and you thought you would call me out? Ok here’s a couple of pics. But hey, now I’m curious too. Can you show me that you are actually an adult instead of an adolescent?
Nice setup and buck!!!
 
Yes, I can read quite well so the phrase “Hello crossbow shooters” didn’t escape my attention. What? You thought I was a bow hunting crossbow hater and you thought you would call me out? Ok here’s a couple of pics. But hey, now I’m curious too. Can you show me that you are actually an adult instead of an adolescent?

My mistake. I read to much into your post. Nice deer!
 
DISCLAIMER: Not a crossbow hunter.

But I know some who have switched and, having the scoped x-bow, forgot in the moment, it's not a scoped firearm.

Probably not an issue for some, but for others, maintaining an archery point of aim may be an unanticipated challenge.
 
I hunt with a crossbow from time to time buy yet to kill anything with it. I've got a Parker Thunderhawk, however I'm done with it in a saddle situation. It's too cumbersome for me to move around a tree with it.

I agree with the statement about getting one as narrow as possible for Saddles. The last thing you need is to hit a limb on the tree.
 
I am thinking about switching to a crossbow as well. Has anyone had issues with picking up the scope in the saddle? I had issues with my muzzleloader last year, I could not get the gun shouldered properly and see the full reticle
 
I am thinking about switching to a crossbow as well. Has anyone had issues with picking up the scope in the saddle? I had issues with my muzzleloader last year, I could not get the gun shouldered properly and see the full reticle
I had this issue on a doe that came in on my off-side (right side) at my 4 o’clock. I had to contort my body by twisting at the waist and something told me not yo shoot cause my form was really bad. I then tried to turn around with my feet and one of the doe’s annoying friends saw the movement and blew.

I fully recommend practicing off side shot processes with crossbows. Shouldering and aiming to your off-side can be tricky.
 
I used a Hickory Creek mini for the first time last year due to a shoulder injury not allowing me to draw my compound any more. Killed 2 deer with it and missed one cuz I misjudged yardage. Biggest advantage obviously was not having to worry about the deer busting you while drawing and then holding your draw. However that said, I am working the compound back into the rotation this year. I love practicing shooting and my one and only complaint with the xbow is once it’s sited in, you literally never have to practice it again! It’s just automatic. Could be a pro for some, but it ended up being an odd con for me.
 
I had this issue on a doe that came in on my off-side (right side) at my 4 o’clock. I had to contort my body by twisting at the waist and something told me not yo shoot cause my form was really bad. I then tried to turn around with my feet and one of the doe’s annoying friends saw the movement and blew.

I fully recommend practicing off side shot processes with crossbows. Shouldering and aiming to your off-side can be tricky.

The offhand shots from three to 5 o’clock are definitely the most tricky. I typically push my tether as high as I can reach and in doing so I have found it’s almost easier to walk myself completely around the tree than to try to twist in place To make that shot.
 
I used a Hickory Creek mini for the first time last year due to a shoulder injury not allowing me to draw my compound any more. Killed 2 deer with it and missed one cuz I misjudged yardage. Biggest advantage obviously was not having to worry about the deer busting you while drawing and then holding your draw. However that said, I am working the compound back into the rotation this year. I love practicing shooting and my one and only complaint with the xbow is once it’s sited in, you literally never have to practice it again! It’s just automatic. Could be a pro for some, but it ended up being an odd con for me.
yea my old man uses one. you really dont need to practice. just make sure it didnt get bumped with one shot n your good. The only downfall i see with guys using them around me is shooting over 40yds with them when its too dark. They get ballsy and wiff it. Compound bows are tough with peep sights to try and see that far without light. basically, more hail mary shots are taken with xbows IMO. thats the hunters fault tho not the xbow
 
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