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Crossbow in saddle

redsquirrel

redsquirrel

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Has anyone tried hunting out of a saddle with a crossbow? I love my bow to death, but I have just screwed up my shoulder for the 3rd time and want to keep my options open in case I have problems shooting my bow.
 
Good news is that I don't think I have actually torn anything in my shoulder this time so hopefully I don't need to worry about this now. I would still be interested to hear if anyone has any experience with a crossbow in the saddle and if they have made it work.
 
I've used my muzzleloader in the saddle. I would think it would be close. No shame in using a crossbow when the time comes for me I won't hesitate. My wife used one last season to shoot her first deer and I can honestly say that deer had no idea it was hit. I was above her in my saddle it was awesome! :D
 
I have shot a few with my muzzeloader in the saddle as well. I am wondering if the crossbow would be tougher because of the "wingspan". No shame at all. I love my bow but if thats what it takes to keep hunting then it is what it is.
 
I am a crossbow hunter these days, I also use a 45 year old Bear recurve, before the bashers start in on me. I always hunt the recurve from the ground though, typically still hunting with a ghilli suit. However, crossbows do just fine from Saddles. It takes some getting used too, but I have very little issue with positioning as I spent a few hours "saddled up" at ground level getting the real estate worked out so to speak. Using the TL saddle, there is the single center umbilical line to the tree, when I get my Aero Hunter, I figure the dual line style may pose some issues and adjustments in how I will maneuver for shots. I'm thinking all will be fine though.
 
I'm glad to hear that it works for you. My shoulder is doing much better but I am thinking about picking one up to fool around with. I actually think it will be a great tool for turkey hunting in some areas where I know turkeys hang out really close to some houses. We have a 50 yard safety zone for bow and crossbow and the crossbow will have the benefit of limited movement for turkeys. I am a hardcore bowhunter but I might not mind taking a crossbow out once in a while to whack a doe, especially when its really cold in late season. My father switched over to a crossbow a few years ago in his 60s and I'm glad because it keeps him out there with me during bow season :D
 
Crossbows are a true aid in keeping the young, old, and disabled out in the field and that's a good thing i'd think we all agree. I'm 52 years old and have been hunting deer with a bow since I was 8. I killed my first 3 deer with a recurve, and countless more with a compound. I remember when compounds came into the mainstream archery season here in Michigan, I heard the same arguments about them back then, that I hear about crossbows now. To me, its laughable. We as hunters are so "Hi-Teched-Out" in so many ways it just seems stupid to criticize anyone with all the hi-tech gear most modern hunters are equipped with when they hit the field.

I switched to a crossbow 4 years ago and it honestly re-invigorated me in a way. They are powerful and fun. They are still a close range weapon and the hunter still has to hunt, SAME AS A VERTICAL hunter. I'm healthy and make no excuses for using one. I paid my dues over the years and as a discriminating hunter, I'm not affecting deer population in any way with my crossbow, although that is a fallacy anyways. Truth is, in 4 years I've taken two deer with it, both doe, as the bucks I was after were still better than me, even with a rifle in hand.

However, when some guy shooting a 900.00 Hoyt or Mathews with fiber optic sights, a drop-away arrow rest, trigger release, carbon arrows with mechanical broadheads decides to impose his opinion on me that I'm in someway cheating, I have to laugh, its just plain funny to me.....

I hope I haven't offended anyone here...........
 
Haha. That was a great read. You made a lot of good points. For me your best point was "they are still a close range weapon". I know my father hasn't shot a deer past 25 yards with his. I think a lot of people have misconceptions about the range of a crossbow. I hear a lot of people talk about how far they can shoot with one.. and most of the stories I hear about unsuccessful shots involve long ranges (shocker, doesn't that sound similar to a compound bow??). I agree with everything you said and I think it is important that crossbow hunters know their true effective range.

What type of crossbow are you shooting?
 
Red,
First, thank you. I realize it turned into sort of a rant. I am a former contributing editor for Crossbow Magazine and was their "in-house" engineer/tester for the magazine's crossbow reviews.

Having said that, my point would be that I have shot just about everything out there and at one time, due to my position with the magazine, owned 8 different crossbows. Now that I left the magazine, I have two crossbows, both Excalibur Matrix 380s. As a mechanical engineer, I look for simplicity of design and function, which essentially equates to reliability. There are several great crossbows out there though. Actually, most manufacturers upper end models are all just excellent these days. I chose to stay with Excal because I can easily do all my own maintenance and have absolute faith in their durability in the field. That's just my opinion however. Anyone interested in using a crossbow should get out and handle as many as they can. Buy what feels right for your needs and what fits you and your hunting style the best. There are some great brands and models out there.
 
My father shoots an excalibur as well and if I purchase one that is what I will get for the reasons you mentioned. Not to mention how much lighter they are than the compounds. The quality of the excalibur is top notch. If i get one I'm looking at the ibex vs the matrix 330. I really don't plan on using it too often, more to just fool around with sometimes so I don't know if I can really justify spending more $ on the matrix.
 
You really can't go wrong with either one Red. The Matrix line was developed to create a narrower width, which is the single biggest complaint for crossbow hunters. The Ibex is 36" wide, and a Matrix is 30" wide (all of them). Still too wide in all truth, and especially compared to some of the new models by Darton and Ten-Point, which are 17" axle to axle, before they are cocked.

If you are getting one with the intent of limited and casual use, look at the Wicked-Ridge recurve by Ten-Point. Its a great crossbow, comparable to the Ibex, possibly a bit faster, with a much better price. And being a Ten Point, its a high-quality crossbow. You will never wear it out in all reality.
 
Thanks for the great advice sniper. I will take a look at the wicked ridge. I'm still not sure if I will end up getting one, but either way I'm in no rush.
 
For sure on being patient. Best thing to do is handle and shoot a few if you can.

One other great benefit of a crossbow for causal use is that everyone in the family can shoot it. That's some value added if you consider that no-one else can shoot your vertical. You can have a little shoot out competition with the wife and kids for some good clean fun.
 
Sniper4hire said:
Crossbows are a true aid in keeping the young, old, and disabled out in the field and that's a good thing i'd think we all agree. I'm 52 years old and have been hunting deer with a bow since I was 8. I killed my first 3 deer with a recurve, and countless more with a compound. I remember when compounds came into the mainstream archery season here in Michigan, I heard the same arguments about them back then, that I hear about crossbows now. To me, its laughable. We as hunters are so "Hi-Teched-Out" in so many ways it just seems stupid to criticize anyone with all the hi-tech gear most modern hunters are equipped with when they hit the field.

I switched to a crossbow 4 years ago and it honestly re-invigorated me in a way. They are powerful and fun. They are still a close range weapon and the hunter still has to hunt, SAME AS A VERTICAL hunter. I'm healthy and make no excuses for using one. I paid my dues over the years and as a discriminating hunter, I'm not affecting deer population in any way with my crossbow, although that is a fallacy anyways. Truth is, in 4 years I've taken two deer with it, both doe, as the bucks I was after were still better than me, even with a rifle in hand.

However, when some guy shooting a 900.00 Hoyt or Mathews with fiber optic sights, a drop-away arrow rest, trigger release, carbon arrows with mechanical broadheads decides to impose his opinion on me that I'm in someway cheating, I have to laugh, its just plain funny to me.....

I hope I haven't offended anyone here...........
Click to expand...

Sniper,

I got in a real heated debate on AT when I said pretty much the same thing you did and even admitted that before I knew anything about crossbows I said that they would have a huge impact on the deer kill and shorten our seasons etc.etc.etc. The bottom line is that even though crossbows have brought more people into bow season I haven't seen a significent decrease in deer numbers and the kills haven't gone up the way I thought they would. I now hunt with a Bowtech Stryker in an area where the deer numbers are high but hunting land is limited and it has served me very well.

I still hunt with my Hoyt Vector 32 but wouldn't hesitate to pick up the Stryker and hunt anywhere with it. As far as I'm concerned it's not what weapon you carry but how you carry yourself in the woods and hopefully all of us strive to be assets to the hunting community by obeying the laws and portraying hunters in a positive light! I think we hunters as whole sometimes forget that those that are against hunting are against all hunting not just one form or the other. Their goal is to eliminate any and all hunting as we know it and the more they can divide us the easier we will be to conquer. I hope that all hunters will think more about sticking together and portraying us as a unifed group rather than factions that can be easily targeted and our privilges taken away.

Thanks for your thoughts Sniper and appreciate your opinion and no offense taken at all.

Roger
 
I find the argument that crossbows are some death ray or something to be looked down upon by compound archers to be laughable.

If a putz like me can pick up an old compound, learn to shoot in his basement, and kill a deer, is it really that much more challenging than making a good shot with a crossbow? Then add in that those making the condescending remarks are often shooting high tech, high speed bows... What a joke.

End rant, carry on!
 
I spend about 8-10 days a year hunting with a crossbow out of the saddle. It works great....no problems at all. I've never got it hung up on anything or had to maneuver it much to avoid getting it tangled on something. I've even re-cocked once while in the saddle without too much problem. Have shot three nice bucks with a crossbow from the saddle, all at 18 yards or less. I love to saddle hunt with a crossbow. I have a entry level Parker. It is super lightweight, simple, and deadly accurate. I'm no marksman, but I can put three bolts into an apple sized group at 30 yards offhand with no problem. Every shot on a deer from the saddle with the crossbow has been exactly where I aimed. That's what I like about a crossbow...very accurate.

Try it, I think you will really love it.
 
I have an Exocet 200. I agree. Very accurate, reliable, simple, close range bow. Perfect for ethical hunting.


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So during my vacation I set my father up with my old tree saddle. I took him out in the backyard, showed him how everything worked and got him comfortable. He has since hunted twice in it with his crossbow, once in one of my trees, once in one of my brothers (a lefty who screws everything up! :lol: ). He likes it a lot. The only thing we were trying to figure out is how to hold the crossbow for long periods of time. When I gun hunt I can just rest my gun across my lap, not as easy with the crossbow. He ordered a tactical sling and I think it should work great. We'll see!
 
I never really thought of holding the crossbow for long periods in the saddle. I just hang it on a screw in hook within easy reach.
 
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