LIAF

I use total wireless which is part of the tracfone family. I get unlimited text ,calls but no data for $27 a month. I paid$ 20 extra and got 10 gigs of data last year and still have about 3 gigs left on my phone. I don't use my phone for data. You can get a plan for$ 35 a month that will give you 5 gigs a month. Total wireless buys their service from the major carriers. I am not a tech person but from what I gathered their seems to be 2 different technologies CDMA and GSM. Mine is a CDMA phone and uses Verizon as its carrier. I never have any dropped calls and the reception is fine. They have family plans which are easily half the price of what people are paying. You can bring over a phone from another carrier if your phone is compatible. I bought my phone from them and setting it up was no problem . I have read on some forums that switching over for some people is a total pain in the A$$. I used tracfone before this and they were fine for what I needed. I had several phones with tracfone GSM and CDMA and could tell a hugh difference with the competing technologies. I think GSM phones use ATT and T mobile whereas CDMA were either sprint or Verizon.This company isn't for everybody but when I read what people pay for their cell phones I just scratch my head and wonder.

I have a 10 yr old Excalibur vari-zone that has a speed ring on top it goes from 250-350 fps. You set it to the speed of the bow and the 4 "dots" are then spot on for 20, 30, 40, 50 yards. I noticed when I change it that the scope is variable but when set its fixed. I am not sure about other scopes but that is how it works on mine. Its a decent scope that came with my recurve xbow. Remember recurve pound for pound are slower than compounds so no need for anything above 350fps 10 yrs ago. I have Zeiss z point( red dot) on both of my xbows. Reason was I didnt want multiple aiming points and cause xbows are heavy so I figured I would lighten it up by removing scope(1-1.25 lb with mounts) and putting on a 4 ounce red dot. Both bows now are dead on at 25 yards and the 175lb one drop app 0.7 inch per yard out to about 35 yards and the 200lb drops about 0.6 inches per yard out to the same distance. I use to have a 30 yard zero to shoot out ot 40 yards but my 175lber shoots around 300fps whereas the 200lber around 330fps. I just use hold over just like I do with my single pin compound bow. Works for me!

Lets face it the 200lb max limit was put in by uniformed people (lawmakers). To them there is no difference between a compound xbow or a recurve. One point is clear it was put in to restrict speeds. They figured max speed around 400 fps so you had to limit them to less than 200lbs. A compound xbow with that limit will shoot 400fps or even faster. A recurve crossbow with a weight limit of 200lbs will only go about 330 ish. I own 2 ten year old Excalibur crossbows a 175lb that shoots around 300 fps and a 200lb one that shoots about 330. I know the newer ones have a decrease in limb width hence a shorter power stroke so they need a higher draw weight than the older ones to obtain equivalent FPS. With every one having a speed mentality than they want draw weights that are around 250 and higher for speeds above 350fps. I can put 100 arrows thru my 175 before my back gets tired but after about 30 arrows with the 200lb my back is sore .i have shot the newer xcals and a 250 is a bitch to shoot(done after 10 arrows). As far as the limb length minimum it was probably put in because they figured people would use them for poaching and the smaller it is the easier it is to stick out of a truck window than the easier to poach a deer.

I own 2 Excalibur crossbows phoenix(175lbs) and a vortex(200lbs). They are not the newer matrix series which I believe was introduced 3-4 yrs ago but are from the series that Excalibur produced from around 2001 thru 2012 ish. The basic difference is the matrix line has an automatic safety and the limb width is app 30 inches wide whereas mine is a manual safety and 36 inch limb width. I bought these NIB in 2006- 2007 for 325 phoenix and 350 for the vortex, bare bow shipped to my door. When I bought the phoenix I also bought the "right stuff package" which gave me a vari-zone scope, scope mount ,rings, string changer, arrow holder, 4 arrows, wax and a rope cocker for around 175 off ebay. So for 500 I was ready to go. Over the years I bought custom strings, different arrow holders and expensive Zeiss Z-Point red dots(300-400). I have probably put over 1000 shots through each bow and they needed nothing more than a new string. If you know how to re-serve a string then you only need to re-serve the string as that is the part that wears out. You could basically drive a truck over my xbows and they will still keep on shooting. When I went looking for a xbow I first had to decide if I wanted a recurve or a compound. I realized that if I wanted a recurve excalibur was the only bow for me and if I wanted a compound then I was going for a ten point. Remember this was 9-10 yrs ago but I still feel strongly that if you want a recurve than get an Excalibur as they have been in the recurve business since the early 80's. Nowadays you probably have some additional choices when it comes to reasonable priced/quality compound xbows but if I wanted one I would probably get a wicked ridge as they are from the ten point family. Whatever you do DO NOT get a Barnett they were and still are a POS. My friend has the super fast one (Ghost?) which he got at cost(500.) thru his nephew who worked at Dicks. First year he had it the safety started screwing up and he couldn't shoot the bow and went back to his Mathews compound. These are the differences between the xbows- recurve, simple to work on, lighter in weight(all xbows are front heavy) can unload the arrow w/o shooting bow. Most compound xbow have to go back to dealer for a simple string change, heavier than recurves and you must shoot the arrow after a day of hunting to unload the bow. Now a compound is faster pound for pound, is narrower app 20 inches in limb width and I believe makes less noise when shooting although all xbows ae loud compared to vertical bows. If you go with the xcal get the optional SDS(string suppression device) and their base scope vari-zone or drop zone is fine. if you decide on an Excalibur go to their forums as they have members selling used xbows and you can pick up great deals after hunting season. I wouldn't hesitate in buying a used Excalibur as they are virtually indestructible. I rarely post but when I do I have a very strong opinion on the subject. If you take anything away from this post be it. DO NOT buy a BARNETT!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are hunting from the ground get yourself a small pop up blind if you are hunting out of a ladder stand you should enclose it with likewise material, now go get a small propane heater for it. I just came back from Saskatchewan Canada and that's what they use. I was in a small wooden box on the ground and all had heaters in them but have seen the set-ups that I just mentioned. I personally did not use the heaters as the coldest day was "only" 14 degrees. its gotta be around zero for me to turn it on.

I do not post a lot but I own a rem 742 and almost put a muzzle brake on it. After I read the new law that was enacted in 2013 I was glad that I did not put a muzzle brake on it as I believe the way the law was written I would have had to register my gun. Since both the Rem 742 and Browning BAR are both semi- auto's with a detachable magazine then I would say that trying to buy either with a muzzle brake would be illegal at this point in time. The law is very convoluted (phuckedup)!

Portions of Harriman state park were originally opened up for a 3 yr trial run back in the early 80's. I hunted it in 81 or 82, I remember getting out of my car when a park officer came by and he said a bomb scare was called in and it would not be in my best interest to go into the woods. As soon as he left I went in to hunt and missed a deer that day. It seems that a lot of people complained about the hunt but it also appeared that the state had overestimated the number of deer that were in Harriman so the hunt was cancelled after one year. As a previous poster said its not as good as most people think.

Excellent choice that's basically a phoenix with a synthetic rail. Remember don't shoot at the same spot out to about 25 yards as you will be getting robin hoods all day!

I started looking at x-bows back in late 2007 and decided if I was going with a recurve x-bow it would be an Excalibur and if going with a compound x-bow it was going to be a ten point. I decided to keep it simple and went with the Excalibur. Here is the difference between the two recurve is lighter but wider is a bit louder but simple to work on.Compound xbow is heavier(front)but narrower(limbs)not as loud but still makes noise more difficult to work on as it need a bow press for even string changes.I have a phoenix which is the 175lb model and the vortex which is the 200lb model. The strings have to be reserved after app 300-350 shots on the phoenix and around 150-175 shots for my vortex.If you are not going to shoot a lot than the 200lb is the way to go and if you plan on shooting a lot than the 175lb model is the way to go. If you want a compound xbow than ten point or even wicked ridge is the way to go. Remember when you change the string on a compound you need a bow press so in most cases you need to go back to the shop for a simple string change. xcal has a new line of bows called matrix that are lighter and narrower than previous xcal models. As you can tell I love my xcal for its simplicity.

I own a vortex and a phoenix with custom Flemish strings and a Zeiss Z-point red dot on top of each x-bow.

No but you never know what the future holds!

FWIW-Back in 1996 I was hunting in Bullock County, Alabama (1.5 hrs west of atlanta) The lodge/house(app. 5 yrs old) I was staying at was app. 2600 sq. feet on 5 acres that had a 1/2 acre pond. The owner said he paid 100k for it 2 yrs prior and now it was worth 110k . He then asked us about our homes as previously stated my home is 2200 sq .39acres was worth around 190-195k in 1996 and my taxes were 4k a year. My buddy who just built a 3200 sq. foot home on 1 acre in an "exculsive" town/village in Oneida County for around 375-400k was paying around 8500-9000 a year in property taxes. The guide/owner looked at us and said no wonder you NY'ers are bitching about taxes. I then asked him what he was paying and he said 360.00 I said 360.00 a month is alot. He said no 360.00 a year in property taxes. I asked him did he have garbage pick up and he said yes I then asked does a bus pick up your kids to go to school? He said if i had kids then a bus would pick them up. At that point I said to him I pay more in a year for my cable tv than he pays in property taxes for the year!

Bought my house December 1986 in Rockland County for around $200,000( it was bought around the top of the 80's market as my builder told me he built the same house 2 yrs prior for 100k but thats another story) Anyway its 0.39 acres app 2200 sq feet- taxes for my first full year of living here(1987) were 1787.00.Today my house may sell for 280-300K my property taxes are 12k a year.

That show was great back in the 80's and early 90's I never missed a show then they banned guns. I went on/off over the next several yrs then stopped. My friend who fishes but doesn't hunt wanted me to go today but I declined. For anyone that went today Do they still have the tree huggers protesting outside as in past years?

X2

I change the string as my other strings have new servings on them. I get my strings "reserved" by someone as i can not reserve them myself. I think between my 2 xbows I must have 1/2 dozen strings and 2-3 have been reserved. So yes a local shop will reserve them.

I can say that the string(serving) on my 175lb phoenix is good for about 300 shots whereas the string(serving) on my 200lb vortex is good for about 150 shots. The more you shoot the more wear and tear on your string(serving).

Compound x-bows are narrower in width compared to a recurve, heavier than a recurve, more complicated which means a dealer may have to service it. Recurves are simple only drawback that i see is the width versus a compound. Changing a string on a recurve can be done by anyone whereas string changes for most people on a compound means going back to the dealer for it. I have an xcal phoenix(175lb) and a vortex (200lb). I can say one thing that the string on my 175lb model goes twice as long as the string on my 200lb model. Most people think you need a higher poundage bow to hunt whitetailsbut in reality these higher poundage bows are meant for game larger than a whitetail. The matrix series is very fast but I would assume fast means more string wear too. i think the phoenix/ibex would be the perfect starter xbow if you decide to go with a recurve. If I went with a compound then I would go with 10 point or the less expensive line that they make which is wicked ridge. Remember when NYS allowed xbows in gun season they had a 200lb limit which means the matrix line would not be legal if they decided on the same poundage limit.

I started bow hunting in 1977 and stopped using my compound bow in 2007 because I needed corrective lenses for close and distance objects. No matter what I tried either the pins were blurry or the target was blurry. I tried everything, even going to an opthomalogist for advice on corrective surgery which he acknowleged wouldn't help my situation. I could still shoot a scoped gun with no issues so I tried a red-dot on my bow and I still couldn't get it down so I gave up archery hunting. In 2008 I bought an excalibur phoenix(175lb) crossbow, put on a red-dot and enjoyed shooting again. I then purchased an excalibur vortex(200lb) crossbow and enjoyed it too. I just enjoy flinging arrows out to a target and the crossbow allows me to do it with accuracy. I anticipate NYS allowing crossbows in regular archery season so hopefully I can go out and enjoy archery hunting again. I realize this was about who is getting a crossbow but I figure I would give you my reason/history for getting one.

I used my excalibur crossbow during the NZ rifle season in 6K. I recall the automated phone system had crossbow as an option when I phoned in my 6K anterless permit harvest. I could be wrong but I thought it was an option for method of kill.

I went to Alabama from 91-96 and took three 8 pts and 5 does during my 6 trips to that state. I went to red oak, white oak. macon county guide service and master rack.I really enjoyed it as its one of the last states where you can rifle hunt in January. Like someone already said its a way to extend your season and have a good time. I always got a laugh leaving NY with several inches of snow on the ground and arriving in an alabama airport where thye were still cutting the grass.

If you have a preference point then you may get one as a non landowner. I had 1 pt and received my doe permit for 6K already

I own 2 excalibur crossbows Vortex and phoenix. which I have had for a couple of years. I am very happy with my xcal's and I will be using the Vortex during rifle season in 6K. I will use my rifle to fill my buck tag then I will hunt with the x-bow in order to fill my doe permit.

You could not take a second buck on a DMP in the late 70's -early 80's but I do rememeber that for a couple of years or so you could take a buck on a DMP in certain areas.This change occurred around 1986 give or take a year either way.

I totally agree back in the late 70's and early to mid 80's it was one antlered deer allowed per year. What is a trophy to one person(spike, crotchhorn) would be a pass for another hunter.