ApexerER

I hope you guys get a big one and remember it forever ....sorry about the bad news

Locked and loaded....come on deer!!!

I will be carry my crossbow I got for Christmas last year for the first time. I am excited about it. I hope I get to try it out on something. It will be interesting to see how it works out for me in the treestand and carrying it in and out. I got her all ready to go after about 2 hours at the range yesterday. I took the quiver off my bow so I could carry more than 3 bolts. I was excited my bow quiver worked fine. Got all my broadheads on...I can't wait. I have to remember to pack my decocking bolt. I have told myself that 10 times at work today. Watch me forget it....I came up with another reason to leave the seasons the way they are....I love opening day...It just feels different. Like today is Christmas Eve. I feel that way Sept. 30th and before the rifle opener as well.

So I made a last second swap of my stock Barnett 4x32 scope to the Nikon Bolt XR. Just figured I would post for anyone looking to upgrade their crossbow scope that this scope is excellent. It makes the Barnett 4x32 that actually gets fairly decent reviews and was one of the reasons I chose the Barnett over the PSE Fang look like it belongs on a childs toy. Nikons spot-on app lets you choose the bolt you are using, enter your FPS and broad head weight and it will calculate yardage based on those parameters. I found them to be exact which was another awesome feature. The only negative review I found on the scope (not from me) was that it is not lighted. I don't see any need for this after spending two hours with it yesterday at the range. Everything is perfectly clear. Maybe if our hunting laws were half hour before and after sunrise like some states but I think even then I would be fine. I am dialed in at 20, 30, 45 and 60 yds. Couldn't be happier with this purchase. Now if I can just find a deer to try it out on this weekend!

Well all your replies made me do what I already knew had to be done. My wife was nice enough to leave work a little early yesterday to take my daughter to the orthodontist so I could go to the range. I am so glad I did it. What a difference this scope is compared to the Barnett 4x32. I had the thing sited in at 20 yds in about 20 minutes. Elevation was already perfect. If I could make shots quicker it would have taken less time. Nikon's BDC App showed the BDC should for a crossbow shooting 330 FPS should be yardages of 20, 30, 46, 58....After having arrows touching and worry about breaking bolts at 20 and 30 yds I moved to 45 yds and still had fletchings touching each other. After 15-20 shots at 45 yds I figured what the heck and moved out to 60 yds. I held two 3 shot groups to about 3 inches at 60 yds and that was with the wind picking up a lot. I was really impressed with that. This was all off a solid rest of course. I spent about 2 hours at the range and feel very confident in my equipment now for tomorrow morning. I have never hunted with a crossbow before and figured my effective range would be about the same as the bow at 30 yds or less. If I get a clear shot out to 40-45 yds with this crossbow. I would feel extremely confident about that shot. If anyone is looking for a scope upgrade for their crossbow....I really like this scope!!!!

You are correct....

Actually, it was one of the scopes I was contemplating because I love my Nikon scope and Bino's. I was looking at the archery talk classifieds and I got it off a forum member there that wanted to go to something with lighted since his eyes were not as good as they used to be. I wouldn't normally make a used scope purchase but I purchased a scope from a forum member here and it worked out so I figured why not. Looks brand new, glad I did it...

Thanks for all the replies. I am very happy so far with the field and stream jacket I picked up. It blocks the wind and it is warm without being too bulky. I have been pretty happy with their stuff for the $$..

I am going to have to try that ammo. I can't get my BAR to group like that.....

All of it!

Its not the actual time it takes to site in....Its the time it will take to go to the range, get there with enough light and then site it in. Maybe i could set something up so i am shooting toward my cement foundation in my yard but i am not sure i would be comfortable with that and i know my wife wouldn't be. I was shooting at my buddies house who has plenty of room but he is actually farther away than the range. If this scope came yesterday like the USPS said it would (why are they the only ones that are ever late) i would have been in good shape. I was out at my buddies house at 4pm yesterday. Would have had plenty of time and light. Today i have to grab my daughter off the bus and take her to an orthodontist appt. I can't imagine i will have enough light left after that. So its Friday or bust which will mean dragging my daughter to the range which i am sure she will be thrilled with since my wife is going out with some friends from work. I agree with everyones opinion thought that i need to find the time to mount this glass...

Things that make you go hmmmm.........

LOL, i wrote the same thing in a couple of the political threads that i know Papist will be checking out!!

Papist for PRESIDENT!!!

Papist for PRESIDENT!!!

CAN NOT HIT LIKE ON THAT>>>>

So I have been practicing with my crossbow some getting ready for Saturday morning and I decided that i just can not deal with the POS scope that came on my crossbow. I started reading about them and looking to make a purchase for next season for sure. Well while looking over at crossbow talk classifieds I found a Nikon Bolt XR and this was one of the scopes i was contemplating. So anyway, the mail lady just dropped it off to me (at work) and i am looking at it and it is about a million times better than the scope i have. So, should i swap scopes this late in the game, get this sucker sited in at 20 yds and use it Saturday. Or should i hunt with the POS that is on the crossbow this weekend since i have all the yardage figured out and mess with the new scope next week when i am not in a rush. Or should i stick with the POS scope for the season??? I would really like to get this mounted up and use it but i would feel better if i had a little time to get to know it first, if you know what i mean....

Papist, I agree with everything written here. I lost a deer a couple of years ago and felt like I did all I could. Called Deer search and wasn't able to get anyone to come with me. Had 8 friends grid search our whole lease etc. Your story had me thinking there must have been more I could do. Congrats to you hunting brother...

Does knowing for sure that if I go to stand A all the deer will be at stand B...and if I choose B I am positive they are all standing around stand A count as being superstitious.

Papist, I really say anything that wasn't already said. Great Job and Great Deer!!!

I used to bring a book....now I just play with my phone whether its games or reading the forum/internet. An extra charger is a must...

Papist....whether you find him or not it sure sounds like you are taking every avenue possible to find the deer. Best of luck..no matter the outcome...

Did the blood trail lead both ways out of the pool you found or just the way you followed....That would drive me crazy having no idea what happened...

I am starting to see a scary scenario where Trump crushes Clinton with the popular vote but doesn't not win enough electoral votes.

I am already out of likes this morning....^^^^^ LIKE ^^^ and good luck...