Dipping My Toes In The Darkside

[DirtTime]

Buddy was pretty set on me giving a crossbow a try this year. So he loaned me a Barnett Wildcat to use once the season opens here in the SZ. I got it dialed in with FP’s and have shot a few BH's to make sure things are on point. Grouping 3 arrows inside 3" at 30 yards, and single BH shots inside the 3" at the same distance. So that's all good.

 

I'm not certain how this will pan out, I can't say I don't enjoy shooting it, but it's not my compound. The Summer of 2021 I had considered buying one, or upgrading my compound, but ended up going the inline ML route when all was said and done.

 

Then, there's if I take a deer with a borrowed crossbow, I'm going to want to buy the silly gun with a string.

 

 

[Robhuntandfish]

Good luck. I've had good luck with mine. Took my best buck ever with the xbow. I enjoy the change in weapons thru the season. Something different, almost like another opening day.

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[Skillet]

 

We'd be glad to have you!

[518BowSlayer]

Good luck. I've had good luck with mine. Took my best buck ever with the xbow. I enjoy the change in weapons thru the season. Something different, almost like another opening day.

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

Got my best buck with crossbow too!

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[suburbanfarmer]

Crossbow require similar practice and knowing the yardage and arrow drop. Yes slightly easier than a bow but doesnt make it rifle easy.

GoodLuck!!

[DirtTime]

I've shot them in the past. I've just never had that feeling of a crossbow being an implement I wanted to get into. I love my vertical bow, and love my firearm hunting a little more the past couple years. I guess this gives me a chance to see if I'll even like hunting with a crossbow without spending a bunch of cash if it's not my thing.

 

I did find it odd that at 195 pounds, it's only pushing the bolt 260 FPS, give or take. My compound is faster at 56 pounds.

 

[Jeremy K]

Would ya look at the time, can't believe it's October 11th already. 

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Jeremy K

[DirtTime]

1 minute ago, Jeremy K said:

Would ya look at the time, can't believe it's October 11th already.

Would you look at that. I never knew this was a thing. Did you know due to something you'd like to share with us?

[Jeremy K]

3 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

Would you look at that. I never knew this was a thing. Did you know due to something you'd like to share with us?

I'm sorry Rob, someone at work brought it up today and I've been waiting all day to do something with it. Please don't take it personal. 

[DirtTime]

5 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

I'm sorry Rob, someone at work brought it up today and I've been waiting all day to do something with it. Please don't take it personal. 

No worries. No offense taken here. It could be worse than giving a crossbow a try, I could move to NYC and start wearing skinny jeans and a man bun.

[Five Seasons]

[Nomad]

Shoulder issues pushed me into buying one and I was grateful, but I enjoyed my compound more , so the following year I bought a compound I could draw . Fast forward a couple more years and drawing issues again , resting , popping ibuprofen and the pain is gone ,we’ll see on drawing in stand this sat .

Its great knowing I have a back up plan  even if it’s weeks away , enjoy !

[Untwisted Pretzel logic]

15 hours ago, DirtTime said:

I did find it odd that at 195 pounds, it's only pushing the bolt 260 FPS, give or take. My compound is faster at 56 pounds.

 

That seems low, however, even if the 260FPS is a valid #, the kinetic energy that your crossbow bolt delivers will be much higher than your vertical bow due to the weight of your crossbow bolt.  Your crossbow bolt will zip through a deer out to 30 yards virtually every time.  I hunt in the deep woods and all my shots are less than 30 yards and all of the deer I have shot at (9) over the years have had a pass through except one, and that one hit an off shoulder and the deer went 30 yards and dropped.  Main difference between crossbow and vertical bow is there is no detectable movement at all to shoot a crossbow - no standing up, no drawing back. That is a huge difference for close range hunting.  Anyone that tells you that there is any other major difference is ignorant and/or biased.  The main negative to a crossbow is that a fast follow up shot is not available, however, due to the accuracy that should not be an issue.

Good luck.

[DirtTime]

26 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Shoulder issues pushed me into buying one and I was grateful, but I enjoyed my compound more , so the following year I bought a compound I could draw . Fast forward a couple more years and drawing issues again , resting , popping ibuprofen and the pain is gone ,we’ll see on drawing in stand this sat .

Its great knowing I have a back up plan  even if it’s weeks away , enjoy !

Hoping your shoulders get better somehow.

 

 

3 minutes ago, cutbait said:

That seems low, however, even if the 260FPS is a valid #, the kinetic energy that your crossbow bolt delivers will be much higher than your vertical bow due to the weight of your crossbow bolt.  Your crossbow bolt will zip through a deer out to 30 yards virtually every time.  I hunt in the deep woods and all my shots are less than 30 yards and all of the deer I have shot at (9) over the years have had a pass through except one, and that one hit an off shoulder and the deer went 30 yards and dropped.  Main difference between crossbow and vertical bow is there is no detectable movement at all to shoot a crossbow - no standing up, no drawing back. That is a huge difference for close range hunting.  Anyone that tells you that there is any other major difference is ignorant and/or biased.  The main negative to a crossbow is that a fast follow up shot is not available, however, due to the accuracy that should not be an issue.

Good luck.

These are the specs right from Barnetts website:

https://www.barnettcrossbows.com/wildcat

 

It seems oddly low to me as well, but one would think the manufacturer would know the details. The bolts in the case he gave me to use are a little heavier than 380 grains, they were just a smidgen under 400 when I put them on a scale.

[Untwisted Pretzel logic]

OK It makes more sense after, I checked your Barnett site link. You have a recurve. Ratio of pullback weight to arrow speed is lower vs. a compound crossbow.

Advantage of recurve is less mechanical issues due to bow simplicity. Disadvantage is width and speed. 260FPS is plenty fast enough; you will be fine.

I have an Excalibur recurve and a Barnett compound, both work well and never failed to get the job done.

[DirtTime]

1 hour ago, cutbait said:

OK It makes more sense after, I checked your Barnett site link. You have a recurve. Ratio of pullback weight to arrow speed is lower vs. a compound crossbow.

Advantage of recurve is less mechanical issues due to bow simplicity. Disadvantage is width and speed. 260FPS is plenty fast enough; you will be fine.

I have an Excalibur recurve and a Barnett compound, both work well and never failed to get the job done.

I have no doubt it will kill a deer as long as my part is being done. I just thought it strange my vert bow shot faster at a far lower weight setting.

 

 

Now I just have to figure out how to uncock the thing when I'm done with a hunt if I haven't had a shot. Those little targets are spensive, and I'm not dropping $50 on a "see if I like it" thing. He gave me a bolt that's supposed to be able to be shot in the ground, yet he said he looses them each time he does that.

[grampy]

Come over to the dark side Rob. We welcome you. 

 

[chrisw]

I've shot them in the past. I've just never had that feeling of a crossbow being an implement I wanted to get into. I love my vertical bow, and love my firearm hunting a little more the past couple years. I guess this gives me a chance to see if I'll even like hunting with a crossbow without spending a bunch of cash if it's not my thing.
 
I did find it odd that at 195 pounds, it's only pushing the bolt 260 FPS, give or take. My compound is faster at 56 pounds.
 

Don't forget that the "power stroke" on a crossbow is much shorter than a 30" compound length. This is partially why you double/triple the draw weight to achieve the relative same speed. You could have a 400lb crossbow but if the stroke is only 6" long you're going to have poor performance.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

[DirtTime]

1 hour ago, grampy said:

Come over to the dark side Rob. We welcome you. 

 

I'll give this a whirl. It's not costing me anything, it's not like I won't be hunting anyway. We have an area that the owner only wants bows or crossbows due to location, so it can't hurt to try.

[Nomad]

3 hours ago, DirtTime said:

Now I just have to figure out how to uncock the thing when I'm done with a hunt if I haven't had a shot. Those little targets are spensive, and I'm not dropping $50 on a "see if I like it" thing. He gave me a bolt that's supposed to be able to be shot in the ground, yet he said he looses them each time he does that.

It’s a pain , if you shoot a field point into the ground you’ll hit a rock at some point. There are plastic disposable bolts you can launch into where ever, they’re like a buck or two each . I bring an old Block and shoot a FP into it . 

[Untwisted Pretzel logic]

You can buy a Morrill yellow jacket discharge target for less than $20 at DSG,Bass Pro, or Walmart. These are small and don't weigh much.

As stated above, just shoot a field point and be done with it.

You may be able to decock it similar to an Excalibur using your cocking rope. Look up how to decock a Excalibur on you tube and you will see many examples.

That's all I've got for you. Best of luck.

[Jeremy K]

The cons of hunting with a bow that stays locked at full draw all day.

[grampy]

16 minutes ago, cutbait said:

You can buy a Morrill yellow jacket discharge target for less than $20 at DSG,Bass Pro, or Walmart. These are small and don't weigh much.

As stated above, just shoot a field point and be done with it.

You may be able to decock it similar to an Excalibur using your cocking rope. Look up how to decock a Excalibur on you tube and you will see many examples.

That's all I've got for you. Best of luck.

I use the YellowJacket too. Small, light, and inexpensive. When I'm back to my vehicle, just fire a spare bolt with a field point into it. Done. Then just hook the cocking rope back on the crossbow, and good to go for the next hunt to the darkside.

Edited October 12, 2022 by grampy

[Robhuntandfish]

If your bow target has a broadhead side use that for your xbow . I just leave mine in the truck with the bolt in it and use it to shoot the xbow each time when I'm done.

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[DirtTime]

I suppose I could carry the target he loaned me. I see Wallyworld has those little Morrels for $17, might order one of those and just leave it in my hunting blilnd.