Xbow Opening Day (11/1/14)

[BizCT]

Finally get to hunt earlier than 11/15 and now the weather isn't looking very good. Looks like rain/snow and heavy winds. The winds don't bother me since I hunt from the ground anyway, but really hope it doesn't pour all weekend. I only get to hunt weekends, so this would mean I'm down to 2 days with the xbow as opposed to 4 before gun season.

[phade]

I wouldn't not hunt this weekend, unless safety is an issue. They'll be moving.

[mac]

got a good feeling about Sun am! good luck

[BizCT]

I wouldn't not hunt this weekend, unless safety is an issue. They'll be moving.

 

I only wouldn't hunt if its pouring rain. With the gun I hunt in any weather, but figured I shouldn't shoot a deer with an xbow in the pouring rain for tracking purposes.

[ididnotvoteforobama]

Working Saturday , then heading down to camp for my usual 3 week hunting vacation. 2 weeks of xbow then gun, can't wait.

[grampy]

I tore my rotator cuff last winter. So even with my compound set at 52lbs. it's been a struggle to shoot and very painful. Although I'm still very accurate out to 30+ yards,I can't hold full draw as long as I did before.

So looking forward to pain free shooting with my x-bow. I look at it as just another tool to put meat in my freezer. 

With the temps dropping out this weekend,it should get very active in the deer woods. Spend every minute you can on stand these next couple of weeks!

[wooly]

I've been passing bucks with the bow that I would normally shoot in a heartbeat this year.

I'm looking forward to dropping one with the x-bow, and that has kept many deer alive so far!

Things have really picked up here in 9h this past weekend. Activity should almost be at it's peak by next week.

[Al Bundy]

My wifes Parker X Bow was delivered yesterday afternoon. I am going to shoot it for now.  Its a nice little pig sticker and seems great for using while  recovering  from shoulder surgery.  I should be a sight to behold, carrying a pink camo cross bow.   I have two 4 day weekends coming up at hunting camp. We are getting close!!!

 

[rotorooter23]

I'll be sitting there with my compound, nothing against xbows, just really like my compound and don't see a need for xbow just yet.

[Vince1]

My wifes Parker X Bow was delivered yesterday afternoon. I am going to shoot it for now. Its a nice little pig sticker and seems great for using while recovering from shoulder surgery. I should be a sight to behold, carrying a pink camo cross bow. I have two 4 day weekends coming up at hunting camp. We are getting close!!!

I made sure to not get my wife the pink camo xbow because i knew i was gonna want to use it. Is that wrong?

[Terry]

I've been passing bucks with the bow that I would normally shoot in a heartbeat this year.

I'm looking forward to dropping one with the x-bow, and that has kept many deer alive so far!

Things have really picked up here in 9h this past weekend. Activity should almost be at it's peak by next week.

I have been doing the opposite. Passing doe waiting to get one with my Excalibur.

[Cory]

Last tune up shoot with the new Excalibur this morning before I take it in the woods Saturday morning. Still in awe on how accurate they are.

[BizCT]

Things are looking better now. Still very windy, but looking like only 30% chance of showers on Saturday with a high of 49 and a low of 35. Sunday windy again but dry with a high of 45 and low of 29.

[bkln]

It was windy today, I saw "%@$@#%%@" nothing, will try tomorrow again.... I would take x-bow over compound any day and twice on Sunday....while I love close encounters, holding that biatch 50/60/70/80 pounds for 3-5 min it ain't fun... with x-bow is point and click, can't beat that... IMHO.....

[jjb4900]

It was windy today, I saw "%@$@#%%@" nothing, will try tomorrow again.... I would take x-bow over compound any day and twice on Sunday....while I love close encounters, holding that biatch 50/60/70/80 pounds for 3-5 min it ain't fun... with x-bow is point and click, can't beat that... IMHO.....

nope can't beat that, just like shooting a gun. ain't nothing to it........

[ididnotvoteforobama]

Just got down to my camp , snowing,  about an inch on the ground already. Can't wait to get out tomorrow with the  Winchester crossbow.

[Lawdwaz]

 I would take x-bow over compound any day and twice on Sunday....while I love close encounters, holding that biatch 50/60/70/80 pounds for 3-5 min it ain't fun...

 

Why in heavens name are you holding it at full draw for 3-5 minutes?

 

[bkln]

Trees, buck/doe moving..... no clear line of sight/shooting lanes... you name it... I'm just saying.... x-bow hold no stress to that.... don't get me wrong I love compound but x-bow makes it easy, just wait and shoot....

[wooly]

... with x-bow is point and click, can't beat that... IMHO.....

 

Can't wait to see this beast..... you did kill one right?

 

My opening day experience wasn't as delightfull. Summer shooting in the backyard was fun, but hunting with this thing is a real PIA!

 

Started out getting hung up on every branch and twig on the way through the timber. I may as well have had an 8ft 2x4 strapped to my back the long way.

 Even with a sling there's no comfortable way to carry it except around my back. When I did have to hold it in my hands to slip through some tight spots is when I really felt all 8lbs of this beast real quick. My stock obviously wasn't designed with carrying comfort in mind. Although mine has a pistol grip behind the trigger, I found it to be too short for my entire hand to grip, and kept finding my trigger finger creeping towards the trigger for extra stability.

 

Once I finally reached my natural ground blind, it didn't take me long to see I didn't know where or how I was going to prop this bad boy up within reach. With no hooks hung in advance, I ended up laying it on the ground where it was more in the way than anything. Maybe I'm over paranoid, but I was constantly on edge having a cocked and loaded weapon "laying around" at my feet. I also got that uncomfortable feeling carrying it out after dark. Even though I removed the bolt, and my bow has an anti-dry fire mechanism, it was constantly in the back of my mind that the string could release and slice my ear clean off,lol. The slick snow covered downhill trip home added to my anxiety.

 

While in my un-roofed blind last night, the snow started accumulating on my scope, bolt, limbs, and bolt shelf. The snow never really let up, so I found myself dusting it off every few minutes which lead to soaking wet gloves, and frozen fingers. No doubt in my mind I would have had a hard time manipulating the safety to "FIRE" if a deer actually did show up. I don't know what kind of accumulation you can have on your rig before it starts to affect accuracy, but I know there has to be some degree there. The thought of not knowing how much was weighing heavily on my mind, so I began to question why I was even still out there.

 

 Just before dark, I did finally spot some turkey scratching their way across the beech ridge so I readied my x-bow for it's first taste of Thanksgiving dinner. As 8 soaking wet jakes strolled by at 30yds I discovered my scope was fogged over and I couldn't find them in it. I wiped off the rear lens and took a peak through it, but the front was still all fogged up. I flipped it around to wipe that lens off, but the birds had noticed something and didn't waste any time getting outta Dodge.

 

X-bow hunting...... piece of cake!

[Lawdwaz]

Can't wait to see this beast..... you did kill one right?

 

My opening day experience wasn't as delightfull. Summer shooting in the backyard was fun, but hunting with this thing is a real PIA!

 

Started out getting hung up on every branch and twig on the way through the timber. I may as well have had an 8ft 2x4 strapped to my back the long way.

 Even with a sling there's no comfortable way to carry it except around my back. When I did have to hold it in my hands to slip through some tight spots is when I really felt all 8lbs of this beast real quick. My stock obviously wasn't designed with carrying comfort in mind. Although mine has a pistol grip behind the trigger, I found it to be too short for my entire hand to grip, and kept finding my trigger finger creeping towards the trigger for extra stability.

 

Once I finally reached my natural ground blind, it didn't take me long to see I didn't know where or how I was going to prop this bad boy up within reach. With no hooks hung in advance, I ended up laying it on the ground where it was more in the way than anything. Maybe I'm over paranoid, but I was constantly on edge having a cocked and loaded weapon "laying around" at my feet. I also got that uncomfortable feeling carrying it out after dark. Even though I removed the bolt, and my bow has an anti-dry fire mechanism, it was constantly in the back of my mind that the string could release and slice my ear clean off,lol. The slick snow covered downhill trip home added to my anxiety.

 

While in my un-roofed blind last night, the snow started accumulating on my scope, bolt, limbs, and bolt shelf. The snow never really let up, so I found myself dusting it off every few minutes which lead to soaking wet gloves, and frozen fingers. No doubt in my mind I would have had a hard time manipulating the safety to "FIRE" if a deer actually did show up. I don't know what kind of accumulation you can have on your rig before it starts to affect accuracy, but I know there has to be some degree there. The thought of not knowing how much was weighing heavily on my mind, so I began to question why I was even still out there.

 

 Just before dark, I did finally spot some turkey scratching their way across the beech ridge so I readied my x-bow for it's first taste of Thanksgiving dinner. As 8 soaking wet jakes strolled by at 30yds I discovered my scope was fogged over and I couldn't find them in it. I wiped off the rear lens and took a peak through it, but the front was still all fogged up. I flipped it around to wipe that lens off, but the birds had noticed something and didn't waste any time getting outta Dodge.

 

X-bow hunting...... piece of cake!

 

I've always wondered how much of a PIA they'd be in a treestand??  I'm betting it wouldn't have been much better than the ground blind deal.  I'm sure it's just a bit of a learning curve??

 

I have no interest in hunting with one but ain't anti.

 

It'll be interesting to see if anybody else chimes in with a less than glowing result.

 

[Lawdwaz]

Trees, buck/doe moving..... no clear line of sight/shooting lanes... you name it... I'm just saying.... x-bow hold no stress to that.... don't get me wrong I love compound but x-bow makes it easy, just wait and shoot....

 

Three minutes is FOREVER.  I'd like to see you hold a xbow up for TWO minutes!  Ain't happening.............

 

[wooly]

I didn't even want to climb into any of my stands with it until I'm more farmiliar handling this thing.

It was a little too slick to compound the issues I was already having.

[Lawdwaz]

I didn't even want to climb into any of my stands with it until I'm more farmiliar handling this thing.

It was a little too slick to compound the issues I was already having.

 

I can believe that. 

 

My climbing sticks were a tad slick this morning from the snow/ice.  I had to be even more diligent with each step up or down.........

[growalot]

I sling mine over my back on ladders with no two rope(rose bush and brush at base)...other than that just climb and pull it up...cock it on the ground...I can hold a cross bow up for over 2 minutes...I use the army sling rest method standing and elbow on knee when seated...problem I have is limited shooting compared to my bow...ever try to clear the tree when shooting behind? not as easy as ya think...plus you have to remember to account for limb forward motion...

[Terry]

Glad I am not the only one who finds their xbow to be awkward and clumsy