discharge target

[2012_taco]

I'm new to the xbow, what do you guys use to discharge the bolt after a hunt? I'm thinking of picking up the small discharge target at wally world ($15). It will fit in the back seat better than a full size bag.

[wolc123]

Do you or your family have any old clothes or rags lying around the house ?  If so, fill a smaller feed bag up with them and tie it shut.   That will stop the bolts better than an expensive "foam-block", it is easier to pull them out, and it is a lot lighter and less bulky to carry around than a big bag target.  I keep a bolt with a field tip on it in my car or at the house and use that to discharge into the rag-bag after every hunt.   That daily discharge also makes sure that your accuracy is still there throughout the hunting season.     Two years ago, I discharged my crossbow into my rag-bag after a morning hunt at my folks place.   After lunch at home, I walked to a stand out back.  A decent-sized, fighter 2.5 year old buck (had a few tines busted off) showed up at almost the exact same range where I had discharged a few hours earlier.  As far as confidence in making a shot goes, it don't get much better than that.  

[Reb]

Dont remember the brand but I use a discharge bolt that I bought on Amazon,works great.

[Jdubs]

I use a jacked up bolt with field point and fire into a block target or a rolled up piece of foam.  Not a big deal.

[Moho81]

I thought they made a bolt specific for discharging that you just fire into the ground. That seems like the most reasonable solution as it takes up next to no room in the vehicle.


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[Nomad]

I used to fire a FP into the ground , till one hit a buried rock . Then I bought a pack of these cheap plastic discharge bolts, but every time you hunt use one up .

An old or cheap target seems the best, I plan on leaving one where I park , with a few discharge bolts in truck as back up .

[Hunter007]

56 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Do you or your family have any old clothes or rags lying around the house ?  If so, fill a smaller feed bag up with them and tie it shut.   That will stop the bolts better than an expensive "foam-block", it is easier to pull them out, and it is a lot lighter and less bulky to carry around than a big bag target.  I keep a bolt with a field tip on it in my car or at the house and use that to discharge into the rag-bag after every hunt.   That daily discharge also makes sure that your accuracy is still there throughout the hunting season.     Two years ago, I discharged my crossbow into my rag-bag after a morning hunt at my folks place.   After lunch at home, I walked to a stand out back.  A decent-sized, fighter 2.5 year old buck (had a few tines busted off) showed up at almost the exact same range where I had discharged a few hours earlier.  As far as confidence in making a shot goes, it don't get much better than that.  

You could probably modify a old bolt with a large diameter washer or something  to make a blunt tip that will not penetrate much  and fire it into the ground. 

Edited October 6, 2018 by Storm914

[Jdubs]

26 minutes ago, Moho81 said:

I thought they made a bolt specific for discharging that you just fire into the ground. That seems like the most reasonable solution as it takes up next to no room in the vehicle.


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Sure, that works.  No reason you couldn't fire an old fp into a target when you get home either.  Storm's idea looks good too.  Dealers choice.  

[Nomad]

I’m anxiously awaiting , Biz and Pigmy to answer this question ......

[Pygmy]

" Discharge target"....Sounds like one of my old girlfriends....

[Dom]

You could even use pull rope to release rather than fire.Just an idea

[Hunter007]

4 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

" Discharge target"....Sounds like one of my old girlfriends....

Hillary?

[Pygmy]

32 minutes ago, Storm914 said:

Hillary?

Nope....I'd rather be breast fed by Bruce Jenner than hang out with Hilary....

[Hunter007]

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

Nope....I'd rather be breast fed by Bruce Jenner than hang out with Hilary....

I dont blame you 

So your saying you did not have sexual relations with that women hilary 

You and bill have something in common I guess

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by Storm914

[nyslowhand]

11 hours ago, Dom said:

You could even use pull rope to release rather than fire.Just an idea

Some Xbows you can. Other mfgers strongly recommend not doing this! Read the owner's manual.

Yeah, those Yellow Jacket discharge bags for Xbows are handy. Just have to remember to keep an old arrow/bolt with a field point nearby.

[2012_taco]

23 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Do you or your family have any old clothes or rags lying around the house ?  If so, fill a smaller feed bag up with them and tie it shut.   That will stop the bolts better than an expensive "foam-block", it is easier to pull them out, and it is a lot lighter and less bulky to carry around than a big bag target.  I keep a bolt with a field tip on it in my car or at the house and use that to discharge into the rag-bag after every hunt.   That daily discharge also makes sure that your accuracy is still there throughout the hunting season.     Two years ago, I discharged my crossbow into my rag-bag after a morning hunt at my folks place.   After lunch at home, I walked to a stand out back.  A decent-sized, fighter 2.5 year old buck (had a few tines busted off) showed up at almost the exact same range where I had discharged a few hours earlier.  As far as confidence in making a shot goes, it don't get much better than that.  

I ordered 1 of those yellow jacket bags from wally world, should have it by wednesday. I have some old potato/onion sacks about 10lb. size,  maybe I'll try to stuff one and try it out. I like to do the DIY thing. Can't hurt to have a back up! Thanks for the idea. 

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, 2012_taco said:

I ordered 1 of those yellow jacket bags from wally world, should have it by wednesday. I have some old potato/onion sacks about 10lb. size,  maybe I'll try to stuff one and try it out. I like to do the DIY thing. Can't hurt to have a back up! Thanks for the idea. 

I save the synthetic burlap bags that wheat or rye comes in. They hold about a bushel or 50 pounds of seed.  A 10 pound onion sack might be a little small. Filled with rags, the bushel bags weigh less than 10 pounds. I have been using the current one for about three years.  The synthetic burlap itself is rather impervious to the field tip strikes.  A few times a year, I open it up and stir up the rags.   It works great with field tips, but I have not tried it with broadheads. They would likely cut up the bag in short order.  I use one of them foam blocks with them, but I use that sparingly, only when I try a new brand to verify that they fly the same as my field tips.  It is much harder to pull the bolts out of that foam than the DIY rag bag, so I use the rag-bag for the bulk of my practice, and for all of my "after hunting" discharges.   I need to make sure to stuff that bag in the toolbox behind my truck for my hunt up in the Northern zone next week. 

Using a discharge bolt, of different weight than you hunt with, is a waste of a lot of good in-season practice opportunities.  I see the need to discharge the crossbow after every hunt as an advantage over a vertical bow, not a disadvantage as most bow-hunters see it.   

Edited October 7, 2018 by wolc123

[fasteddie]

I bought the Barnett De-Cocking system at DICKs last year for $15 . Works great I can carry the bolt sticking out of my backpack and shoot it before getting out of the tree stand . 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/barnett-thump-decelerator-decocking-arrow-system---3-pack-16bttuthmp3pkdcckabw/16bttuthmp3pkdcckabw

[jperch]

I bought a dense foam crossbow target primarily for unloading.  I found that when I fired a field point tipped bolt into it that it was a major PIA to remove the bolt.  I mean sometimes it would take me 5 minutes to get the bolt out.  So I ground a field point flat, problem solved.  With the blunt tip the bolt pushes foam ahead of it instead of cutting through.  I have also used a feed bag filled with an old canvas tarp, that worked well.

jperch

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, jperch said:

I bought a dense foam crossbow target primarily for unloading.  I found that when I fired a field point tipped bolt into it that it was a major PIA to remove the bolt.  I mean sometimes it would take me 5 minutes to get the bolt out.  So I ground a field point flat, problem solved.  With the blunt tip the bolt pushes foam ahead of it instead of cutting through.  I have also used a feed bag filled with an old canvas tarp, that worked well.

jperch

What does that do to the weight of field tip ?   I suppose you could start with 125 grains and grind enough of the tip off to make them 100 and then use 100 grain broadheads or something like that.   Ease of pulling bolts out is the best thing about the DIY bag of rags.   

[Reb]

3 hours ago, fasteddie said:

I bought the Barnett De-Cocking system at DICKs last year for $15 . Works great I can carry the bolt sticking out of my backpack and shoot it before getting out of the tree stand . 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/barnett-thump-decelerator-decocking-arrow-system---3-pack-16bttuthmp3pkdcckabw/16bttuthmp3pkdcckabw

Mine is a different brand but same type that I use,works good and is easy to carry.

[jperch]

33 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

What does that do to the weight of field tip ?   I suppose you could start with 125 grains and grind enough of the tip off to make them 100 and then use 100 grain broadheads or something like that.   Ease of pulling bolts out is the best thing about the DIY bag of rags.   

It makes it weigh less!  It's just a dedicated bolt for unloading the crossbow.  I have a different target for practice that is easy to withdraw the bolts from.

[bugsNbows]

Several bows currently available allow you to de-cock with a special rope (Camx, Kodabow for example). 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

On 10/6/2018 at 9:52 PM, nyslowhand said:

Some Xbows you can. Other mfgers strongly recommend not doing this! Read the owner's manual.

Yeah, those Yellow Jacket discharge bags for Xbows are handy. Just have to remember to keep an old arrow/bolt with a field point nearby.

That is what I use. haven't had any issues. A buddy did the bolt in the ground routine until it hit a rock and then that blew into pieces. 

[2012_taco]

I picked up some scrap nylon screen from Hector's hardware and stuffed an old corn bag. I think it should be fine? I'll try it with a good backup!