Crossbows are hunting tools that have been present for a very long time but now they have developed into something more powerful and precise. If you’re new to hunting, choosing a crossbow that fits your needs might be a little tricky. There are so many things to consider when choosing the best crossbow for beginners, which includes speed, design, and features.
I have made this guide to help those beginners who don’t know where to start when it comes to crossbow hunting. As this guide is made for beginners, I’ll cover everything from choosing the right crossbow to how to use it. Please continue reading and enjoy.
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A Quick Guide On How To Use Crossbow In Hunting
Choosing The Best Crossbow
There are many crossbows available on the market today. This is why it’s hard to select the best one if you’re a beginner. If your aim is to use the crossbow for hunting, decide the size of animals you’ll be targeting.
Although there may be modern crossbows that can take down a deer in a range of more than 60 yards, this might need you a lot of skill and time to create shots at that scope. The more realistic ranges that fit for you are 30-40 yards, so remember this when considering your hunting opportunities.
Compound Vs Recurve Crossbow
There are many types of crossbows but the two most common varieties are recurve and compound. To help you decide which of the two best suits your needs, check its pros and cons.
- A compound crossbow is better than its recurve counterpart in terms of draw weights and arrow speed. More specifically, the compound style has a higher arrow speed and lesser draw weights. The cables and pulleys also make it easier to shoot from a narrow place plus it makes cocking straightforward.
- However, this crossbow style may become unreliable at a critical moment because you have to adjust the cables or pulleys before shooting. With all the mechanisms happening in the front part, this crossbow may feel heavy at the front. This heaviness may slow you down in bringing the tool up to hold and aim for longer periods of time.
- The recurve crossbow is often chosen for its simplicity and dependability. Unlike the compound crossbow, recurve has no pulleys or cables to adjust, making it easier and quieter to use. It’s also lightweight, hence easier to carry if you take a long travel.
- However, this type of crossbow is difficult to cock because you’ll need to pull the weight all the way through. I recommend you use a string cocker to minimize the strength needed to cock. Another thing that I observed about this crossbow type is its low speed due to a higher draw weight.
Between these two types of crossbows, many experienced hunters suggest the use of recurve crossbow for beginners because it needs no tuning. I believe this is a case of personal preference. If you have the luxury, compare and use both types then decide.
Other Things To Consider
It might seem complicated to differentiate the best crossbows from an ordinary product. For easy comparison, check these following points:
Speed
- If you want to make fast and powerful shots, choose a compound bow. However, too much speed can be a bad thing for your shooting. A fact not known by many hunters is that too much speed can be less forgiving for any small mistake in the arrow.
- Take note that weight arrows are suggested and together with points, they’re used to calculate the speed of a crossbow. A heavier arrow might reduce your speed, but it can bring more force to the target. What you want is an arrow that’s fast enough to hit the target, but not that fast that can make your shots harder.
Noise
- You’ll want a crossbow that shoots quietly so you can’t scare away your target. This is the advice from specialists even if you have to give up arrow speed. The recurve crossbows with parallel limbs are the quietest models you can find.
Safety Features
- One of the safety features that you should look is an anti dry fire inhibitor which prohibits the string to be released without an arrow in place. A dry fire is something you should avoid because it can give a large stress on your crossbow’s limbs. If you often forget to set the crossbow before shooting, then an auto-engaging safety is what you need.
- Oftentimes, your hand might get a slight injury when it gets in the way of the bow string. To reduce this possibility, look for a forward grip design with wings that can place your fingers below the string path.
Shooting Your New Crossbow
Now that you have the right equipment, it’s time to learn how to shoot.
1.Cock Your Crossbow
There are two ways to cock the bow: crank and manual. A crank is easier to do than manual cocking, but it takes more time. To crank, simply engage it and turn it to cock the string. Then place the crank back into position or its holder.
To cock manually, position your foot at the front of the bow’s stirrup then pull the string back evenly until it’s cocked. You can make this process easier by using a rope cocking tool.
2.Load The Arrow
Once your crossbow is cocked, put an arrow in the barrel. Ensure to align the arrow’s cock vane in the barrel channel. Fit the arrow securely.
3.Aim And Shoot
Now, make a good aim. How? Look through the scope and place the intersecting lines (crosshairs) to the target. You might also see a dot in the scope’s center which can work the similar way. Now that you have sighted the target, squeeze the trigger.
For visual reference on how to shoot a crossbow, watch this video
Final Thought
Did you have fun learning this guide on how to choose and use the best crossbow for beginners? As a beginner, it’s important that you choose the right crossbow that will improve your skill. Remember to consider the features and style that best suits your needs.
If you have any questions or suggestions, comment down below. Please share this article with your friends if you like it.
