The world of hunting, more specifically whitetail hunting, is experiencing a declining trend in the number of people heading to the fields across the United States. This is one of the main reasons why it is important to introduce this sport to the younger generations.
However, there is a group within the ranks of the whitetail game that is experiencing rapid growth in all corners of the country. The addition of crossbows into the archery season is allowing older hunters to stay in the fields longer. Despite this fact, crossbow hunters are growing in all age groups and genders. If you are considering buying a new crossbow to hunt for white tails and join these growing numbers, your first order of business is to buy the best crossbow for your hunting style. The optimal way to do this is to head to a large sporting goods store. Examine and touch every crossbow you see. Take your time and narrow best crossbow down your options to your top three or four selections.
Find a salesperson who can answer all of your questions about the different features that you consider essential in making your decision. If the store you are in offers the option of a shooting range; Take advantage of that. Put several bolts through the crossbow; Get a real idea of ​​how each and every one of your final options is handled.
Your next order of business is to take some time and do some research on the Internet. Visit various crossbow forums. You will find that there are avid crossbow hunters who are more than willing to share their opinions and experiences with you on crossbows in general, as well as the specific one you may be considering. Ask the questions that are most important to you; get honest answers; make the best decision. However, it doesn’t matter how much information you get before your purchase; Once you’ve decided on the one that’s right for you, read your owner’s manual completely.
Another consideration when deciding to buy and use a crossbow is the fact that crossbows have a significantly greater draw weight than vertical bows. For a hunter who has a disability, cocking a crossbow might be impossible. If this is the case, there are tools available to help. You can use a cocking rope that can reduce the pulling weight by up to 50 percent. You can also use a cocking device. This attaches to your crossbow and works like a winch. The need for a high draw weight is essential because a crossbow has a shorter power stroke than a compound bow. The power stroke is the distance the bowstring travels to push the arrow toward the target. Due to this shorter power stroke, the accumulated kinetic energy in the limbs is much less than that accumulated in the vertical arches. Due to this fact, even at the highest shooting weight, the arrow coming out of the crossbow will always fall faster than an arrow coming out of a vertical compound bow.
Another difference is the fact that the arrow used with a crossbow must be much heavier. Most crossbow arrows are 400 grains. This is necessary for the arrow to resist the initial energy transfer. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly. If you don’t, you risk injuring yourself and damaging your crossbow. Also, most manufacturers do not recommend shooting at a target that is more than 40 yards away. This is due to the rapid loss of speed of the arrow and the fact that the increased shooting weight makes the crossbow considerably louder than its vertical compound bow counterparts. Keeping your shots within 40 yards also helps prevent a dollar from “jumping rope.”

Finally, it should be noted that most crossbows are heavier overall than vertical bows. Although manufacturers continually work to lighten the overall weight, this is not currently the case. Therefore, there are a number of items on the market that are specifically built to help the hunter stabilize the crossbow when preparing for a shot. There is the “KneePod”. It is lightweight and easy to use. Another article is “Steddy Eddy”. This helps the crossbow hunter just like shooting sticks help the rifle hunter.