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For most archers firing a modern compound bow, a crossbow is little more than a curiosity, and for most traditional archers firing a recurve or long bow, a crossbow is pure anathema. However, the fact is that the modern crossbow has evolved alongside the modern compound bow and, in fact, they share the same technology. Consequently, today’s crossbows are significantly more sophisticated than those of a few years ago and are therefore not only considerably faster, but also more accurate, more compact and lighter. Consequently, there are now more reasons than ever to consider switching to this so-called “primitive weapon.”

Of course, a question that almost every hunter asks at one point or another is “why would you want to use a crossbow?” And while the answers to this question are many and varied, one answer is that a crossbow is perfect for people who are avid gun hunters who also want to extend their season but don’t want to waste the time it takes to become experts. with compound or recurve bow. Therefore, because a crossbow is essentially an extra short bow mounted on the butt end of a weapon, the same abilities that are used to fire a firearm can be used to fire a crossbow; thus making it a family weapon. Also, because a crossbow can be primed and cocked before finding play, it only requires force to draw the bow, not hold it in the drawn position while trying to aim; doing it like this a lot of easier to achieve accurate shooting. Additionally, a handful of the fastest crossbows on the market today can achieve arrow speeds in excess of 400 fps (a threshold compound shooters can only dream of), resulting in exceptionally flat trajectories over long distances. Additionally, a crossbow can be fitted with modern, illuminated, multi-reticle scopes, which are specifically calibrated for use with a crossbow and thus provide the archer with sophisticated optics for pinpoint accuracy. Lastly, most people can master the basic skills of shooting a crossbow in no more than an hour of casual shooting in their backyard and after that, a little practice is all it takes to hone the skill and keep it sharp.

But regardless of your reasons for deciding to make the switch to shooting a crossbow, it’s a good idea to spend some time learning about them and learning what characteristics distinguish one crossbow from another so that you can make the best possible decision when it comes to it. time to buy your first crossbow. So what features should you look for when choosing a crossbow? Well, the four criteria that most people consider the most important are that it is fast, light, compact, and accurate. Now obviously the faster the arrow travels, the flatter its trajectory will be, but the reason why a flat trajectory is so important is that, although archers commonly strike targets at much shorter ranges than gun hunters, the Shot placement remains critical, and so is range estimation. But, the flatter the arrow’s path, the less drop it will experience, and therefore the less critical accurate range estimate becomes. Also, when choosing a crossbow, you need to pay close attention to its total weight because, like a compound bow, you will have to carry it in and out of the forest with you. So while a crossbow that is a bit heavy is not a problem if you are hunting on reasonably flat terrain and / or reasonably close to your vehicle, a few ounces can make a big difference and when traversing rough terrain and / oo long distances, a difference of a couple of pounds can seem like the difference between carrying a recurve bow and carrying a compound bow. Also, most hunters want a bow that is well balanced and easy to maneuver on a tree stand or in a blind on the ground and therefore crossbows with short butts and short shaft lengths are often sought after. to axis. Then there is the question of limb design because you will have to choose between recurve and compound limbs. While it is true that recurve limb designs are lighter and quieter than compound limb designs, it is also true that compound limbs tend to be significantly faster than recurve limbs of the same weight due to their cams which, in turn , lead us to the next question about the extraction weight. For example, while it is true that most states only require a minimum crossbow shooting weight of 75 to 125 pounds, most hunters prefer at least 150 pounds. draw weight but, for hunters who like to hunt down truly large and / or dangerous game species, draw weights of 175 pounds. to 225 lbs. they are not at all excessive. However, archers with smaller stature may find it difficult to draw a bow of that weight and may therefore require a lower shooting weight. However, some models have integral arming devices that make drawing the bow much easier; thus placing it within the ability of most shooters to take out even the heaviest bows. In addition, it is advisable to choose a model that incorporates both an automatic safety mechanism and an automatic dry fire inhibitor to prevent accidental damage to the bow, and it is helpful to choose one that has a disconnect mechanism so that you don’t have to. shoot the bow to open it. Beyond that, it’s mostly a matter of bells and whistles, such as whether the stock has an adjustable butt plate and cheek piece or not, whether it has a machined aluminum cylinder or a carbon fiber cylinder, whether it has a riser. machined aluminum or a carbon fiber riser, whether or not it has a vibration damping system, and the type of sight it comes with.

So because the modern crossbow has evolved dramatically over the last decade, speed, accuracy, size, and weight have all been significantly improved and thus many of the reasons hunters had for not liking crossbows. now they are non-existent. In fact, attitudes towards this not-so-primitive weapon have changed so much in recent years that some states now allow crossbows to be used throughout their archery season by any hunter of legal age and more states are expected to follow suit in the field. future. Consequently, the number of hunters choosing to hunt with a crossbow is also expected to increase. So, if you are not currently an archer but are considering becoming one to extend your hunting season, then a crossbow may be the perfect answer for you.