Hi, I'm 17 and I've been lurking in this forum for a few days. I've also been doing searches to help me answer some of my questions. So I'm going to buy a crossbow off ebay. Now I'm know that the "good brands" include Barnett, Tenpoint, Horton, Parker, ..etc. I really don't want to drop that much money on one, and yes I know, you get what you pay for. I need something to takedown a big (at least 10 point buck) my friend and I saw in the woods in the fall. We know the area very well. We are going to hunt for this buck next year as a team. If we get him I'll show you guys pics!
So I'm going for a 150lb draw weight. There are also ALOT of DUMB rabbits in the area. I've seen like 10 in one day over the summer. You could walk straight up to one and some times get within 5 feet! Of course I don't think its right to blast a friendly animal like that, so I'll be shooting from further away.
So.. I'm going to buy one of the cheaper ones off ebay. I just need advice on which one is less of a POS:
Stop and think for a while! If you do get a shot at that big buck how bad do you want to make a killing hit? Or would you rather just wound or miss him?
If you buy junk you aren't going to have much of a chance of making a good killing shot, and if you can't shoot accurately you shouldn't be hunting! Sorry to take such a negative stance on the subject, but if you're serious about hunting the game demands the best equipment you can get. If you can't afford new, then look for a good used brand-name crossbow made by a reputable crossbow manufacturer, not some cheap imported junk.
For hunting I wouldn't think of using anything but Excalibur! Sure, there are several good compound crossbow models by other manufacturers, but Excalibur will equal or exceed any other brand's accuracy and reliability without the need of a pro-shop for maintenance, and at a great price!
Think of it as an investment. If you buy junk it's probably going to cost you a fortune to keep it working, and it will have little or no resale value. If you buy Excalibur it will last for years, and if you decide to sell it you can get most of your investment back!
Your best bet is the Vixen in deerhide brown for $329.00 US. That is the best price new I have seen. Shoot it with the fiber optic site that comes with it and you will have your ten point if you keep your shot distance within 30 yards. Wabi makes a good point - you can buy junk that puts you out of the game due to bad equipment. Don't just buy cheap, but you don't have to buy the top of the line either; buy quality and expect value for the money you spend. You will be pleased with your purchase and you will have something of value to trade up with later.
Thanks for the advice guys. I've decided to go with a used brand name crossbow, and not the chinese junk. And if we see the buck again we will we shooting at the same time, which means will be twice as likely to get a killing shot. We'll be honing our aim during the summer on small game, so we should have a decent amount of experince by fall.
I applaud you thepredator in wanting to get into crossbow hunting. With some of your statements it makes me want to know how much "hunting" experience you have in general. Have you been through a hunters safety course, been mentored by an adult, read magazines, and visited hunting stores to gain advice? It's good that you are checking out forums for more information. Have you gun hunted or bow hunted before? Most general hunting information is transferable. It's just what weapon we are going to use that changes it slightly. Try to gain the knowledge then take it and practice and practice with what ever weapon you choose. Typically you get what you pay for. I'm not a brand basher so picking a brand will be up to your personal taste.
Some of the things you posted bothered me in how you want to try to get your deer. Both people trying to shoot at the same deer may in theory sound pretty good, but in actuality does not work well. Bow hunting has enough variables to overcome let alone doubling it when adding another hunter next to you.
When you post in forums remember that what you say and how you say it will be open for critique. Try to make your post as educated as possible before hitting the send and remember if you see a typo or what ever just edit your post and hit send again.
Last edited by team40s on Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This forum is designed as an education tool for people that are interested in crossbows. But it does not stop there. This forum will also try to install and teach hunting eithics to biginners. It is a great forum with alot of knowledge from alot of different places. thepredator, please feel free to ask questions. Most on this site will be more then pleased to try and help improve your knowledge so you can be better informed to make your choices.
I do agree with the others that have stated that you should choose a better bow to start with. It will not matter what brand of bow as long as it is a quality and safe bow.
Good luck.
Tom
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Well said Tom. We need young hunters/outdoorsmen(people) out there,
young ethical, educted hunters. Might as well teach them here. Turn them off with negativity and they'll just go and do what they want anyway. Try
and teach'em when you have their ears.
thepredator:
search excalibur exocet on ebay, apparently there's a good deal on one
buy it now $319.00 with all the fix'ins
You could walk straight up to one and some times get within 5 feet! Of course I don't think its right to blast a friendly animal like that, so I'll be shooting from further away. 