Cold Weather with a Crossbow

Fan of Fall · Post by **Fan of Fall** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:13 pm

Hi all,
?
I'm new to the world of cross bow hunting and this will be my first season with one. I have a Vortex and I'm been just practicing in warm weather.
Does the colder weather during late archery season and later have any effect on cross bow accuracy or bow parts? I know cold temperatures causes contraction and heat expands. I never notice any changes with a compound except I had to practice with more clothes on.

Thanks in advance

Doe Master · Post by **Doe Master** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:17 pm

One of the problems that can happen with crossbows is if you get snow and such inside the trigger unit . If not dried out the trigger will freeze at the most inconvenient moment .

Dereck · Post by **Dereck** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:21 pm

Try using something that evaporates the water like dry and go for ignitions done this on guns but haven't tried it on a crossbow.
I would remove the stock so no damage is done to the camo.

WD-40 will work as well and should not affect the stock.

As for the cold affecting the performance I don't think it changes anything from what I have read on the forum.

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:33 pm

i hunted december last year and shot a deer the 28th at 25 degrees.the exocet was flawlees and hammered that doe.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:47 pm

Other than the possibility of moisture freezing and locking up the trigger I've seen no change in performance. The freezing has never been any problem for me, but I'm always careful to keep as much rain/snow out of the "works" as possible. I frequently carry the crossbow with a big camo bandanna over the scope/claw/trigger area if it's raining or snowing to keep as much moisture out as possible.
I've even considered making a leather "cow's knee" like is used with a sidelock muzzleloader.

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:28 pm

I have never experienced a frozen trigger yet(knock on wood), but I have had it where I was hunting in freezing rain. The rail had a light layer on it and it threw my p.o.i. way off.

warningshot · Post by **warningshot** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:29 am

hunted in all temps ...shot the bow on a buck at minus 25 celsius...with great accuracy....i did one time have a frozen safety during a heavy rain
changing to snow storm...i 'd put the saftey on throw the bow over my shoulder and take afew steps with the saftey switching to fire.....

kanehill · Post by **kanehill** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:35 am

I keep my bows in a non heated garage during hunting season so they are the same temp. as the weather I am hunting !

deer jamie · Post by **deer jamie** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:19 pm

i have had a not so good experience when my trigger iced up (the one that got away story) after some openions from some fellow members it was determinded that i used my bow in the morning it was snowing i left it in the back of my vechil all day and went out again at night. throught the day my vechile heater was running while i was running arrens and the snow left on the bow from the morning melted and when i went out at night and creossed a mile long open field in a snow storm my mechinisim must have frozen resulting in me trying to pull the trigger and nothing happening . So yes it can happen but its more user error i dont blame the bow but myself for not taking proper care!! i hope this helps

Peach · Post by **Peach** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:25 pm

I shot my buck last year in -15celsius weather with no problems at all. These bows are made in Canada, for hunting in Canada. Cold is no big deal at all...

I don't oil my bow at all, bring it in each night to dry...oil stinks...I try to stay scent free.

Phoenix_Tom · Post by **Phoenix_Tom** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:34 pm

One quick shot of WD-40 in the trigger assembly after the season is over is all you are supposed to need for any Excalibur crossbow. That's all I do and so far I've never had a problem in sub zero (C) temps and in freezing rain, snow storms etc.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:38 pm

What is all this snow and ice and freezing temps y'all keep talking about?

deer jamie · Post by **deer jamie** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:48 pm

iam from Canada ahy it gets dam cold here - 30 in nov and dec sometimes but sometimes its plus 10 lol

deer jamie · Post by **deer jamie** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:50 pm

And I also use a shot of wd 40 in the fall and 2 weeks before the sesson starts i figure it cant hurt!!

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:17 pm

must not worry about the smell of the wd-40???

what about the scope.going from house to woods for fogging up????

65 to say 40 degrees