New and Lost. Need Advice

Crossbow Hunting

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confederate
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:49 pm
Location: Georgia [USA]

New and Lost. Need Advice

Post by confederate »

I have been an avid Bowhunter for 22 years with a compound. The last couple years I have gotten Target Panic. I am just Worn out with trying to cure it so I have been thinking about getting A crossBow . We can legaly use them in georgia now. The problem is I know nothing about them. I have been reading as much as I can find on the internet but There isn't that much that I have found. Going by what I have read I am leaning toward excalibur because I dont wont any problems and they seem to be simple and I read very accurate. I would like to know about the Vixen since it seems to be moderately priced. Other than speed is there anything that it doesnt have that the higher priced models do? Also what about the peep sights that are on Crossbows? Are they any worse in low light than a peep sight on a compound. Also, what about using a lighted sight Pin. Thanks
Matrix 330
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Deadeye
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2003 9:41 pm
Location: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

don't worry

Post by Deadeye »

don't worry excalibur has it all figured out. If you want to get hooked buy an exomag from cabelas. Get the one all setup with everything....The power and accuracy is a dream come true. The open sighting system on the exomag is responsible for 4 dead deer in my freezer. The exomag stops deer at up to 40 yds with open sights with no problem! Enjoy and welcome to the croosbow..

Deadeye
Blood make's the grass grow, Owh-ay!
Guest

Post by Guest »

I would highly recommend buying an Excalibur. I would also recommend basing the decision on which model to buy on your physical stature & primary use of the crossbow. I started with a Vixen (this was before the minimum arrow weight was reduced to 325 grains & velocity increased to 285 fps by the weight reduction) and had a desire for a little more velocity for deer hunting. I was getting around 250 fps with the setup I was using. I tried an Exomag, and it was just too much of a power stroke for my to cock. I had the strength, I just ran out of arms & legs to reach the latch :lol: I did move up to an Exocet, and am very well pleased with it for deer hunting. With carbon arrows & 100 grain points I get 309.7 (avg) fps, and thats plenty of speed and more than enough energy for deer hunting at reasonable ranges.
There's no fixed rule on what range a deer should be passed on, but from my little experience I would say the Vixen is roughly a 25 yard, the Ecocet 30, the Exomag 35, and the Exomax 40 yard limit on a "sure thing" shot. Sure longer shots are possible, and have been made, but I like to feel I am 100% certain in my head the shot is going to be perfect before I pull the trigger. Even then things can & will go wrong.
So if I had the buck of a lifetime at 34 yards, was holding the Exocet which I feel is a 30 yard maximum "sure thing" crossbow, he was not unusually tense or alert would I try the shot?...... Sure I would, but only if I felt he was relaxed and I would aim low in case he "jumped the string"!
Just one opinion, but don't over-bow just to be macho. Not trying to offend anyone, but to tell the truth the Vixen was a lot more fun because I could cock & shoot it more before fatigue set in. Matter of fact, I'm thinking seriously about a new Vixen just to target shoot with.
brendan

Post by brendan »

I agree with guest. I picked up an older model exomag and have since added a few extra bits. Scope, mag tip limbs etc. It is a magnificent piece of equipment. I bought it from a friend at an excelent price. However I shoot more target than live game so it is major overkill. After an afternoon of shooting i am absolutely knackered even with a cocking aid. For lighter game and target work I would have definately have gone for a lighter model. However there are some large pigs around here so the fact that it is a cannon could be handy. :wink:
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Don
Posts: 665
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 6:50 pm
Location: Odessa, Ontario

Re: New and Lost. Need Advice

Post by Don »

confederate wrote: Going by what I have read I am leaning toward excalibur because I dont wont any problems and they seem to be simple and I read very accurate. I would like to know about the Vixen since it seems to be moderately priced. Other than speed is there anything that it doesnt have that the higher priced models do? Also what about the peep sights that are on Crossbows? Are they any worse in low light than a peep sight on a compound. Also, what about using a lighted sight Pin. Thanks
Excalibur is the only way to go, accuracy and the fact you can change a string in seconds in the field is a major plus.

Vixen is an excellent bow as with any of the bows in my opinion much over thirty yards is gonna have to be a feeding deer eating with thier head down which is very calm.

Speed is the only real difference with one model to the next, all components are the same the only difference with each bow is the power stroke which makes up the extra speed. Check the bow specs on the web site. http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com and you will see what I mean.

Peep sight is no worse than that of a compound bow in low light. As for lighted sites I don't think there is one availabe for the Excalibur bows. There is a post somewhere in the archives about a pinned sight that can be used on crossbows.

Vixen for deer is more than enough, just try to get a carbon arrow that has as close to the minimum weigh of 350 grains with broadhead as possible. My understand is that a Goldtip Laser II with a hundred grain broadhead will come pretty close to this. The Vixen is a very nice bow.
Pass thru are more than possible on smaller hunting animals such as deer. The only real reason to get any more bow would be if you were going to hunt larger animals such as moose, elk, or bear as they have a heavier hide and body mass. As guest has pointed out any more bow than a Vixen will only increase the depth the bolt will have to be pulled from the ground after pass threw.

I have a few friends that use the Vixen to hunt deer and are more than happy with it and the pin site. I myself you an Exocet with a Scope as I got a deal on it used from a friend who wanted a newer model which put it well under the price of a new Vixen, otherwise I would be shooting a Vixen myself.

Don't be afraid to contact the excalibur service department they can confirm for you that a Vixen should be enough bow for deer. They are more than happy to help out anyway they can.

Hope I helped,
Don :lol:
Leo in Ga
Posts: 512
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 2:26 pm
Location: Newton county Ga

Post by Leo in Ga »

CHARLES

Welcome to the Excalibur forum :D

I think that vixen would be a great choice as would the exocet or the exomag that I use :)

If you will contact me here or on Woodys I will be glad to answer any questions and as you know there are many Excalibur users on woodys that would be glad to assist you.

Remember that Peter, from Excalibur, will be at the buckaramas here in Ga and will be happy to demo any of the excals for you. Give him a msg here on the forum and make sure he will have what you are interested in.

Depending on where you are at in Ga it's possible you could get together with one of us and shoot an excal :D

Leo ( from woodys :wink: )
Marmot

Post by Marmot »

I own a Vixen, and it is more than adequate for deer. Before my surgery, I could cock it all day without the rope aid.
BryanOney
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:23 pm
Location: Northfairfield, Ohio

Vixen

Post by BryanOney »

Confederate,
I have owned PSE, Barnett, and Horton crossbows. They were all compounds, I killed deer with all of them, but I was just never satisfied with the accuracy. Even with scopes on these crossbows I could only ever get maybe a 4-5 inch group at 30 yds off a rest. A lot of this problem is caused by the hard pull on the triggers of these bows. I read on this forum for several months and got an education. I liked what I heard and saw about the excalibers. This spring a purchased a Vixen from BJ. It is by far the most accurate x-bow I have ever shot. I can consitanty get 2 inch groups at 30 yds off a rest. In Ohio for deer I did not need more power. I needed more accuracy for confidence for my mental well being. For me it is kind of like a .22 Hornet will kill a deer easily if you put the bullet in the right place. Most of my crossbow kills are pass throughs. Just wait for that broadside shot at a deer standing still inside 30 yds. The vixen shoots my 2117s as fast as my compound Horton did. I love it. It feels like an extension of my body. I would get a cocking aid also. It is said that it will cut your group size in half since it gives you a much more consistant string alignment when you cock your crossbow. I have compared it with cocking my x-bow by hand and there does seem to be a difference. I would also get the device that helps you string your crossbow. I struggled without one. Lastly, if legal in Georgia, I would put a scope or a red dot on your crossbow. I myself had trouble hitting deer for many years. Could not hit them with a shotgun slug, compund bow, or crossbow with sights. I was deadly on a target, but on deer I would get to excited, point the instrument of death at the deer and fire with out lining up the sights. I would try picking a spot, picking a hair, picking a cell, but I could not bear down and line up those 2 sights. I would just point and shoot. I missed many a fine buck because of this. I knew I was not lining up the 2 sights. I knew I was deadly on woodchucks with a scope. I figured a scope was not lining up 2 things. Just put the one crosshair where you want it and fire. I now have scopes on my shotgun I use for deer and my crossbow. I sold my coumpound, and I kill about 90% of the deer I shoot at with scopes. A scope has been my savior for deer hunting. I have considered putting some kind of scope on my shotgun I use for rabbits, squirrels, turkeys, and crows. I have trouble keeping my head down and looking down the rib when I shoot a shotgun. I am confident it would help me. Good Luck
dw
Posts: 856
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 4:42 pm
Location: westminster, md. usa

Post by dw »

hi marmot where in md. are you from?
i live in westminster
"dw"
"you gotta love it"
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks every ne for the replys. I went by my local pro shop today and a funny thing happened. They carry several different lines of CrossBows. I went in and looked at all the different brands. The first one I picked up was the Exocet. I was so surprised at how light it was! Then I picked up a Horton and it super heavy compared to the excalibur. All the other companys Bows were heavy. I was pretty sure that excalibur would be the one I liked the best before I got there just from what I had been able to find out on the internet , this Forum and Woodys Forum here in Georgia.
I then talked to the Archery Pro there [David] who I have dealt with for years. I said, David I am interested in Crossbows but Always being a Mathews man , I know nothing about them . I then said tell me what your opinion is. He said, If I was you I would go right ahead from the beginning and get an Excalibur. He said I hardly ever get one back with a broke Limb or any other problem but get a lot of other brands back. He also stated that Excalibur wins most all Major shoots and have for years. Well that pretty much made up my mind. He did not have a Vixen. I liked the Exocet well enough though. I cocked one and it was pretty tough with my hands even though I did it a couple times. I am planning on going back and getting it. Thanks for all yall's replies. When I get going I will probably will have more questions. Thanks again
confederate
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:49 pm
Location: Georgia [USA]

Post by confederate »

Sorry guys, The above post was from me but I wasnt signed in.

Thanks
Matrix 330
Micro Axe 340
Woody Williams
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Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 5:07 pm

Post by Woody Williams »

Forget using your hands to cock it with.

Get a rope cocking aid.

Much easier and keeps your string centered for accuracy.
Woody Williams

We have met the enemy and he is us - Pogo Possum

Hunting in Indiana at [size=84][color=Red][b][url=http://huntingindiana.proboards52.com]HUNT-INDIANA[/url][/b][/color][/size]
Marmot

Post by Marmot »

bstout wrote: Its important to remember that "less is more". Buy the model that fits your style of hunting. Accuracy is more important than power.

In my humble opinion you are better off to "Check your ego at the door" before making your decision as to which model to purchase.
I concur! I don't care if the Vixen is considered to be Excalibur's "girly" crossbow (it sure has a "girly" name). It is deadly accurate and easy on the shooter.
A.W
Posts: 4608
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 6:30 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario.

Post by A.W »

Woody Williams wrote:Forget using your hands to cock it with.

Get a rope cocking aid.

Much easier and keeps your string centered for accuracy.
I always use one and don't have to worry about the string being centred.
[img]http://photobucket.com/albums/b38/allan_w_/th_tinybuck3hj1.gif[/img]

Exocet your options and exCalibur8 your sights.
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