DIY Crossbow Holder?

[Significent]

Has anyone made their own crossbow holder? When it gets really cold, I like to keep both hands in my insulated vest pockets or a muff. Tucking the stock of my Matrix 380 under my upper arm and over my forearm isn't comfortable for very long and, consequently, I find myself fidgeting. Also, having hunted most of my life with a compound vertical bow, I'm spoiled by being able to put my bow in a bow holder to keep both hands free.

I see a couple of threads about a store-bought holder which may work fine; but, I built my own before I saw it. The older I get, the more I prefer to hunt from ladder stands. So, I designed and built my prototype for my ladder stands.

The prototype is made from a couple of pieces of pressure treated lumber, desk screws, a few u-bolts and water-proof glue. It bolts to the bottom platform of my stand and holds my Matrix vertically about 3.5 inches out in front of the platform. My Matrix 380's stirrup fits into the slot on top of the holder loosely, but not so loosely as to allow the bow to tilt much either right, left, forward or backward. Because the crossbow is held vertically, there's not much torque exerted by it in any direction. The pistol grip of the bow is held at about knee-level. I simply lift the bow quietly out of the slot to use it.

I used the first prototype yesterday. It worked well. I'm attaching my slightly refined design specs to see if anyone else has made anything like it.

The unrefined prototype looks like this:


I guess it could be adapted to work with my climber. Of course, it's a little heavy right now. I'll probably make more refinements before I try a climber version. I'd appreciate your thoughts/comments.

[huntinwi]

I like it

[airborne]

Looks good! Would it be beneficial if the stirrup slot was tilted slightly back somewhat, providing easier withdrawal of the bow? Just a thought. Either way I think you're on to something.

Bill

[Significent]

Bill, I like to be able to stand up and turn around on the ladder stand's small platform. If the bow where always tilted back, it would get in the way of that. Cutting a V slot rather than a straight slot might allow fort the best of both. Resting against the front of the V would move the bow away from you allowing room to stand. Resting on the back of the V would allow the bow to be tipped back between your knees.

Because the holder sits low and the bow stands just in front of my knees, pulling straight up isn't a problem. In fact, I pulled it up and out when a little 3-point came out of the brush in front of me yesterday. I had an easy shot at 15 yards but decided to let him pass in hopes of something bigger trailing behind.

[DuckHunt]

For a stand that doesn't have a shooting rail around it, that looks like it could be very handy.
DuckHunt

[Bullzeye]

I try to find a tree that will have branches above where I am sitting in my ladder stand, then simply use a screw in hook into that branch to hang my bow

[Significent]

I bought all of my stands when I was hunting with the vertical bow. So, none of them have shooting rails. If they did, I could probably just lay the xbow on top. Is that what most do?

I suppose I could make my own strap-on branch for hanging the bow overhead so I didn't have to be so particular about the tree. Not sure that would be any easier or better.

I appreciate everyone's input.

[Bullzeye]

So, none of them have shooting rails. If they did, I could probably just lay the xbow on top. Is that what most do?

When my daughter is not with me in my two man ladder stand, that's what I do. My Exocet sits perfectly on the front rail and back rail of my stand, which makes it real easy to raise my bow without much movement.

[racking up points]

OT- but if you hunt from two man ladder stands and use a crossbow now, why not convert them all to have shooting rails? I ziptie camo burlap from the rails to make a blind and rest the front of the bow on that rail and the buttstock on the seat beside me. All of my movement is hidden, you only see the top of my head from the ground, looking up.

[Bullzeye]

I also wrap my stand, it's also cuts the wind well.

This pic only shows half the stand wrapped, I somehow forgot the second half at home aghhh, had to put the second second half on the following week end.