Cautions when hunting with crossbow

[Woody Williams]

The NBEF says to cock your crossbow in the stand. I find that more difficult to do that flat footed on the ground.

No, I'm not going to forget and leave my crossbow loaded while raising or lowering it, no more than I would forget and leave my gun loaded. That AIN'T gonna happen.

I've cocked mine three times in the treestand and that was after shooting a deer. On a couple of my smaller platform stands it is a case of acrobatics to cock it.

My crossbow is cocked at the truck before I go to my stand. Whether it has an arrow on the rail then depends on whether it is legal or not. IE - before or after legal shooting hours is a no-no..

Every now and then I walk up on deer while easing into and out of my stand location. I stalk my stand from downwind instead of just strolling in to it. I like to be "cocked and ready to rock" if that happens..

YMMV.....