Who shoots their crossbow year-round?

4027 Views 73 Replies 35 Participants Last post by Moon, Jan 20, 2020

Hunter 1945

Discussion Starter · Dec 6, 2019

Who shoots their crossbow year-round? When I first got my crossbow, I shot it daily up until the deer season opened. Now that the deer season is behind me, I'm not shooting the xbow at all. When the weather permits, I'm back to shooting my Hoyt compound on a regular basis for recreation....I'm enjoying the crossbow experience, but I guess the xbow will be a seasonal weapon. I will occasionally shoot my xbow some during the year, just not on a regular basis. ...I might add, I'm not an off hand shooter.. I switched to a crossbow to make a quick, clean kill and not to create more challenge and drama. My challenge days are behind me. I have several Caldwell field and tree pods that I use for hunting. The switch to a crossbow has brought back the excitement for hunting,

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Slayer1962

· #2 · Dec 6, 2019

deer season is 4 months in nj so i shoot a couple weeks before and the entire season even gun season with crossbow

bunnyrabbit

· #3 · Dec 6, 2019

I have been shooting year around, sometimes several times a week. Just recently, I put 800 shots in one week as I was testing a modification on my Barnett Ghost 410. Normally, I may shoot 40 shots per day. Rain, wind or snow, I am able to shoot in my shop even though it is close range when doing target testing and various crossbow or arrow modifications. In regards to targets, if they stand up to close range and high feet per second, they will stand up good at longer ranges.

All the best.

Reactions: 5

Hunter 1945

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 6, 2019

Slayer1962 said:
deer season is 4 months in nj so i shoot a couple weeks before and the entire season even gun season with crossbow

Archery deer season in Arkansas last 5 months . It begins the last week in September and goes through February. Our bag limit is six deer. Now days, I limit myself to two deer, and I've taken my two deer, so basically I'm finished. After the gun season ends Dec 15, I may do a little hog hunting with my crossbow.

Reactions: 2

JOE PA

· #5 · Dec 6, 2019

Me. I have a small "range" in my basement (15 yards) and rarely does a day go by when I don't take a few to a dozen shots. I just like shooting, and all the crossbow costs me (unless I screw up and miss a target) is reserving a string now and then. I get over to our club's range when I can, to shoot out to 50 yards or so. I shoot until the crossbow/scope becomes an extension of myself, and most hunting shots are quick, and I seem to "go on autopilot." The last 4 deer I shot, I honestly don't remember pulling the trigger. The scope retical was on the right place, and I heard the bow fire. I practice offhand, sitting, and off either a Ready-Shot stick or Field pod. Hunting shots for me usually come down to sitting/offhand - no support. I did have a rail on my one stand last year when a small 8 came in and rubbed his antlers for about 20 sec. I would agree, a rock solid hold felt pretty good.

I will take a rest when I can. Lately, it hasn't been possible.

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SEW

· #6 · Dec 6, 2019

I used to shoot 100s of shots a week. Now, everything is set up, arrows chosen, broadheads chosen, all sighted in; and I shoot 1-2 sessions a week, usually 20-30 shots. This is spread across 4 crossbows (2 SWATs, BD400, A 460).
This is all at home on my 100yd woods range or 110 yd open range (new pond levy). Almost all practice is 50-110 yards. Almost all with broadheads. Left handed, right handed, sitting offhand, off rests, etc. as much as practical, I try to shoot in windy conditions, especially at longer ranges.

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rt2bowhunter

· #7 · Dec 6, 2019

I have shot up 2 Blobs the 18-1 targets might last me a week maybe 2.
I have slacked off a good bit.

Reactions: 4

Hunter 1945

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 6, 2019

When I have my shooting sessions with my compound bow, I alternate between my hinge back tension release and my index finger release....Holding the pin on the target and squeezing my release to execute the shot, which requires discipline, makes aiming a lot easier when I switch over to the crossbow.

TomOnTheRun

· #9 · Dec 6, 2019

I most definitely do. I enjoy shooting at the archery range year round.

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Fletcher

· #10 · Dec 6, 2019

Kind a hard to do when you can't feel your fingers.

Martymig

· #11 · Dec 6, 2019

I shoot whenever I get the urge to. I don't set any limits on this. Only limit I practice is saftey. But I shoot my heart out as much as time and energy allows. If I feel like taking a shot I take it. Keep it simple. This is recreation also as much as it is work. So have fun with it. You only live once.

Reactions: 5

curious

· #12 · Dec 6, 2019

Hunter 1945 said:
Who shoots their crossbow year-round? When I first got my crossbow, I shot it daily up until the deer season opened. Now that the deer season is behind me, I'm not shooting the xbow at all. When the weather permits, I'm back to shooting my Hoyt compound on a regular basis for recreation....I'm enjoying the crossbow experience, but I guess the xbow will be a seasonal weapon. I will occasionally shoot my xbow some during the year, just not on a regular basis. ...I might add, I'm not an off hand shooter.. I switched to a crossbow to make a quick, clean kill and not to create more challenge and drama. My challenge days are behind me. I have several Caldwell field and tree pods that I use for hunting. The switch to a crossbow has brought back the excitement for hunting,

I shoot both my crossbow and my compound all year in my basement range you can't practice too much that's my philosophy.

Reactions: 3

Rit

· #13 · Dec 6, 2019

I shoot regularly except from January till mid March and every now and then that the weather is just disgusting

Reactions: 4

hookedonbow

· #14 · Dec 6, 2019

My basment has a 20yd range. Shoot all yr round, whether its my compound or the crossbow.

Reactions: 4

TomOnTheRun

· #15 · Dec 6, 2019

Martymig said:
I shoot whenever I get the urge to. I don't set any limits on this. Only limit I practice is saftey. But I shoot my heart out as much as time and energy allows. If I feel like taking a shot I take it. Keep it simple. This is recreation also as much as it is work. So have fun with it. You only live once.

To me it's a distraction that takes my mind away from work. Lucky, I found a new hobby/sporting activity later in life.

Reactions: 5

TomOnTheRun

· #16 · Dec 6, 2019

hookedonbow said:
My basment has a 20yd range. Shoot all yr round, whether its my compound or the crossbow.

Now that is cool! Envious!

bmiller

· #17 · Dec 6, 2019

3D archery season is about to really get started for me. I try to get in 20 shots a day, time permitting. I haven’t done that during rifle season, but I should be back in my routine soon. My indoor 3D league starts after the first of the year.

Reactions: 3

Lambow

· #18 · Dec 7, 2019

Like Tom, i found a hobby/passion later in life. Actually a return to a bowhunting passion that drove me early in life!
I live in a state(Oregon) that has no legal crossbow hunting and deer populations have been on a downward spiral for some years.
I've traveled to Oklahoma, Texas, and this year added Tennessee. I can't spend my off season planting food plots, setting blinds, and stands and so on. So i shoot my crossbows as much as I can. I have 2 Swats, a CP Sniper, a Barnett Whitetail Pro STR, and did have a Bulldog 400. I gave my BD400 to my son in Nashville when i went there to hunt with him this fall. On my way home my wife, who made the trip so spend time with our granddaughter, said " I thought you liked you recurve crossbow. Maybe you should buy yourself another one. (47 years of marital bliss!) Now I'm breaking in a BD 360. I shoot 2 or 3 times per week on my backyard 20 yd range. 2 or 3 times a week in the summer i go out where i have a 60 yd range available. All the bows get shot often.

See less See more

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tryinhardarcher

· #19 · Dec 7, 2019

Not nearly as much between late August and the first of the year. But from January through mid August is close to 10 thousand shots every year.

Reactions: 1

bmiller

· #20 · Dec 7, 2019

tryinhardarcher said:
Not nearly as much between late August and the first of the year. But from January through mid August is close to 10 thousand shots every year.

Are you guys running the XR this year?

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