Dipping a toe in the crossbow world

[stonewall]

i bought a cheap centerpoint this last year for my kids to use. my wife wasn't super thrilled about it - concerned about fingers. that said, we are careful about it. my 7 yo shot her first deer with it. she actually spined it (high shoulder area). rage trypan broadhead - cut a devastating hole. i had trouble getting fixed blades to fly well, and simply went to the expandable. it has been a good purchase so far.

 

[fwafwow]

i relocated from NY to PA (still hunting NY), so now have a much longer opportunity for crossbow hunting. I shot a couple of crossbows lately, a high end raven and a mid level Barnett. I was sold enough to play with the idea for next season but not waning or repeat my 2015 intro to compound bows mistake - I dropped ~$2k on an improperly tuned Hoyt carbon spyder turbo, expensive accessories and some shitty underspined arrows (broke up with that bowshop)- so I wanted a cheap way to test the water.

I just ordered a centerpoint 415 And some bolts (black eagle executioner) and some broad heads (rage and qad) for under $500 all in. The centerpoint gets high marks for value and reviews fairly well for speed and accuracy.

I plan to play with this setup and maybe hunt it next year. If I go all in on crossbows, then I will spring for a more expensive bow And I will have a decent backup bow.

So what else should I know? Any other Must have gear to buy? Any tips for a nube are greatly appreciated.

I shoot a compound, and I shoot rifles too - sometimes in the same season. And I've been known to have both in the stand at the same time. Others are obviously better than me.

This post is almost exactly what I would have written when I thought of the same "next gear" item/undertaking - including brands and similar mistakes of overspending early in prior ventures. I've also shot a friend's Barnett and his Ravin. I liked them both, but agree they are heavier than I would prefer, and not as easy to carry around. I really appreciate the ability to de-cock the Ravin, but I'm not sure it's worth the expense (yet!). But the Ravin also had the the RF Garmin scope (the horror!) - which was cool, but it seemed pretty inconsistent between practice and when in the field.

The finger loss risk is a real new thing. I found myself in the blind recently wondering "is there a way to encover those strings so I don't have to think so frequently about losing my thumb?" I figure (hope!) it will become second nature, like the end of a firearm, trigger, etc.

How has the experience been with your first x-bow?

 

[Desk Jockey]

I shoot a compound, and I shoot rifles too - sometimes in the same season. And I've been known to have both in the stand at the same time. Others are obviously better than me.

This post is almost exactly what I would have written when I thought of the same "next gear" item/undertaking - including brands and similar mistakes of overspending early in prior ventures. I've also shot a friend's Barnett and his Ravin. I liked them both, but agree they are heavier than I would prefer, and not as easy to carry around. I really appreciate the ability to de-cock the Ravin, but I'm not sure it's worth the expense (yet!). But the Ravin also had the the RF Garmin scope (the horror!) - which was cool, but it seemed pretty inconsistent between practice and when in the field.

The finger loss risk is a real new thing. I found myself in the blind recently wondering "is there a way to encover those strings so I don't have to think so frequently about losing my thumb?" I figure (hope!) it will become second nature, like the end of a firearm, trigger, etc.

How has the experience been with your first x-bow?

I upgraded the scope with a take off I bought for a good price. I zeroed it and was dropping 3” groups at 60 yards in 20 minutes. I can see the appeal. I have to imagine 80 to 100 yards is an achievable level with a good set up And some practice.

My archery season got a little weird with work travel and I only got a couple days in the woods and did t see anything I wanted to shoot. I have been rifle hunting moRE this year so I haven’t downed anything with it yet, but I have two weeks of PA season left and plan to try it out if I get a shot.