Crossbow Hunting Tips for Beginners: 5 Tips You Should Know 2021
Hunting has been one of the most popular pastimes among people all over the world. When you get free time, you might be thinking of going hunting. There are so many hunting tools out there, but crossbow hunting is now upswing in popularity. Many states are now legalizing the use of crossbows for deer hunting, too. Beginners find a crossbow as their favorite weapon for hunting.
You don’t require a lot of experience operating a crossbow for beginner. But you must need to know some crossbow hunting tips for beginners before you head over to go for your first mission. However, this article will cover your understanding and mastering some essential tips to perform better while hunting.
Can You Hunt With Crossbows?
You know that there are so many hunting weapons, including rifles, shotguns, handguns, powerheads or bang sticks, etc. These weapons require your expertise before you start hunting with them. A crossbow should be your best bet, especially if you are a beginner in this sport of hunting.
You can successfully hunt with your crossbow. Crossbows have been in the hunting field for thousands of years. These hunting tools have been used widely in ancient Greece and Rome. Crossbows have several advantages that have set it apart from other hunting tools. So, you can hunt an animal with a crossbow efficiently and successfully.
Crossbow Hunting Tips For Beginners
Though it is easier to operate a crossbow than other hunting methods, you still require practice to master the art of shooting with a crossbow. As a beginner, you should purchase a crossbow from an archer shop considering its safety, speed, and accuracy of shots.
It would be best if you chose a crossbow that is affordable for you. Also, it would be best if you saw that the crossbow manufacturer offers you a limited lifetime warranty and a good reputation in the market. Beginners may need customer service as they are going to use the crossbow for the first time.
Bolts and broadheads
The more weight the bolts (arrow) have, the better they can travel in the air. In the market, you will find them in different weights. But you don’t end up buying any of them. Depending on your types of games, you should choose bolts and broadheads.
In this case, you might choose more cumbersome bolts that are in the 300 to 350 grains range. These bolts offer you better penetration when they hit your target animals. Being wise, you should check the user manual of your crossbow, where you will find the actual weight of the bolts they recommend to use.
If you opt for a medium-sized game, you can choose either fixed-blade broadheads or expandables to kill an animal. But things are not so easy as you might be thinking. All you need is to practice more and more before you start your hunting journey with the crossbow.
Optics
Without a scope, you might not be able to set a target at a greater distance. Therefore, you need to have a high-quality extent that is made explicitly for the crossbow. You may find some crossbows with the attached-scope on it. If not, consider the scope for your crossbow if you want to hunt like a pro hunter.
Zeroing the distance of scope should be the first thing you need to ensure. Then you can take some initial shots at 20 yards distance to verify that everything is alright. If you can shoot the target accurately with the zero distance, you can hunt an animal with the crossbow.
Load in the ground
Like other firearms, you should consider a crossbow to load and unload the hunting tool. It is one of the essential crossbow hunting tips for beginners. It would be best if you never pointed your crossbow to anything you are unwilling to shoot at it. Be wise and never try to climb into a treestand with a loaded crossbow.
Similarly, it would help if you exited the stand unloading the bolts from the crossbow. Even you should not walk with the loaded crossbow. When you want to unload and discharge the arrow from the crossbow, make sure you never attempt any dry fire. Reading the manual that comes with the crossbow, you can learn how to load and unload bolts in the crossbow.
Practice before you go
Without practicing more and more, you cannot master it properly. Though crossbows are considered the most accessible hunting weapon than other tools, you need more practice to kill an animal successfully. You can practice shooting to your desired distance, whether you are efficient in hitting it.
While hunting, you may need to shoot from different angles and positions. Therefore, you have to learn how to shoot from a treestand, a sitting area, and a ground blind. After learning all these techniques, you can perform better than any hunters who are also beginners like you.
Understand what is your range
A crossbow does not shoot like a rifle; therefore, it depends on the broadhead and the bolt. Everything does not rely solely on your ability in the case of shooting with your crossbow. When you release the arrow from the crossbow, it travels in the air and gradually loses its speed and energy. So, you need to shoot too far if you want to hunt an animal because it will end up hitting an animal.
You can shoot at 40 to 50 yards, which should be the maximum range for the game. But it does not mean that you can shoot more than that range. If you feel that it is safe to target at a greater distance, you can take longer shots.
Crossbow Safety Tips You Need To Know
You need to know the safety tips when you go hunting with the crossbow. Like other firearms, you know that a crossbow has potential risks if you cannot handle it properly. That’s why; I have decided to let you know some safety tips here.
- Never move with a loaded crossbow
- You must wear safety glasses and gloves before you shoot, load, or unload
- Never put your hands in the drawstring’s release path
- It would be best if you do not put your finger on the trigger before you are ready to make the shot
- Before you climb into a treestand, check your crossbow whether it is not loaded
Final Thought
Beginners may find it challenging to hunt with a crossbow for the first time. So, this guide on crossbow hunting tips for beginners will help you understand everything you need. Then you can make up your mind to start a hunting session with your crossbow. Crossbows are more significant than any other hunting weapons like rifles, shotguns, handguns, etc.
Besides, it would be best if you learn some essential crossbow safety tips to keep safe. Otherwise, a beginner like you may mess up things and do any potential harm to you. Never climb into a treestand, walk to the shooting position with a loaded crossbow.