8 Awesome Tips to Improve Your Crossbow Hunting Skills
Nowadays, when someone talks about hunting, the first image that comes to our mind is of a man holding a rifle. But before hunting with a gun became common, people used to hunt with bows and arrows. In the past few years, just like every other thing, crossbows have evolved as well. With all the new designs, techniques, and technologies available, you can now hunt with a crossbow more accurately than ever.
If you are switching from gun to crossbow, then keep in mind just like you needed a lot of effort and practice to become a good hunter with a gun, you will have to do the same for a crossbow. Here are a few tips that can help you improve your crossbow hunting skills.
1) Get the Right Crossbow
The first thing you need to do is pick a crossbow that suits you. There are a lot of different types of crossbows available out there in the market, and as a beginner, you need to pick one that has simple functions and is easy to use. Also, do not go for a crossbow that is even slightly heavy. If you want to learn, you should be able to move the crossbow in your hands easily. So go for a lighter crossbow that your muscles can handle easily.
2) Pick the Right Bow and Arrow
The next thing you need to do is get the right bow and arrow for your bow. Get a crossbow that does not use draw weight more than 125 pounds. And when it comes to the arrow, they come in all shapes, material, and sizes. The most commonly used ones are made of aluminum and carbon.
If you are looking for more accuracy, then aluminum arrows are a great choice, but keep in mind they are not as durable. Also, as a beginner, you will need practice, so it is wise to get carbon arrows at the start as they are more durable. You should also invest in a quality crossbow scope to make your aim more accurate.
3) Consider Sound and Speed
The weight is not the only thing that you need to keep in mind while purchasing a crossbow. The sound and the speed of the crossbow will also play an important role. Your crossbow should be quick, so it doesn’t give the target anytime to move away.
Also, a lot of crossbows make a lot of sound on firing, and that is something you want to avoid at all costs as that will scare away the target. The more silent the crossbow is, the better it is.
4) Safety First
The most important tip and the one you always need to keep in mind is safety. The safety measure on your crossbow must be active all the time. Also, never point the arrow-straight towards a person or in your direction. You should only turn off the safety measures when you are ready to take the shot.
Otherwise, even when you are setting your aim, you don’t need to turn off the safety. Treat it like the way you treat your gun and always keep your safety on. Apart from that, you must always carry a first aid kit with you whenever you are going hunting. Make sure that the first aid kit has all the important things from wound cleaners to bandages. And do not forget to bring your cellphone with you so you can always call for help if you get into trouble.
5) Practice
Practice makes a man perfect, and you need to do a lot of it in order to become a good crossbow hunter. Don’t just take your crossbow out when it is hunting season. You can practice target shooting in off-seasons as well. Find an open area in your backyard, place some targets there, and try to hit the mark.
You can also take some archery lessons to polish your skills even more. The more your practice, the better you will become. If you expect yourself to become good at hunting by going on the hunt every two weeks, then you are wrong. The more target practice you do, the better you will become in the field.
6) Stay Out of Sight
If you are hunting deer with the crossbow, then this is an extremely important tip for you. Stealth is an important part of hunting, and you need to ensure that you are invisible to the prey. Deer have much better vision than humans, and they can easily spot you coming from far away.
First, you need to make sure that you are wearing something that helps you blend into the jungle environment, then you must try to aim from as far back as possible. Deer are very sensitive to smell and sound as well; if you make even slightest of the sound, they will run away, and you will spend an entire day chasing them. So, make sure to work on your camouflage skills as well.
7) Always Follow the Law
All the good hunters follow hunting regulations, and they never break the law. You also need to be aware of the hunting regulations and laws of the area you are living in. Also, find out what kind of crossbow and arrows you are allowed to use and which one is prohibited.
If you are not very much familiar with the law and are not able to find information about it, talk to your fellow hunters, and they will be able to guide you on that.
8) Knowing the Range
Your crossbow is not a gun, and you will have to adjust your range accordingly. How far you can shoot with a crossbow depends mainly on the type of crossbow you are using and your abilities. Arrow is always traveling downrange, and if you shoot away from too far, you can end up with prey that is not dead but injured, and you don’t want that happening.
Fifty yards is a decent distance, and it is not too close to scare the prey away. You can increase the distance for fun, but make sure you are not missing your target.
