Snagged my 1st Crossbow!

[Hirschkopf]

I’ve been planning on buying a crossbow for at least a year largely because of the longer hunting season. And, I hope to get started (and finished) before all the deer on my place go nocturnal or somewhere else like they did last year! To keep shopping simple, I stuck with Ravin because all my Kansas Kin use them, and their walls are covered with monsters, including a buck my BIL put a bolt through in 2022 that scored 244 5/8” (Buckmaster’s Deer of the Year). I pre-ordered a Ravin R50X from Scheels on 14 Feb with a “coming this Spring” ship date, but that’s now projected for sometime between late September and Christmas. I might cancel that order, but to get familiar with something I’d never used before prior to opening day, I headed to Scheels tonight; they had the base model R29X $600 off, so one and a cart of accessories followed me home. After assembly, my first two target range shots went in the same hole, so their claim to rifle-like accuracy seems true. I still need to do some backyard practicing and research broadheads (or ask my in-laws), but I can feel the hunting fever rising!

Here’s Black Baddie

 

[SPDguns]

Those are SWEET! I have an older R9 that is laser accurate and hits like a hammer.

 

[Dorkus]

I have two Excalibur's and would like to add a Raven at some point. They are great from what I have read.

 

[Hirschkopf]

I have two Excalibur's and would like to add a Raven at some point. They are great from what I have read.

Per my BIL (SIL’s husband) he used the same bow to harvest his record buck; the bolt went all the way through and 10” into the ground. Twas only an 8 yard shot, though.

 

[GnometownHero]

I cannot understand why crossbows are so expensive. Plus you lose or destroy a bunch of bolts. Pretty expensive proposition all in all.
Also Pope & Young does not allow crossbow kills

 

[OKRuss]

I cannot understand why crossbows are so expensive. Plus you lose or destroy a bunch of bolts. Pretty expensive proposition all in all.
Also Pope & Young does not allow crossbow kills

Because people will pay that much. Plus, you really don't have to practice with a crossbow like you do a hand drawn bow. Has a scope and rifle trigger. Aim and shoot. Now you can hunt "archery" season for 3 1/2 months and take 4 more deer. Bolts do drop quite a bit due to weight but when 400+ fps doesn't matter really until after 30 yds.

It's about bragging to all of your FB friends - not P&Y. If big enough, can still enter in Boone & Crockett.

 

[TedKennedy]

I cannot understand why crossbows are so expensive. Plus you lose or destroy a bunch of bolts. Pretty expensive proposition all in all.
Also Pope & Young does not allow crossbow kills

#1 - I have 600 bucks in mine
#2 - I have never lost a bolt
#3 - My deepfreeze allows any weapon
#4 - it is the easiest, fastest way to kill early season deer - there's no big learning curve, it just works.

 

[Dorkus]

#1 - I have 600 bucks in mine
#2 - I have never lost a bolt
#3 - My deepfreeze allows any weapon
#4 - it is the easiest, fastest way to kill early season deer - there's no big learning curve, it just works.

I would also add to #4 it is more ethical way to kill a deer for the average hunter. I still cringe when I think about a shoulder shot I had back in the 90s with a compound bow. The nice buck was never recovered and I am sure it suffered quite a while. I just don't have time to practice enough so crossbow is what I use.

PS - I couldn't give a rats rear what record book my deer is part. All I want is to enjoy time in the woods and if a crossbow makes me (or anyone else) happy that is all I care about.

 

[Gunblinder]

G5 megameats 3 blade mechanical, my endorsement for broadhead, only downside is it is usually a one kill broadhead, because the blades get pretty dinged up

 

[dennishoddy]

I’ve been planning on buying a crossbow for at least a year largely because of the longer hunting season. And, I hope to get started (and finished) before all the deer on my place go nocturnal or somewhere else like they did last year! To keep shopping simple, I stuck with Ravin because all my Kansas Kin use them, and their walls are covered with monsters, including a buck my BIL put a bolt through in 2022 that scored 244 5/8” (Buckmaster’s Deer of the Year). I pre-ordered a Ravin R50X from Scheels on 14 Feb with a “coming this Spring” ship date, but that’s now projected for sometime between late September and Christmas. I might cancel that order, but to get familiar with something I’d never used before prior to opening day, I headed to Scheels tonight; they had the base model R29X $600 off, so one and a cart of accessories followed me home. After assembly, my first two target range shots went in the same hole, so their claim to rifle-like accuracy seems true. I still need to do some backyard practicing and research broadheads (or ask my in-laws), but I can feel the hunting fever rising!

Here’s Black Baddie



View attachment 506405

We had cocktails and dinner at the resort the inventor of the Raven crossbow built two days ago in Minnesota.
It's a beautiful natural stone place on top of the "mountain" that is a short ski resort.
There is a hotel at one end, a bar/restaurant in the middle and the owners private living quarters at the other end. I'm estimating the private quarters are 8-10 thousand square feet and three stories high.
Between the Restaurant and the living quarters is a two-story trophy room of the animals he has taken with that Xbow.
Everything from a full mount giraffe, lion, bison, others I can't remember and a host of other full shoulder mounts of African plains game.