Ken Lancaster knows a bit about archery, including the horizontal type, having served as a past manager of the archery department at Van’s Sporting Goods in Brandon and now a host on the TV show Antler Insanity, and he understands the difficulty one might face in making a big switch in bow hunting gear.
“Going from hunting with a conventional vertical bow to a horizontally held crossbow is quite a transition,” he said. “So is picking out a new crossbow from all the options in a very crowded marketplace.”
Here are some of his tips to help others transition to a crossbow, including picking the right equipment.
He begins with discussing the primary difference. “First and foremost, any bow hunter is going to recognize immediately the primary changes in going from upright archery to flat-sided archery as it were. First, you don’t have to pull back the string by hand to hold it until you make the shot. You only have to cock the crossbow by using a pull rope device to pull the string back into the locking trigger mechanism.
“Then it is locked in the ready to fire position, ready to set an arrow, or bolt as it is known with crossbows, on the flight track. Set the safety lock, then sit back and be ready for the shot.”
It seems simple enough, but how do you know which crossbow fits you?
According to Lancaster, do your homework and shop the marketplace.
“If this is your first archery weapon, then ask around to your hunting circle buddies what are some good brands and which models they may have used or can recommend,” he said. “Barring that option or taking those recommendations in hand, go to a well-stocked, official archery shop that can help you select the right equipment for you.”
Lancaster’s intent wasn’t to dog the big box stores, but rather to emphasize the importance of dealing with experienced, knowledgeable people when you buy a crossbow. He said there are a lot of crossbow brands available with widely varying specifications. Features, details, and other aspects are greatly different between brands and models.
His point: A shopper needs a reliable source of information.
For sure, buy a reputable crossbow brand name and not some knock-off wanna-be. Like a good restaurant, if there is a parking lot full of trucks at the bow shop, then it is probably a pretty good one, but ask around.
Buying local also allows a shopper to inspect and handle all crossbow models that attracts his or her interest. If there’s a shop range, that’s a bonus. Shoot it in the store if you can, where instruction is available and valuable.
Some of the things Lancaster suggests checking are pull weight, total package weight, overall axle width, power stoke, bolt speed, bolt lengths required and what broad heads match the bow and bolt.
Investigate the cocking procedures and mechanisms, and ask about the trigger safety and safe use. Ask about other included features like a bolt-on bolt quiver, cocking rope, red dot or conventional scope and bolts.
As with any other kind of hunting equipment you buy, you get what you pay for, so purchase the best quality you can afford. Get the dealer to set it up right for you in the store and you should be good to go.
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