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Cocking a crossbow in a saddle can be tough. Maneuvering a crossbow around the tree can be difficult. If ya saddle hunt, ya might want to consider this one.
What crossbow to use if saddle hunting.
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Well, things certainly are a little slow in the crossbow forum. 106 views and crickets.
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2,359 Posts
Crossbow nation is a better place for crossbow content. I agree hickory creek is a great Saddle option, as are the new thinner crossbows by Tenpoint and Ravin. The R18 will definitely fit the bill, but it’s a bit ugly and slow for the price they’re demanding.
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28,423 Posts
slow
What is funny to me is that most are buying crossbows to hunt whitetail deer. Millions of deer have been successfully harvested with bows that shot speeds of 160 fps to 275 fps. Yet today's crossbow market is demanding 400fps to 500 fps. This increase in poundage has many negatives yet it just gets the bolt through the deer a bit quicker and sticks in the ground much deeper.
I helped Jim at Scorpyd a few years at the AMO show. He paid me with a bow each year. While working the show, it became very obvious that the speed bows were much harder to hand cock. The speed bows were louder and it only seems to reason that the higher poundage bows are harder on strings cables limbs etc. The Scorpyd I have now shot about 360 fps which IMHO is still a bit much, but it was the lowest poundage, easiest cocking, and quietest model available.
The Mini I have is set at about 120 lbs. Shoots plenty fast enough to kill deer. I can easily hand cock it, even in a treestand. It is much quieter than most crossbows. I have 3 hard decisions when leaving for an evening hunt. Which property am I going to hunt, which treestand and I going to sit and which crossbow am I going to take. Decisions, decisions.
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2,359 Posts
My point on being slow is that you’re paying $1524.99 for a xbow that’s shooting 330fps. More than enough, but for xbows that’s on the low end.slow
What is funny to me is that most are buying crossbows to hunt whitetail deer. Millions of deer have been successfully harvested with bows that shot speeds of 160 fps to 275 fps. Yet today's crossbow market is demanding 400fps to 500 fps. This increase in poundage has many negatives yet it just gets the bolt through the deer a bit quicker and sticks in the ground much deeper.
I helped Jim at Scorpyd a few years at the AMO show. He paid me with a bow each year. While working the show, it became very obvious that the speed bows were much harder to hand cock. The speed bows were louder and it only seems to reason that the higher poundage bows are harder on strings cables limbs etc. The Scorpyd I have now shot about 360 fps which IMHO is still a bit much, but it was the lowest poundage, easiest cocking, and quietest model available.
The Mini I have is set at about 120 lbs. Shoots plenty fast enough to kill deer. I can easily hand cock it, even in a treestand. It is much quieter than most crossbows. I have 3 hard decisions when leaving for an evening hunt. Which property am I going to hunt, which treestand and I going to sit and which crossbow am I going to take. Decisions, decisions.
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28,423 Posts
Oh so true! I want a crossbow that is easy to cock and not hard on components yet will easily kill anything that I hunt. 330 fps is much easier to remove from foam targets, does less damage to them, and is more fun to shoot.
There are a lot of people who are paying way more for a set up hunting compound bow that doesn't shoot a 400 gr arrow 330 fps. Which is more expensive to build, a flagship compound or a flagship crossbow? It's all about what people want and are willing to pay.
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18,563 Posts
Few things I found out when switching from the TP stealth ss to their vapor rs470. Although you could hand cock the stealth, I had the crank option, and the sled cranking system on the vapor is way better and can be decocked. As far as noise, the vapor is way quieter to shoot, like the difference between a 22 short and a bb gun. Trigger is way better so less likely to jerk the bow. Figuring the 325fps rating of the stealth was more like 300fps actual(yes-plenty to kill with), and the 470's scope was right on out to 100yds set at the max 450fps calibration, the vapor is going to put an arrow in a deer at 30yds in the same amount of time it takes the stealth to hit one at 20yds. Less time for the deer to move when shooting 50% faster.slow
What is funny to me is that most are buying crossbows to hunt whitetail deer. Millions of deer have been successfully harvested with bows that shot speeds of 160 fps to 275 fps. Yet today's crossbow market is demanding 400fps to 500 fps. This increase in poundage has many negatives yet it just gets the bolt through the deer a bit quicker and sticks in the ground much deeper.
I helped Jim at Scorpyd a few years at the AMO show. He paid me with a bow each year. While working the show, it became very obvious that the speed bows were much harder to hand cock. The speed bows were louder and it only seems to reason that the higher poundage bows are harder on strings cables limbs etc. The Scorpyd I have now shot about 360 fps which IMHO is still a bit much, but it was the lowest poundage, easiest cocking, and quietest model available.
The Mini I have is set at about 120 lbs. Shoots plenty fast enough to kill deer. I can easily hand cock it, even in a treestand. It is much quieter than most crossbows. I have 3 hard decisions when leaving for an evening hunt. Which property am I going to hunt, which treestand and I going to sit and which crossbow am I going to take. Decisions, decisions.
First time out with the stealth in a treestand, I called in my target 9pt that stopped broadside 5yds behind the tree in the wide open. Couldn't shoot because the limbs wouldn't clear the trunk. I'm only ground hunting now so not sure how the reverse limbs on the vapor would work out, but looks like there would be room to shoot around a tree with the much narrower design and reverse limbs.
Got 2 years on the vapors strings and I'm having them changed now even though they still have life. Did the same thing every 2 years with the stealth and compounds. Not worth pushing them and having a strand or serving break while hunting.
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I don't saddle hunt but do like using the tree as a prop and the ability to hide behind the tree. Thought with the smaller reverse draw bow, I wouldn't have near as much trouble whacking cams on trees. Hit it once while trying to shoot a turkey and once turning while shooting a walking deer. The good news, a clean miss on both and no damage to the bow either time. The immediate thought after kicking myself both times, I would have been tagging them if I had brought the Mini that morning.
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