Crossbow Hunting Tips

Crossbow hunting requires patience, accuracy and determination. Having the right equipment and knowing how to use it, understanding a deer's habits and a few general strategies can maximize your experience.

  1. General strategies

    • To get the best shot, crossbow.com recommends that hunters sitting in stands or behind blinds should position themselves 20 yards downwind from game trails. Then, wait patiently for a deer to come to you.

      If you hit a deer and immediately begin tracking it, the deer, no matter how seriously injured, might take off running and not die until it has gotten far away. However, seriously-wounded deer that aren't chased will lie down quickly and die. Therefore, crossbow.com advises that after making a successful shot, you should stay in your hunting stand for an hour before going to look for the wounded deer.

      When tracking a wounded deer, set markers at regular intervals so you don't lose your way. If you are hunting at night, use a lantern with enough light to cause the deer's blood to glow. To best preserve the animal's meat, crossbow.com suggests you tag and field dress the deer quickly.

    Understand your equipment

    • Hunting requires tools that will get the job done. A crossbow hunter's No. 1 tool is his crossbow. Choosing the right one is important. Because most crossbow shots only cover 25 to 40 yards, the authors of the eagle-archery blog advise you to avoid picking the biggest bow. Instead pick one that suits your strength level so you don't expend a lot of energy trying to cock a powerful bow.

      Also, know your accuracy levels at different ranges and how much your bow will drop over different distances. According to crossbow.com, a bolt fired from a modern crossbow will drop 21 inches over a 40-yard trajectory. The eagle-archery blog suggests getting a scope that measures 10-yard intervals. Or attach a 3-by-5 inch card to your bow that lists the drop at 10-yard intervals.

      Finally, pick bolt-heads suited to the game you are hunting. For example, when hunting big animals with strong bones, crossbow.com recommends using a fixed blade broad-head attached to a heavy bolt.

    Understand your target

    • You'll never even see a deer that sniffs out your location. Before you go out, select multiple locations for your deer stand and pick one based on the direction of the wind that day. Also, bathe often with a hypoallergenic (scent-free) soap and wash your hunting gear with baking soda to keep it scent-free. Finally, before you go hunting, learn where to hit your target. For example, on a deer, aim for the broadside or quartering angles so your bolt pierces both lungs and knocks the target out quickly.