help on deciding drawweight

[alltimers]

Hi All I just started crossbow hunting this year and bought a lower end cross bow to see if I liked it. Loved it, helped a buddy and shot a bull. Anyways i only bought a 150 lb pull which i liked cause i didnt have to use a puller but I dont think it is enough and am looking at getting something bigger. What do you guys think, I hunt moose with it so i want something that will do the job what do you recommend fellow crossbow hunters.

[one shot scott]

Any of the bows from excalibur is enough draw to harvest 90% of what we hunters chase. Many speak volumes about their lower draw weight bows, and they harvest a good number of deer with them. If you want to be able to pull it back by hand, its not a negative. Your probably wise for doing so. Forgetting a cocking device is a pain!!

[Island Hunter]

Go to excalibur.com, click on arrow ballistics. Then you decide. If you want one of the big boys, you will need a cocking rope.

[Hi5]

If you plan to hunt moose you owe it to yourself to get a high poundage model. It will allow you to shoot heavier arrows with larger cut broadheads. That gives you an advantage with trajectory, with penetration and also with cut size. Cut size does count.

Forget about cocking by hand. The crankaroo or the rope cocking tool makes cocking easy. I COULD cock my Exomax by hand, but I decline to do it. The cocking tools give a consistent, even, loading on each limb when you use them to cock your bow. That means more accuracy, and I want all of that I can get. Only in some kind of a pinch would I ever cock by hand.

[warningshot]

just about any excal hunting bow would work ...but i would lean towards 200lb or higher...

[blackjack]

Hi All I just started crossbow hunting this year and bought a lower end cross bow to see if I liked it. Loved it, helped a buddy and shot a bull. Anyways i only bought a 150 lb pull which i liked cause i didnt have to use a puller but I dont think it is enough and am looking at getting something bigger. What do you guys think, I hunt moose with it so i want something that will do the job what do you recommend fellow crossbow hunters.

g'day l reckon 175 to 200 lb is plenty, remember not so long ago 150 lb was knocking them down.. but like we say down under (nothing exceeds like excess) regards frank

[wabi]

Judging from the pics I've seen on here in the past of dead moose harvested with a Vixen, I'd say any of the Excaliburs will do their part.
It's up to you to use a sharp broadhead and put it in the right place.

[hawg hunter]

I've never fired a 150# Vixen; but form my own personal experience at shooting big tough animals ;elk and wild hawgs and a few african plains game a 175# phoenix will do the trick. I own 3 excals Paradox, Exomag, and a Phoenix.My Phoenix has killed every thing that it was shot at and with a complete passthrough. It can be cocked by hand but its tough,use rope cocking aid.

[alltimers]

thanks everybody for there advice. Like i said i did drop a bull this year using the 150 lb pull and i was only 15 yards away However I hit him through the lungs and he ran fro 175 yards or so into the swamp. The arrow did go right through him making it harder to follow as there was little blood to follow. Maybe as somebody suggested i need bigger broad heads but i am using 150 g ??? oh well live and learn ( and ask lots of questions)

[Phoenix_Tom]

By bigger I think they mean "more cutting surface." in other words, you can use a lighter bhead with bigger blades.

[sumner4991]

It's not the weight of the broadhead that does the damage. It's the length of the blades.

Here is the difference between a 2" cut broadhead, a 1.5" cut and a 1 1/8th" cut. The more cutting surface the better. However, the more cutting surface you have, the more KE needed to get a pass through.


You will actually need heavier broadheads for more KE. More weight, more of a punch . . .kind of like a loaded freight train, they are hard to stop once moving.

I would go with brass inserts and a 125gr Stricknine for a moose. I'm currently getting pass throughs with this set-up less the brass insert for whitetail deer and the arrows are going about an extra 15 yards. That's shooting from ground level. All the deer have gone less than 60 yards since using the Stricknines. If this doesn't do the trick, then keep adding weight until it passes.

Good luck!

[terrym]

Where you hit the moose has alot to do with blood trail. If you hit him high it will fill the lungs and he could cover some ground before showing a heavy bloodtrail. I f I was choosing a xbow for moose it would be the 200lb. Vortex. It lets you shoot a heavier arrow at decent speeds and is all you need. Also its not as prone to serving wear and might be a tad more reliable. Use a good strong broadhead like a slicktrick 125 gr. and you are good to go. They will punch through a moose nicely. Also a complete passthru is what you want and going to an overly large broadhead like 1.75-2" cut will actually hinder penetration. Stick to a solid 1.25" Slicktrick and you will be happy.

[sumner4991]

overly large broadhead like 1.75-2" cut will actually hinder penetration. Stick to a solid 1.25" Slicktrick

Actually, again, it's the total cutting surface that hinders penetration(all other things equal). The 1.25" cut GrizzTricks have about as much if not more cutting surface than a 1.75" three blade broadhead. Probably close to the same as the 2" cut three blade.

Total cutting surface . . .more is better. The more cutting surface, the more cutting and bleeding. AND, the more KE needed to get a pass through.

The Grizz Tricks are a good option. Not as accurate as the Stricknines, but, very well built.

[Island Hunter]

Here are some arrow ballistics. 400gr arrows



350fps - 20yds 336.72fps 101fp of KE

325fps - 20yds 312.54fps 87fp of KE

300fps - 20yds 288.73fps 74fp of KE

Notice how fast the fps and fp of KE drop. So if you want to hit hard you have to go fast. At 350fps,at 50yds you have 90fp of KE, At 325fps at 10yds, you have 90fp of KE. That's why I went with the Exomax. I find that is a big difference. At that many fp of KE, almost any BH will go through.

[vixenmaster]

I recommend the 150 LB. vixen older full size stock model. It will take any deer you shoot. The yardage needs to stay 35 yds & under