uncocking safety

[grouse]

Has anyone else jammed a broadhead into their foot when they uncock their crossbow using the rope cocker? I stupidly took my boots off and remembered that I hadn't unocoked my crossbow then uncocked it without removing the arrow with a boltcutter attached. The result was a nasty cut between my big toe and the next toe. It was completely my fault, but maybe a more emphatic warning about this danger would be a good idea.

This is my first season to hunt with a crossbow and I love my Axiom and have already killed one deer with it. I hope I don't have any more unpleasant lessons to learn because I'm having a lot of fun.

Grouse

[Boo]

You might want to have arrows made longer so that your foot kicks the arrow out of the way. Just make sure your broadhead does not protrude past the stirrup.

[roly]

Your not the first to do that and you won't
be the last either.

But I bet you won't do it again

Hope your toes will be ok.

[Hot Pepper Dude]

You like to learn the hard way. Cock bow, safety on, arrow in. Arrow out, safety off, uncock bow. No one gets hurt. I'll bet you will never forget this. Right? May your toes heal well.

Regards, Erik.

[gerald strine]

I shoot an Equinox and switched to 22 inch bolts after putting a whole in my boot toe last season now my boot will hit the bolt when I put my foot in the sturp.

[JohnnyDollar]

I pretty much did the same thing except when I went to let the string down, the point of the Swhacker poked into the top of my boot but there was enough resistance to where it turned the lumenock on. When I saw the light come on I held the handle as tight as I could and reached down with my other hand and as I lowered one hand I picked up with the other hand. Once they got even I recocked the Emax and pulled the bolt off. I was very nervous during that whole affair. I am very glad the lumenock lit up (it was in the evening) or i would have let it all the way down. I'm glad you didn't cut anything off.

[strum]

sorry that happened to you man..i did it too year before last...
got a nice hole in my boot and some blood in my sock and a very humbled ego.
i was one who said "you would have to be an idiot to do that"
well i am
you said its an axiom?..and you were bare footed..?...
that arrow shopuld have been way too long for an unload in your toe..maybe a cut on the end of you toe from kicking it as you stuck you foot in the stirup.
are they short arrows?

[flightattendant100]

Excalibur could offer steel toed boots as an accessory.

[grouse]

Thanks to everyone.

I was using one of the 20" firebolts that came with the crossbow and the broadhead was a boltcutter. There was plenty of room for my socked foot (size 11.5 W) to fit into the stirrup and under the broadhead. I'lll heal with no lasting harm and will avoid such an incident in the future.

Grouse

[wabi]

Just another reason I prefer to just shoot an arrow to unload.

[fender]

Good to here you will be ok. I remember Bill covering this in the instructional video's and thinking this would be not funto go through. This is also my first year and have forced my self to double and triple check that the bolt is out and in the quiver. This can obviously happen to anyone, as uncocking is mostly done during the hunting season vs.target practice.
Thanks for sharing this, to keep up the awarness!!
Heal Quickly

[Big58cal]

That's the great thing about the Swhacker broadheads. Where they're so long, even with the Equinox, if I were to put my foot in the stirrup, it would kick the broadhead out of the way.

After reading the horror stories on here, I've made it a point to count my arrows in the quiver and check the rail before I even hook the stringer on.

[newbie]

I treat it as a loaded firearm, i would never point one at myself or anyone else...

[ltcnav]

Why in the world would anyone try and cock or uncock the bow with an arrow loaded? PLEASE remove arrow before cocking/uncocking.
BTW, some great videos on the web site, that covers all of this in depth.

[Cossack]

Just read about tow crossbow deaths: persona apparently pulled up a loaded crossbow, which discharged and shot him through neck; another person shot herself ion the leg and bled to death. Absolutely tragic waste of human life. The best safety device is located between ones EARS, use it!