Letting Them Walk

Crossbow Hunting

Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude

new xbow hunter
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 2:58 pm
Location: Alabama

Letting Them Walk

Post by new xbow hunter »

Ever since I have been hunting with my 405 I have been seeing small bucks and a few small does. I had a chance to shoot a big doe right at dark yesterday evening at last light but let her walk due to family obligations. Could have gotten by with skipping out if I would have shot one of the bigger bucks I have trail camera pictures of, but not a doe. The Alabama rifle season started last Saturday but I will continue to carry the 405 until I get a chance to try it out.Wish me luck.
automated11
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:16 pm
Location: Washington, Pennsylvania

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by automated11 »

Good luck!
Super Vixen - AKA Matrix 355 with Vixen II Stock
Buggy Bumpers
Gold Tip Laser 4 Arrows with Swhacker 125 Heads
Miller Quiver Mount
Leupold Shotgun Scope (Miller)
Flemish String

Micro 355 Tact-zone Package, soon to be modded.
xcaliber
Posts: 12821
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:35 pm
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by xcaliber »

Good luck.
It’s not the way you rock, it’s the way that you roll!
vixenmaster
Posts: 13618
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Western Ky

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by vixenmaster »

I let all my small Bucks walk, but all my neightbors kill every thing they see wid antlers. I do kill Doe's to fill my freezer
Half Bubble Off BD360

[email protected] 417-505-9315
rayman
Posts: 1153
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:48 pm
Location: North Florida

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by rayman »

Thought this was going to be a really deep thread about what constitutes a"shooter".


Good luck!
papabear1
Posts: 1270
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:46 pm
Location: southwest Mo. in the ozarks

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by papabear1 »

vixenmaster wrote:I let all my small Bucks walk, but all my neightbors kill every thing they see wid antlers. I do kill Doe's to fill my freezer
That makes 2 of us. :wink:
2010 equinox,
known as doe bow
vixenmaster custom string
swacker bhs, 2/1/4" cut 120 grn.
xx75 Easton 2219,s
firebolt arrows
S5 pads
if it ain't broke don't fix it
be safe in all you do
see ya in the woods
<-------<
User avatar
maine hunter
Posts: 2346
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:23 pm
Location: maine
Contact:

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by maine hunter »

Hang in there!!!! Good luck!!! :D
355 matrix, big johns arrows- zombieslayers, g5 montecs, strikers. Vortex big johns arrows- zombieslayers g5 montecs 125. Lumenoks.
new xbow hunter
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 2:58 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by new xbow hunter »

Mature body size is all I look for. We don't have many real big racks in this area. The older they get helps with the rack size though.
User avatar
janesy
Posts: 4721
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2015 8:20 pm
Location: Beavertown. Ont

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by janesy »

I'm chasing a ghost this season. I've let three walk so far.
Blackout BD-Axe "Hatchet340"
Suppressor 400TD
Assassin 400Extreme
sproulman
Posts: 1688
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: PA WILDS AREA

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by sproulman »

Nice you left small ones live.Here in pa you can only shoot Buck with 3 points in my area on 1 side and 4 in another area...I wish my area was raised to 4 points per side.

You get nicer buck 3 years old and doe are bred by mature Buck which PGC says is important...This is 2 year I did not get buck in 53 years or so with bow ,2 years in a row not good..lol..

May hunt leased land next year do to all hunters ruining my hunt not that I do not see Buck...Its not good ...I am taking up coyote hunting again we trapped 2 last week ...
new xbow hunter
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 2:58 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by new xbow hunter »

Good job trapping the coyotes. They overrun this area as well. Used to be a buck a day here from October 15 start of bow season until the end of January the end of gun season. The last few years we could kill a doe a day as well. Now it is 3 bucks a year, one 4 points on one side or better. 5 does a year. Hope this helps get a better age class and bigger antlers. Very little agriculture and poor soil doesn't help.
User avatar
Ferguson Outfitters
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by Ferguson Outfitters »

Just my two cents on the "newbie" subject.

Shoot what you can for practice.

An accurate first time crossbow in the hands of a lifetime rifle hunter can have a hell of a learning curve. One can be real cocky at first thinking you just put them crosshairs behind the shoulder and squeezing off because of how well you shot the bag.

I've found you need to:

Be aware of elevation, shoot a bit high, visualize that arrow exit point.

Strive to shoot further back from that shoulder seam, this gives you some space to avoid a shoulder hit.

You better have a range finder or length of rope to mark yardage because this is an exact science (my biggest problem).

Strive to keep it inside 30 yards until you have all your T's crossed and I's dotted.

Don't take a quartering to shot, it ain't purdy!

Don't shoot through the shoulder pinning his arm to his body, it ain't purdy either.

Maybe just keep them cross lung shots as much as possible.

Don't do headshots with target points unless you are exactly 20 yards or wherever you are zero'd at.

When that monster pops out, start from the beginning of this list again, after you forget it all.
new xbow hunter
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 2:58 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by new xbow hunter »

Thanks for the advice. Very few monsters around here to worry about. Just waiting for mature deer. I have hunted with a vertical bow for years and am aware of shot placement. Shoulder problems caused me to try something a little different. I am currently in the stand and have let 3 spikes and a small doe walk. All offered shots inside of 40 yards except the doe. She never came out of the thick brush.
User avatar
Carnivorous
Posts: 3740
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2005 12:56 pm
Location: Belleriver Ontario

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by Carnivorous »

Image
A touch of frost has heightened your awareness and your heart steadily beats in anticipation. Your senses are suddenly alert to the movement on the forest floor and you realize that the moment of truth is at hand.
User avatar
PastorSlaughter
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2016 5:17 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Re: Letting Them Walk

Post by PastorSlaughter »

I bought an Excalibur Equinox this summer and I've been very impressed with it. Shot 3 mature does so far this season. It has 225 pound draw weight and it is awesome!
But I've also been wondering about the 405. Would it shoot hard enough to go right through a shoulder blade? I know there are so many variables: arrow weight, broadhead weight, mechanical v. fixed blades, etc. I shoot 125 grain mechanicals and total arrow weight is just over 400.
Yesterday morning I had a pretty big 9 point buck in the crosshairs at 13 yards. But it was a quartering-to angle and I didn't want to take that shot. I'm hunting in a suburban area. So, they need to go down quickly when I shoot or there could be real big problems if it dies on other property.
In the past, in the woods, I've hit shoulders with arrows with poor results... And I've also shot right through them with guns.
What about the 405? Anybody have shoulder shot experience with it? And what are your recommendations?
I know I made a good decision to not take that shot yesterday morning. But I still keep replaying it over and over in my mind!
Equinox
150 gr. Boltcutters & Swhackers
Aero Hunter Kestrel
Post Reply