# Armed and ready or not ?



## reel (Dec 15, 2004)

First year with the cross bow here.

Rattled and grunted a big doe within 50' this AM but got busted.

It takes me about 60 seconds to arm my cross-bow. 
I need the cranker-up-er because of strength and age.

It is a little noisy. 

There is the inserting the cranking key. clicking of cranking up then uncranking and removing the mechanism and key, then placing the arrow from the quiver, turn on the sights, release the safety etc.

I hate to leave the bow fully ready all day. Anybody leave their cross-bow armed all day ?

...


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## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

every one I know of leaves it cocked all day! wouldn't leave it like that more than that but it doesn't hurt it whatsoever to leave it cocked for the day... and I usually turn my scope on when I sit down in the morning and turn it off when I get back to the truck for lunch and so on.... carry an extra battery with you just in case you forget to turn it off! I hunt compound now but my girlfriend uses the crossbow and that is the way I have done it since I owned a crossbow!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

You are saying you hunt with your crossbow uncocked until you are ready to shoot??? Never heard of anyone doing that. Did you read the owners manual? It will even tell you how to uncock it after the hunts over. I have the bow cocled when I leave the truck and stays that way until I get home and shoot a bolt into my target.

Scott


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

Unless your deer wants to commit suicide and waits for you to crank it up, you might get some meat in the freezer. It will not hurt your crossbow one bit to leave it in the ready to fire position.


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## GOLDFISH (Mar 10, 2006)

Well the guys that use a compund can't say that you don't make it tough
And if it is a Horton than they have one of the best costomer service departs one can ask for I have had my prohawk for three or four years 
some how the one limb did start to splinter and the replaced them both under warranty.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2006)

Heck yeah I leave it cocked! hah I thought eveyone did.


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## Pure river (Sep 12, 2005)

And dont get up set with me but this has to be one of the funiest threads I have read in a long time!!

YES..by all means...cock your bow before you settle in to hunt!!  It will be fine.

good luck 

PR


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Reel, you don't know if you don't ask. Get back out there and get yourself one!!!!!!!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

The crossbow has/should have a safety system on it so in that respect it is just the same as a gun and while sitting it can be treated just the same by having it loaded and ready. If that still makes you nervous then you can leave it cocked but do not mount the arrow until you are ready to shoot. When carrying it around you can leave it cocked as well but it is not really safe to walk around all of the time with an arrow in it. I am sure some may do it. I hunted with one several years back and just did not feel comfortable doing it that way, especially when you need to navigate through brush and over fences. My boy is using mine now and this is the way I am teaching it to him as well.


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## reel (Dec 15, 2004)

OK thanks for info. I feel better now. Was just thinking the constant strain on the limbs and string would weaken them in time.

One more stupid thing here. Returning with bow cocked and driving thru school zones, villages with ordinances etc, Loaded weapon ?

...


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

Driving with the bow drawn is fine....as long as there is no bolt in it, it isn't loaded. It's just like a gun...but I wouldn't. What you can do is....

a) pull it back before you leave your vehicle and leave it cocked for the entire day. even pull it to up to your stand cocked, (take the arrow out before pulling it up) etc. Don't cross a fence with an arrow in it either. But once again, you can leave it cocked. Just remember, the arrow is dangerous, the bow is just the tool to use the arrow. (not saying that some freak accident the limb could break, but it SHOULDN'T)

b) Hold onto the string and pull the trigger to uncock it before you leave your hunting area

or
c) carry an old arrow with a field point and shoot it into the ground safely to uncock. 

It is ok to leave a bow cocked during a day you are hunting, but I would uncock it before I drove anywhere, or took it home. It takes a few seconds to cock and uncock a bow. It shouldn't be that big of a deal.


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

Also, not to be mean about it, you really should look up someone in your area that has done some hunting to show you the ropes a little that has used a crossbow. 

I think you would learn a wealth of knowledge about the weapon and about the abilities of it. You in turn will become more comfortable with it, and it will help you harvest an animal. 

Everyone started out somewhere, and there is nothing wrong with learning a new sport or shooting a new weapon, but don't be afraid to ask questions, and listen well. It will help you in the long run, and make for a better experience hunting. 

One of people's biggest mistakes with a crossbow is thinking its a shotgun. I know a lot of people that went and bought a crossbow just to hunt in a longer season. They were gun hunters, and didn't realize that distance is as much of a factor and that you can't shoot through brush, etc. It is a whole different ball game, and we all learned somehow, even if it was by making small mistakes. The positive thing with the internet is that there is a wealth of knowledge from many people, and they can make your learning curve a lot shorter, and make you more confident. 

Just a suggestion, and again, I hope you aren't offended in any way.


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## reel (Dec 15, 2004)

All good comments, all good suggestions.
No offence what so ever.

..


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

Always remember to have an arrow loaded before shooting or you'll break the cables and string if it is dry fired. The easiest way to unload it is to carry an old target arrow and shoot it into the ground . That way you don't have to transport it cocked.

Mine is an older model Horton. I heard that new ones can't be dry fired but I don't know if that is true or not ?


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

If you do shoot it into the ground don't point it staraight down, I did that once and it was to much for the bolt and drove the tip back into the bolt. At first i thought that I had hit a rock but there wasn't anything there. Give yourself some distance at what you shoot at.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

This is only my opinion, but I would never dry fire a bow, no matter what the company said. 

Also, I would strongly suggest to not try and "uncock" the bow by hand. Like it has been said, just carry a junk arrow and fire it into the ground at an angle and wipe the mud off.

lg_mouth


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I would second what lg mouth said DO NOT TRY AND UNCOCK THE CROSSBOW BY HAND!!!!! You are asking for some serious injury if you try it in my opinion. Shoot a shag arrow into the ground when you are done hunting.


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## flypilot33 (Feb 9, 2006)

Did someone say to dryfire it? I cannot see any company recommending a dry fire.


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

> I would second what lg mouth said DO NOT TRY AND UNCOCK THE CROSSBOW BY HAND!!!!! You are asking for some serious injury if you try it in my opinion


If you do it correctly you aren't asking for serious injury. It's really not that tough to do. I've done it my whole life and I think it is safer than shooting an arrow into the ground. 

I am more comfortable holding onto the string and tripping the trigger with my thumb. If you take the precautions, like...having foot in the end securely and not having a sissy grip on the strings, you should be fine. If you are strong enough to pull it back, you should be strong enough to let it down that same way.

I got a video with my Excalibur and that is how they show you to release it. 

I would also find it hard to believe that someone says to dry fire a bow period. That is awfully hard on the limbs, no matter if it is a bow or a crossbow.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

...it is just my opinion. I shoot mine to release it. I uncocked my old bow by hand once, worked fine, but wasn't comfortable with it. 

lg_mouth


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

swantucky said:


> I would second what lg mouth said DO NOT TRY AND UNCOCK THE CROSSBOW BY HAND!!!!! You are asking for some serious injury if you try it in my opinion. Shoot a shag arrow into the ground when you are done hunting.


I do it by hand quite often but until you get an appreciation of what it takes you should have someone else pull the trigger so that you can keep both hands on the string. Now that I have done it enough I know that what it takes to hold on to the string firmly enough to not let it rip loose.

But as mentioned the simplest way is to fire a practice arrow. Often times we walk back in the dark and I don't feel like chasing an arrow in the dark so it is easier for me.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

reel said:


> First year with the cross bow here.
> 
> 
> It takes me about 60 seconds to arm my cross-bow.
> ...


Guys I'm not saying it can't be done (uncocking by hand) but look at what the guy said in his origanal post!!! I just don't want to see him get hurt when there is another easier way to decock it.


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## flypilot33 (Feb 9, 2006)

Very true....if someone uses a crank to cock it, uncocking by hand would not be the best way. An old bolt into the ground would be the easiest and best way.


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