Welcome back, fellow hunters! David is here, and I’m excited to dive into Crossbow hunting tips, what truly makes a season successful, preparation and precision. I recently slipped into my new Hecs hunting outfit (full review coming soon!), a pattern praised by pros like Joe Rogan and Tom Miranda. While we wait to see its on-the-ground performance, let’s focus on the six critical crossbow tips that will put you in the best position for a clean, ethical kill this year.
This guide is designed for both the new crossbow hunter needing a foundational checklist and the seasoned veteran looking for a refresher. And trust me, Tip #6 is non-negotiable—it’s the key to recovery.
Table of Contents
Tip 1: Practice with Your Exact Hunting Setup
One of the most common season-wreckers is assuming your hunting broadheads will fly identically to your practice field points. They often don’t! Before you ever enter the woods, you must verify the flight path of your actual hunting bolt, broadhead and all.
- Broadhead Tuning: Both fixed and mechanical broadheads can alter the aerodynamics of your shot. Even a subtle change can cause a miss at 30 yards.
- Proof in Practice: I use the Rage No Contact 100-grain mechanical broadheads because I’ve spent the time to confirm they fly identical to my 100-grain field points. This diligence has helped me successfully harvest over 11 deer with this specific setup.
- The Big Mistake: Don’t practice with a 60-grain field point and then swap to a 100-grain broadhead for the hunt—you are guaranteeing a missed opportunity.
🔑 Takeaway: Shoot your broadheads. It’s the only way to build confidence in your setup’s true accuracy.
Tip 2: Master the Shot From Your Tree Stand
We wouldn’t practice from a bench rest and then hunt on one knee, so why practice on the ground when you hunt from a stand? Elevated shooting is a completely different challenge:
- Stand Dynamics: The position of your stand’s railing (high like a gun rest or low like my Summit net seat) drastically impacts your grip and pivot points.
- Grip and Form: Practice your natural grip—whether you hold the forearm or the stock—to ensure your fingers are safe and your movement is minimal.
- Shot Range: Practice angles for shots straight out and those that require you to twist and shoot behind or to the side of your stand. When the action happens, you need to be comfortable and silent from every possible angle.
🔑 Takeaway: Practice from your perch. Replicate the exact hunting environment to eliminate variables.
Tip 3: Safety and Gear Check in the Stand
Safety isn’t just about keeping your fingers safe; it’s about the reliability of your shot. Your ascent to the stand is where mistakes can happen:
- Use a Pull Rope: Slowly and quietly bring your crossbow up. Avoid letting it swing or bang against the tree.
- Conduct a Visual Inspection: Once up, inspect the entire crossbow. Look for small twigs, vines, or debris caught in the cables, string, or flight path (the rail). Even a small piece of debris can wreck a shot.
- Finger Safety: NEVER put your fingers in the flight path, especially if the crossbow is cocked. Those rail guards are there for a reason—they save your fingers. These powerful tools demand your constant attention to safety.
🔑 Takeaway: Check twice, shoot once. A broken twig in the string is a busted opportunity.
Tip 4: Conquer the Adrenaline Rush with a Mental Checklist
I get it. That deer of a lifetime steps out, and suddenly your heart is pounding so loud you swear the deer 40 yards away can hear it. This is “buck fever,” and even at 55, I still feel it! My first bow kill—a wild pig in Florida—had my whole body shaking.
How to Beat the Rush:
- Control Your Breathing: Slow, deep breaths are the first step to calming the system.
- Engage Your Mental Checklist: This is your internal mantra.
- Breathe.
- Safety is OFF.
- Keep fingers BELOW the rail.
- Settle the pin.
- Squeeze the trigger.
- Prioritize Safety: Don’t let the excitement cause you to rush and sacrifice safety. Taking a finger off is not worth getting the deer.
🔑 Takeaway: Calm is accurate. Use a deliberate checklist to manage excitement and ensure a safe, clean shot.
Tip 5: Be Cognizant of Limb Expansion
This is a frequently overlooked issue for tree stand hunters: Crossbow limbs slam outward when you fire.
- Check Your Sides: If you are nestled in a multi-trunk tree (great for cover!), or if you track a deer across your shooting zone, you must ensure your limbs have full clearance when you pull the trigger.
- Worst-Case Scenarios: Hitting a tree or branch with a limb can cause you to:
- Miss the target (best case).
- Wound the animal with a bad shot (worst case).
- Damage your equipment or cause a dangerous malfunction that results in injury.
🔑 Takeaway: Clear your flight path AND your limb path. Focus on the whole picture, not just the deer.
Tip 6: Master Shot Placement for Ethical Kills
This is the most crucial tip for anyone transitioning from a rifle. A crossbow is not a rifle—it is an archery weapon.
Rifle vs. Arrow:
- Rifle: Relies on blunt trauma and massive expansion to down an animal, often fracturing bone.
- Crossbow: Relies on blood loss from the broadhead’s blade. You need a fast, fatal hemorrhage.
- Know the Anatomy: Study the deer’s vitals (heart and lungs) and the surrounding bones (especially the shoulder). A bolt hitting a major shoulder bone is unlikely to pass through.
- Aim for Pass-Through: Your goal is a double lung shot to maximize blood loss and ensure the animal expires quickly and humanely. A pass-through (the bolt exiting the opposite side) is essential, as the exit hole creates a much better blood trail for recovery.
- Avoid Poor Angles: Shots that are sharply quartering-to or quartering-away are much more risky than with a rifle. You must ensure your arrow will clear the shoulder and hit the lungs/heart.
🔑 Takeaway: Accuracy saves lives (yours and the deer’s). If you aren’t confident in the shot’s placement and angle, do not take it. Stick to high-percentage shots for a quick and ethical harvest.
I hope these refined tips help you have your best season yet! Good luck, and be safe out there. Drop a comment below with your favorite tip.
