10 Reasons You Should Gift A Crossbow For Christmas
By: Joe Byers
Crossbows are fun and easy to shoot and handle. They can make a great gift for all ages.
Hunting is one of the most popular outdoor activities during the pandemic and it looks like restrictions on group gatherings will last well into 2021, perhaps through the fall season. A recent report says that interest in hunting has increased by 30% and that one third of the newcomers are female. Also, many new hunters are just trying things out and a sure way to transform curiosity into a lifetime of adventure is to help them succeed. This motivation is driving sales for hunting gear and a crossbow should be at the top of your list. Here are 10 reasons why.
1. Easy to Learn
Learning to shoot a crossbow is nearly an “out of the box” experience. If you visit a local archery shop or big box store that sells sporting goods, they can show you how to safely shoot a crossbow in just a few minutes. My seven-year-old grandson loves to shoot a crossbow because he was instantly successful, hitting a bullseye on his very first shot. Shooting a traditional bow and arrow takes lots of practice, yet with a crossbow you can become proficient very quickly.
2. Super-Safe
Shooting a crossbow is somewhat like shooting a firearm, except you do not need ear protection. Eye protection is still a good idea. Care must be taken when cocking a crossbow and keeping fingers from the string, but most models made today have eliminated those dangers. Toy bows operate much the same as the most powerful hunting models so that youngsters and newcomers can learn on a basic model and have the skills to quickly progress.
Those familiar with firearms will become crossbow proficient very quicly. Crossbows are highly accurate at close range. (Photo: Joe Byers)
3. At Home Practice
Learning to shoot a firearm requires a range or at least a field or vacant lot with a good backstop. Crossbows can be used in a garage, basement, or back yard and practicing does not violate laws in most jurisdictions. I have three types of targets in my back yard including a bag target for routine practice, a foam target to make sure my broadheads fly point-of-aim, and a 3-D deer target so that I can practice aiming at the kill zone from various angles.
4. No Recoil
Crossbows have little or no recoil so that young shooters do not have to worry about getting “kicked.” Additionally, crossbows are relatively quiet upon release so that there is no startling “bang!” These two factors are huge as you teach newbies the nuances of shooting form. Learning to steady a sight and squeeze a trigger is much easier without young minds wondering about being “kicked.”
Crossbows are ideal for teaching youngsters shooting skills. (Photo: Joe Byers)
5. Fast Success
I used to teach archery to elementary school students with recurve bows and my number one secret to success was to get students close (about 20 feet) to the target and use a huge bullseye. To experienced archers, this method might seem artificial, yet building success is critical to motivation. Early success builds enthusiasm and creates joy. Such success is nearly built in with a crossbow. Begin by letting newcomers use a rest from a bench-type setting and they will do very well from the start. Even better fill used water bottles as targets or blow-up balloons and place them on the target face. Wow!
6. Bullets to Broadheads
If you are gifting an experienced firearm shooter, all the better, because that person will likely know the basics of shooting safety and shooting form. It is not uncommon for a skilled shooter to shoot accurately on the first try. Last year, I participated in an accuracy contest put on by TenPoint Crossbows. To qualify for the drawing, each participant got one shot from a brand new TenPoint bow, one they had not shot before, and had to place their arrow inside of a dime-size circle at 15 yards. Five of 25 participants accomplished the feat, a testimony to crossbow accuracy and the TenPoint brand.
The author took this 160-class whitetail with a Raven crossbow the year the model was introduced. (Photo: Joe Byers)
7. Tons of Hunting Time
Many states have a firearm deer season of two-to-three weeks which makes hunters spectators for 49 weeks per year. Bow seasons are often three-to-six months in length which means a hunter can actively enjoy the outdoors even if the pandemic lingers on. Additionally, most states allow the use of crossbows during archery seasons including spring turkey season resulting inexactly the kind of outdoor recreation people seek. If you add in pre-and-post-season scouting, planting of food plots, posting tree stands, and the like, hunting can be a year-round sport and lots of fun even when the seasons are closed.
8. His and Her Hunting
Crossbows are an equal-opportunity hobby, and you might consider buying two bows instead of one. Advances in technology have made crossbows easier to cock, aim, and shoot. Out-of-state hunts are especially exciting and here is a way to head into the tall-and-uncut with your special someone and hunt for a week or weekend. Once a relationship embraces crossbow hunting, each partner adds to the other’s enjoyment and learning. You will soon be watching outdoor TV shows, YouTube channels, and sharing on social media.
Crossbow hunting is an ideal sport for couples and can quickly become a lifetime hobby.
(Photo: Joe Byers)
9. Multi-Pricing
Crossbows, like firearms, come in a wide range of prices from $300 to $3,000 for top-of-the-line models. Also, like firearms, they all shoot and an arrow from an inexpensive bow will kill a deer just as dead as if you mortgaged the house. Models made in China are considerably less expensive than those made in the USA, so it is a matter of choice. The best way to buy a crossbow is to visit an archery shop and talk to their staff. Handle and shoot various models and ask lots of questions. Used crossbows hold up well and you can save several hundred dollars by picking up last year’s model.
10. Have Bow, Will Travel
Crossbows do not have travel restrictions like firearms. No, you cannot put one in the overhead lockers, but I often disassemble a bow and place it in a suitcase with my hunting and casual clothes. It does not have to be declared and TSA treats it like a tennis racket. The average bow, scope, and arrows weigh less than 10 pounds so there is still plenty of space of other gear.
I hope these 10 reasons helped make gifting a little easier, for other or for yourself. I have written two books on the subject and one of these may make a great gift as well. Here are the details.
Buy a Book as Well
“Crossbow Hunting” reviews 14 new models, each with a video to explain its advantages in vivid detail. Want the fastest? The least expensive? Recurve or compound- all the information you need to get started in crossbow hunting or to up your game is in this book.
The author's book includes links to videos that explain each concept and crossbow description.
I have nearly a half century of bowhunting experience and pack this book with shooting and hunting tips. I took a 163-inch whitetail using a Ravin crossbow back when it was a prototype. “Crossbow Hunting- A YouTube Quick Guide” will give you all the information you need to pick the best crossbow for you, get you started, and hone your hunting game. For less than a hamburger, you can have all this information on your phone or computer. Each topic has an accompanied YouTube video for added clarification and will provide hours of reading and watching enjoyment. It is a must-have for any tree-stand sit. Click Here to get started.
Joe Byers is a life long hunter and outdoor writer. He is the current Executive Director of the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association.
