Author: Brad Fenson

The biting cold crept through my layers, numbing my toes when a sudden movement caught my eye. Adrenaline surged, igniting a warmth as I glimpsed the dark, wide antlers of a massive buck weaving through the trees. With my crossbow poised, I slid the safety off and steadied my aim on the narrow game trail ahead. The buck, oblivious to my presence, moved closer, its nose to the ground. As it stepped into my sights, I slowly squeezed the trigger. Crossbow hunting is a thrilling pursuit, but true success hinges on preparation, accuracy, and a deep respect for the game.…

Nothing beats trigger time to see and understand how a crossbow operates and stacks up against others in the industry. In-depth and comprehensive range tests are a great way to separate the wheat from the chaff. The information you need to decide on your best crossbow purchase is below, as we provide comprehensive crossbow reviews for the newest models in 2024. The crossbow community continues to grow across North America, with more jurisdictions allowing horizontal bows in archery seasons. There has been a significant shift to crossbows within the archery world, with record sales and interest. In response, there are…

Technologically advanced and compact are the best ways to describe the new TenPoint TX 440 crossbow. TenPoint has over 30 years of innovation with a relentless research and development team that strives to build a better crossbow. Table of Contents First Impressions Price Point / Where to buy Trigger Rail Nock Optic Mount/Optics Cocking/Decocking Safety Stock Range Time/Hunt Test Accommodating Accessories First Impressions The TX 440 is fast and compact, shooting an arrow well over 400 feet per second and measuring 28 inches in length and 6.5 inches wide when cocked. True compactness comes with narrow, cocked limbs. Like sending…

TenPoint Crossbows has strived to perfect and upgrade technologies in manufacturing horizontal bows for three decades. It continually toils to be innovative and provide reliable performance to create a positive edge for hunters who want to embrace change. The company offers a wide variety of horizontal bows, from premium to value-priced. If you want to get into crossbow hunting or upgrade an older bow, it would be worth checking out the extreme value and proven performance of the Venom X. The Venom X is the lightest and lowest-priced crossbow in the company’s lineup that has a built-in ACUslide for cocking…

My heart raced excitedly at the sight of tall tines coming through the trees. The trail camera pictures collected over the previous two months made the deer easy to recognize. The buck was a wanderer and came through my hunting area about once every ten days. I had strategized for encountering the old mature buck and focused my efforts during the rut. The buck would check out the local ladies regularly, not wanting the younger bucks in the area to steal any action. The buck came down the game trail as though programmed for a collision course with my stand.…

Get the most out of your crossbow by understanding its math and science. I cocked my crossbow, slid an arrow down the rail, and drilled the bull’s eye at 30 yards. The ac curacy was impressive, but when I looked at the chronograph reading, I felt a tingle of excitement run down my spine. A second and third arrow were launched, and all read 509 fps. Not only was the TenPoint Nitro 505 fast, but it was deadly accurate and consistent. Harnessing the energy of a crossbow to produce consistent and remarkable results is a science that utilizes new technologies.…

Tackling dangerous game with archery equipment can be an exciting pursuit. However, this is a situation where you had better know all aspects of your gear before heading afield. Arrow speed, trajectory, and penetration must be fine-tuned for a clean kill. Wounding an animal capable of flattening you to a pancake or shredding you to pieces is a definite reality if you go into that scenario unprepared. Hunting in different parts of South Africa for two weeks with Mike Birch and Hunt the Sun was an incredible experience. It also was one having a steep learning curve. It would be…

Movement through the trees drew my attention, and I slowly shouldered my crossbow and leveled my scope on the game trail in front of my stand. A giant four-point buck sauntered into view with his nose to the ground. The hulking body was easy to find in the scope, and when the buck stopped to check the wind, my arrow launched off the rail. The buck kicked up his back legs and bolted into the trees with a crash and commotion that ended in silence. My hands started to tremble excitedly, sensing that weeks of hunting the big, old buck…

I arrived in bear camp shortly after lunch. Shooting my crossbow and organizing clothes and gear didn’t take long. The rest of my hunting crew was running late. When they finally showed up, I was heading out the door to sit in a tree for the night. They came back with a little ribbing about me being overly competitive, but that didn’t bother me a bit. I barked back some teasing as well and reminded them, “The early bird gets the worm.” It was a beautiful May evening. The warm sun was a welcome shot of vitamin D. The best…

The Burris Oracle X Crossbow Scope I had been eyeing up a new range finding optic for my bow, and the Burris Oracle X offered tried and tested technology. The Burris Oracle X is a vertical bow sight that ranges targets, provides a precise aiming point, and calibrates angles into the equation. Burris introduced its Eliminator range finding riflescope over a decade ago. Popular with hunters and long-range shooters, the proven technology has been integrated into archery sights and scopes with positive results. Making arrangements for a hunt in South Africa with Mike Birch at Hunt the Sun, he encouraged…