Author: Crossbow Magazine Staff

Guest Post Contribution by Lee Phillips A good friend of mine, Blake Copley, offered me the opportunity to hunt on their land during the upcoming Ohio deer season.  This sounded great as I knew the area had produced several really nice bucks over the years.  We began discussing things and made plans to go over the property so I could see the layout. The property looked great.  It featured a couple of hilly areas, and a couple of really long fields.  With the fields being in the middle of the property, I was thinking that this would a natural grazing…

The connection between humans and dogs is one of a kind and quite diverse. They are always loyal to us, but they are also our bravest companions on the hunting field. Humans have a long history of hunting with dogs as their instincts are very helpful in the field. Some dog breeds, for example, are great at retrieving, while others specialize in waterfowl hunting. Moreover, dogs were used for hunting as early as 20k years ago when humans were hunter-gatherers and farming had yet to be established! Dogs are believed to be the first animals that humans tamed before cows and sheep. So, when we compare hunting…

The Recruit XP – $269.99 – $299.99 at Amazon (Occasionally marked 10% off) Introduction In the world of archery, the crossbow is an age-old weapon that has undergone significant innovations over time. Today’s market is saturated with various options that promise features ranging from advanced aiming technology to lightweight builds. But when it comes to finding a crossbow that balances performance, affordability, and ease of use, look no further than the Barnett Recruit XP. In this review, we’ll delve into why this particular model should be at the top of your list if you’re a first-time buyer in the market…

Unleashing Precision and Power We took to the range to look at 4 of Killer Instincts most popular crossbows.  The full-sized Diesel X, Fatal X, and Vital X which shipped from the factory ready to use, and the compact bullpup sized Swat X1, that came needing to have the scope mounted.  I would suggest as you take them out of the shipping package and inspect them while new, you check the scope mounts for proper torque and adjust the eye relief.  Lube the rails with the supplied rail lube as this is the protection from the string abrasion against the…

For aspiring hunters and enthusiasts looking to venture into crossbow hunting, choosing the right entry-level crossbow is paramount. With a multitude of options available on the market, navigating the selection process can be overwhelming. This review delves into the key considerations for entry-level crossbows and compares different models. We will explore factors such as build quality, accuracy, power, ease of use and affordability. By the end of this review, you will have the knowledge and insights to make an informed decision and get you going on your crossbow-hunting journey. I also compare three entry-level crossbows that meet necessary factors. I…

By Crossbow Magazine Staff and Bill Hilts Jr. If you have never used a crossbow for target shooting or for hunting big game, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try. Crossbows are fun to shoot, can be extremely accurate, and provide another way to get back out in the field (especially if you can’t pull your vertical bow back any longer). Crossbows also offer a great way to get our youth involved in archery. It was 1990 when I shot my first crossbow. That was in a hunting camp in Ohio. One shot and I…

The last of the snow had just melted off as I hiked out a ridge to look for shed antlers. I was new to hunting this area, and although I’d put my tag on a nice 8-point mountain buck in a different location, I knew I still had a lot to learn about how deer traveled here. I figured this ridge to be a hot spot, even though I’d hunted it on at least five different occasions the previous fall and seen a total of zero deer. Instead of abandoning the spot, though, I wanted to look it over without…

As I lowered my 10 x 42 binoculars, the reality began to set in. I had done it! I had just fulfilled a lifelong dream that had begun when I was a kid. Not two hundred yards away lay a central barren ground caribou that would surely make the record books. Well, my goal was to see and shoot a good representation of the species, but what had just happened far exceeded my expectations, hopes and yes dreams. This adventure began over a year ago when Ken Gangler of Canadian Sub Arctic Lodge generously donated a hunt for Central Barren…

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of treating my two sons to a bear hunt in New Brunswick, Canada. The area we were hunting is located off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, 15 miles inland from the fishing village of Alma. It has a large population of black bears, and I wanted to take them to a place where I knew they’d have a great chance of taking not just any bear, but a good-sized bear. This area also held the high potential of getting a bear with a “blaze” (white “V” on its chest.) I…

Western big game hunters often hunt remote areas far from access points, and the only way to get their harvest back to the vehicle is to skin and quarter it in the field and pack it out. The idea is slowly catching on with Eastern deer hunters, especially with those who hunt remote areas of public land. Success in these areas often means going where other hunters aren’t willing to go, and that can mean hiking several miles beyond access areas. Trying to drag a big-bodied mature buck out that far is simply unreasonable. The idea of skinning and quartering…