Crossbow hunting adventures and discovering an ancient and simplistic

Since 2009, crossbows have become quite popular with Michigan
deer hunters due to their handling characteristics which are very similar to
a rifle. I noticed this right at the get-go the first time I shot one, but there is
a learning curve while getting acquainted, such as a crossbow is a
crossbow, and not a rifle. In my opinion, it is a close-range hunting tool, and
I prefer to keep matters at 40 yards or less, and generally less. I’ve taken a
couple whitetails near the 40-yard mark, but the majority have been taken,
quite effectively, at 30 yards or less, and this is where the crossbow excels
featuring outstanding bolt-speed which packs a distinct punch. Using a
shooting rest whenever possible also aids in superb accuracy.
Most of my shots have been complete passthroughs and when
shooting down from an elevated position, the bolt’s shaft will be often
buried a good portion of its length into the soil. I prefer to have lighted
nocks on my hunting bolts which allow me to visually track the shot to the
target (like a tracer), because the bolts are moving at top speed and are
hard to see, with lighted nocks also aiding in recovering a $20 (or more)
broadhead-tipped bolt, especially when groundcover such as grass or ferns
is involved.
My first crossbow hunting adventure using a Darton “Lightning”
occurred during the 2009 spring turkey season (when crossbows were first
legalized for hunting in Michigan) and I was wearing hip boots to negotiate
some notable swampy terrain. My crossbow practice sessions had been
while wearing shoes when placing my foot in the cocking-stirrup and the
insulated hip boots were a tad thicker, allowing only the tip of my foot to be
in while leaning over to cock the crossbow in the predawn darkness. I had
the crossbow nearly cocked when my boot-tip slipped out and the
crossbow launched straight up into my chest at full force, and yep, folks,
that will take your breath away! Afterwards, I had a distinct bruise “tattooed”

on my chest that even displayed the letters on the butt pad. Because the
bolt acts as a shock absorber, minus one (aka dryfire) can damage matters,
and I had visible cracks in the bow limbs, which had me sending matters
back to Darton to have the limbs replaced. It was an unforgettable lesson
learned in a rather painful way, not to mention it put a halt on my morning
turkey hunt! I’ve made sure to have a “bigfoot” cocking stirrup ever since.
It pays to always be aware of where fingers are before firing, because
a crossbow string has no mercy when it comes to “manicuring”, and
attention must be continually paid to not having the bow limbs near any
obstructions such as window frames, or tree trunks and limbs. Nope, folks,
that cross-piece isn’t as forgiving as a gun barrel, and being a one-shot
option, I can reload a muzzleloader faster than I can reload a crossbow, but
in either case, I make that one shot count.
Crossbows can generate a decent amount of “punch” on the target,
especially at the closer ranges they are designed for. When I first got into
the game, I was concerned about damaging the fletching on my bolts which
were blowing through the haybales I was using as a backstop, so I
purchased a Rhinehart “18 in 1” archery target, which is a multisided,
cubelike affair that is basically constructed of solid rubber. Yep, it sure
stopped the bolt that I had tipped with sharp field/target point, which still
penetrated quite deep. Fortunately, there was enough shaft protruding out I
could get a handhold just forward of the fletching to try pulling the buried
bolt out. Well, folks, that is when the tugging contest started involving a
“sword in the stone” atmosphere and I even tried soaking in some cooking
oil, which may have done the trick, but when the bolt finally came out, it
was coated with burned rubber caused by the friction of a speedy entry. I’ve
been using flat-tipped metal blunts for target practice ever since which does
the trick.
I eventually went to a Darton “Scorpion” crossbow which was lighter
and more compact than the older Lightning. Crossbows can sometimes be
on the hefty side, and I’d been keeping an eye out for something, not only
lightweight, but affordable, because certain crossbows can be a bit pricey.
That is when I recently discovered the Excalibur “Mag Air” which weighs

only 4.9 pounds(bare) and 6.7 pounds when fitted with a scope, quiver and
4 bolts. I fully appreciate the ambidextrous safety which works identical to
thumb-cocking the hammer of a firearm. Being rated by sending a bolt at
305 fps, the Mag Air and its light weight meet my required needs.
Maybe it has something to do with my having been a traditional
bowhunter for many years, because I have always admired the more
simplistic Excalibur crossbows which feature rugged recurve bows that are
minus complicated cams and such. They can also be easily de-cocked by
using the string-cocker, which I much appreciate. My previous crossbow
experience required firing a bolt into the ground in order de-cock matters (I
carried a bolt tipped with a flat metal blunt with a washer behind it to
prevent slamming in too deep).
Excalibur offers a “stringing-aid” which allows you to remove and
replace a bowstring while in the field, whereas compound bow versions
require a bow press. This was a concern of mine when I did a fly-in bear
hunt in Canada with my crossbow which featured the typical cam-system. If
something went amiss per the bowstring, I would have been at loose ends
out in the middle of the boonies. Another concern was packing my
crossbow in its padded soft case on the airplane, but the bush pilot was
understanding and stacked it on top of the load to avoid damaging
anything, including the scope.
Excalibur crossbows can be easily disassembled by simply removing
the bolt holding the bow on the stock, to pack everything padded by extra
clothing, very compactly in a suitcase. Once at the destination, the bow can
be easily bolted back onto the stock, and everything is ready to go. A friend
of mine recently used his Excalibur crossbow in Africa to successfully hunt
plains game and experienced no issues with anything getting damaged by
airline luggage handlers. His crossbow as well as the bolts and broadheads
(which were safely placed in a compact hard case designed for the
purpose) were packed together in the suitcase.
For close to home hunting, I use an Excalibur fabric “Poncho” for
legally transporting my crossbow in or on motor vehicles. Otherwise, packing everything compactly in my luggage makes matters quite convenient.

I appreciate the rugged simplicity, light weight and dependable
performance of my Excalibur Mag Air crossbow and I’m looking forward to
many more crossbow hunting adventures.

Author
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Tom Lounsbury

Tom Lounsbury has been an outdoor writer and photographer for more
than 40 years and has had his weekly radio show, “Tom Lounsbury
Outdoors” for more than 20 years. Tom grew up on a farm in
Michigan’s Thumb, and it is where his first outdoor adventures began
as a kid accompanying visiting pheasant hunters into the field during
the “pheasant hunting heyday” of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is a passion
he still has to this day and being the 4 th generation to own the family
farm, he has put most of it into conservation programs with a focus on
wild pheasants, which in turn helps all wildlife.
Being an outdoor communicator, Tom appreciates all the outdoor
adventures he experiences in different places, and especially the
people he meets in which to share them.