How to Prepare Your Crossbow for Hunting Season
By: Bryan Zabitski | June 19, 2018
This is a great time of year to start preparing for the upcoming fall crossbow hunting season. Whether you are new to crossbows or a seasoned veteran, proper maintenance and tuning of your crossbow, selecting the right arrow and practicing your shooting routine are all activities that will help you be ready when the season arrives.
Applying string wax or conditioner is one of the easiest ways to keep your crossbow in good working order, and while doing so, you can inspect the string and cables for wear.
Maintenance
Review your crossbow owner`s manual for the manufacturer`s recommended maintenance procedures – use this information to make a checklist for yourself for future maintenance activities.
Visually inspect the condition of the string and cables, looking for worn servings or broken strands, and have them changed if you find excessive wear or if you have not had the string and cables changed in the past two years.
Apply string wax and/or string conditioner to the string and cables if they do not need to be changed.
Check the timing of the cams to make sure that they are working in unison – most cams will have dots machined on the top side of each cam. If they are out of proper timing, schedule an appointment with your local archery dealer to have the timing adjusted correctly.
Check all screws and bolts in the crossbow and tighten any that may have worked loose from previous use.
Apply a light gun oil or protective lubricant to any parts that have the potential to rust, especially the trigger mechanism.
Apply lubricant to the flight rail as needed.
If you find any other problems with your crossbow, schedule an appointment with your local archery dealer to have the condition repaired now, instead of waiting until the last minute and getting caught up in the fall rush.
Selecting the correct arrow and broadhead combination to fit
your crossbow is vital to achieve the best hunting accuracy and dependability
possible.
Arrow and Broadhead Selection
To begin to narrow your arrow and broadhead
options, review your crossbow owner`s manual for the manufacturer`s arrow
specification requirements like minimum finished arrow weight, maximum
fletching height profile and nock type.
Not following the manufacturer`s requirements may cause the
crossbow to become unsafe or malfunction.
Research your state`s hunting regulations to determine if
there are local guidelines that you must follow regarding minimum arrow length,
weight and broadhead types.
If you don`t already have a preference to shoot aluminum or
carbon shafts, research the pros and cons of both materials to decide what`s
best for you.
Only purchase broadheads that are specifically designed for
crossbows.
Shoot-tune your crossbow arrows after you purchase them and
always take practice shots with your broadheads to ensure accuracy in the
field.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Review your crossbow owner`s manual for the manufacturer`s
recommended cocking, loading and firing procedures.
Develop a shooting routine that you follow each time you
take a shot, and strictly adhere to this routine in all shooting situations.
Familiarize yourself with the correct method for cocking
your crossbow, then follow this method every time – this is critical to
achieving shooting consistency and accurate arrow groups.
Never load the arrow in a way that puts your hand or fingers
in the path of the bowstring.
Inspect your arrows after every shot for damage and loose
field points or broadheads.
Adopt a breathing control routine when taking the shot.
Follow-through after the shot by watching the arrow hit the
target through the scope.
