Crossbows are becoming more popular. In my home state of Pennsylvania, our Game Commission reported that 68% of the 2021 archery harvest came from a crossbow as opposed to a vertical bow. I’ve noticed the number of different options, quality and size of crossbows has improved dramatically since they became legal in Pennsylvania in 2009. I jumped over to the crossbow world in 2017 when shopping for a new bow. It’s safe to say that I am a crossbow convert.
In my pre-season checklist during late summer, I outlined a theory I was going to try this fall. Namely, I wanted to use a good fixed-blade broadhead for hunting bucks in the rut. I did not want to worry about taking odd-angled or farther shots and miss an opportunity or worse, wound a buck. The buck I killed this year was during the middle of the rut. He was quartering to me at 30 yards. I was 22 feet up a tree and he was on a trail that was about 8 feet lower than the base of my tree, so I was about 30 feet above him. This was exactly the type of situation I did not want to have to worry about when presented with a shot.
Amazingly enough, he was standing right in front of my trail camera when I shot, and I was able to see the impact site. I aimed above his shoulder to compensate for the steep angle (and, you know, avoid hitting his shoulder). I know the picture is a little grainy, but you can see it directly above his shoulder.
The result of this shot? A clean pass through and a dead deer 30 yards away from the shot site. The most noteworthy part of this, to me, is the clean pass through two ribs. Not between ribs, through ribs. One broadhead blade is a little bent, but is still sharp. The other two blades are undamaged and razor sharp.
I’m not saying this to brag, I’m saying this because I’ve either wounded and lost or had ridiculous track jobs in other situations. This is about you learning from my mistakes so you don’t make the same ones. I’ve become convinced that a clean pass through (assuming quality shot placement) is more important than wide cutting diameter with lesser penetration, particularly on a rutting buck.
Understand How Each Tool Does Its Job
Understanding the specifics of my weapon and how it kills my target animal is critical. I will kill an animal with whatever makes me the most effective hunter and gives me the highest chances of success. In archery, this means a crossbow, but being a ‘crossbow’ hunter is not my ultimate goal. My ultimate goals are to fill the freezer, kill a buck of my desired age class, and enjoy God’s creation.
In rifle season, I choose the weapon suited for my location I’m going to hunt. Most of my rifle hunting setups in Pennsylvania will not require a shot beyond 100 yards, so my trusty .243 goes with me in most instances as I’m confident out to 250 yards. If I’m hunting an open field with longer shots as I will do on occasion, I may use a .300 mag. Still-hunting or driving a bedding area? I’ll probably take my iron-sight 30-30 for close-quarters shots where a scope would be a hindrance instead of an advantage. Each is a tool with a specific purpose.
Shot placement is critical and I believe it is different depending on your weapon. The fundamental difference between a broadhead and a bullet is the way they affect a lethal shot on a deer. I had to learn that a broadhead’s main lethality comes from cutting vital organs and arteries. A bullet causes damage through its minimal cutting diameter, but its lethality comes more from the concussion and shrapnel of the impact. This is clear when you are gutting an archery-killed deer vs. a rifle killed deer. I can usually pinpoint exactly where and what the broadhead cut. Generally, a good rifle shot leaves an indistinguishable mess.
This sounds obvious, right? Broadheads cut and bullets concuss and throw shrapnel. Duh. It may be obvious, but once I understood these differences, it changed my shot placement and selection. Now, I do not ever aim my bow where I might hit a shoulder. I wait for the deer to take a step forward and expose the vital cavity, or aim above the shoulder when the angle is correct like the picture above. With a rifle, I’m less worried about hitting a shoulder (although I try not to). This is more to save a shoulder’s worth of meat vs. worrying about the lethality of the shot. If a broadside shot is presented using a rifle, I’ll take it.
Not a Real Archery Hunter
Once last thing that I think is important to address. Every once in a while I run across a vertical bow hunter who has a thing or two to say about crossbow hunting. They may not come right out and say it (although some will), but the general argument is always something about how crossbow hunters chose not to be a ‘real’ archery hunter. You can even hear it in their tone when they condescendingly refer to the ‘crossbow’ hunter who messed up their hunt. They basically equate crossbow hunters to an Elmer Fudd caricature in the archery woods.
I don’t usually argue with those who say (or imply) that crossbow hunters are somehow lesser hunters than vertical compound hunters. People who say that always have an argument that originates from a place of ego. What they’re ultimately saying is their identity is tied to their hunting prowess and they must identify as a better hunter than others. You can’t make a logical argument to someone’s ego. If you’re a crossbow hunter, don’t let it get to you. I just try to remember that my ego doesn’t fill my freezer or put antlers on the wall; my crossbow does.