crossbow noise

[encore]

just wondering if there is a way to silence a x-bow a little,just got my first one this year due to a shoulder injury,i've got a barnett 400 avi, the limbs are covered with some type of rubber to make it not vibrate,any suggestions? it mostly seems to be coming from the spring steel clip that holds the bolt down.everything is tihgt on the bow,even put some silicone on the hold down.do they all make noise?----tom

[Bulls eye]

When I first got my Horton I was real concerned with the noise it made. Way louder than a compound. I bought a bunch of limb silencers and other stuff Horton makes to help with the noise, put it all on and it sounded loud as ever. I was hoping that at 350fps it would be too fast for the deer to jump the string. I have now killed 5 out of 5 deer I have shot with it, ranging from 12 to 35 yards and not one knew what hit them. By the time they react to the noise the bolt is through them and in the ground. My advice is do what you can to deaden the noise but dont worry about it because its shooting those bolts to fast for the deer to react in time. Good luck with it, after you shoot the first one you wont think about the noise anymore.

[Panman1949]

I agree.  30 yards and never knew what hit him.  He circled and looked to see what bit him.  Way louder than my compound, and just as fast and deadly.  Good luck with it, Panman

[Dave]

I have a Horton Black Hawk 200 pound cross bow. Shot a nice doe last week at a 35 yards. As stated above by the time she heard the noise the arrow was already through her. I've had this bow for 4 years and shot a lot of deer with it. The noise has never seamed to be a problem. If you listen real close when you pull the triger you can hear the sound of the cross bow going off and the thud of the arrow hitting your deer at just about at the same time! [:D]

[loneranger]

Hate to shoot a hole in this noise discussion, but I used to think this way too. My bow was way to fast to worry about deer jumping until this season. I have used a X-bow for almost 20 yrs now. Shot prob 50 deer with one.Thot was best weapon ever. Shot most deer 18 yrds or less. I have noticed some hits were a little off from where I was aiming. Definately some deer have moved a bit before hit, but never missed the body vitals,,till this yr. I had never shot a deer from this stand. It was same height as my other stands, 14 ft. But landscape drops sharply away from base of ladder, making me higher with a more extreme downward shooting angle. Was a perfect morning,,frosty,,quiet,,heard deer stepping behind me. Thot it sounded like a buck. Gave a call,,sounded like he was walking away,,then he was coming back,and right to my shot opening,,was a decnt buck and I was ready,,steady,,sights on chest,,fired. Heard hit,,but when I got down,,saw what you don't want to see,,white hair. Only blood was on vanes and was greay type. I went home waited 3 1/2 hrs. Went to track and jumped him. He took off across fields and over fences until I came to conclusion this deer was not going to die from this wound. I put target where he was and shot. Right on hit but noticed high angle. I am sure he jumped a bit before hit and with angle easy to shoot thru botom of deer. Week later another buck walked out same stand,this time 24 yrds away,not quite as sharp angle but more than used to. I moved a bit too fast, buck saw movement,,stopped,,looked. I made NO1# mistake,,never shoot at alert deer. I did,was right on vitals,,heard hit,,,got down,,as got down heard deer snort a ways off. That is not good for a deer to snort,,means not hit bad. Again white hairs on ground,,arrow bloodless. Another miss!! This buck had to be way ahead of my arrow,Just clipped belly hair. Moral of story: I lowered stand 4 feet,,much better angle,,and now I know deer can jump out of way of my crossbow. I have a 10pt Pro Fision. Fast bows shoot 300ft per sec,,,Deer can react 600ft per sec. From what I have read from other sites,,this can and will eventually happen to all. Was hard pill to swallow for me.

[Dave]

One of the great things..though not always great things about deer hunting is that you can't ever count on things always reacting the same. I've never had a deer jump my arrow..not to say the next one won't. Just one observation... I shot a very nice buck about 4 years ago..hit way to far back. Waited an hour..tracked him and he ran off never to be found. Did a lot of research. From what I have read and talking with a lot of hunters if you get a questionable hit on a deer you need to wait 6 to 8 hours before tracking! I KNOW thats a long time, espeacly if it is a big guy but if you don't wait you'll jump them and never find them> Good luck with the rest of the season.

[loneranger]

Thanks Dave,,If I hit one in eve,,most always wait it out over nite. Hate fumbling around in dark. I was spoiled. Except for one small doe yrs ago, never had a deer go more than 100 yrds,,and expire. I thot 3 1/2 hrs long enough. If I had waited 8 hrs would have been dark again as shot in morn. The way this deer was traveling,,not stumbling,,not bedding,,just walking,,I have great hopes was not a fatal wound. Low hit in chest. Obviously got no lung. I shot one in one lung once did not live long.

[charlie 01]

I take some yarn. Cut peices about 3 in. long. Tie about 10 or 12 pieces together one time in center. Seperate bow string 1/2 way between arrow ramp and wheel or bow tip, and stuff yarn into bow string, leaving 1/2 half sticking out each side, and same on other side of bow. When my friends and I practice, they comment on how quiet mine is. Some brands are noisier than others. I see some of the newer models have string stoppers, like they have for compounds. I think they offer some quieting effect. I wonder if anyone offers addon string stoppers for crossbows like they do for compounds. Anyone?