If you are planning to head into the woods this spring in pursuit of a wild turkey and you have not yet decided what to carry, you should consider taking your crossbow with you on the hunt. Modern hunting crossbows offer several advantages over traditional turkey hunting shotguns, and you should not overlook your crossbow when deciding which is the best to use. Here are four reasons why you should consider carrying your hunting crossbow during spring turkey season.
1. Crossbows are light and ultra-compact.
Over the past several years, crossbows have become lighter, narrower, and much more compact, making them easier to hunt with and transport in and out of the woods. The overall weight of a modern light crossbow averages around 7.5 pounds, which is equivalent to the average weight of most shotguns used for turkey hunting, so carrying a light crossbow will not wear you out. These days, most crossbows have extremely narrow bow assemblies, with some as narrow as only 6 inches wide when cocked. This narrowness means that you can move through the woods with the stealth essential for turkey hunting and that you can set up to hunt in a tight space, like in a ground blind or a narrow opening in thick brush. Hunting crossbows are also shorter overall, with some measuring just 26 inches long, making it even easier to hunt from the perfect secluded spot.
2. Crossbows offer a quieter alternative to shotguns.
Anyone who hunts wild turkeys with a shotgun knows that you need to make a good first shot when you pull the trigger, because your chances of getting a second shot are quite slim after the loud sound of the shotgun blast. If you have multiple birds around you and your shot misses the one you have chosen, the group will quickly scatter after hearing the boom of your shotgun. Most crossbows, however, are engineered to be quiet during the shot or can be accessorized with sound and string dampeners that significantly reduce overall crossbow noise. If your first shot misses, chances are high that it will not spook your bird, and, as long as you are not seen, silent crossbow cocking devices give you the opportunity to cock your crossbow so you can take a second shot.
3. Crossbows shoot arrows faster and hit with more force than ever before.
Most crossbows shoot at speeds in excess of 350 feet-per-second (fps), and the fastest crossbows shoot well over the 400 fps mark. When your crossbow shoots faster, your arrow’s trajectory is flatter, which reduces the chances that you will wound or miss the turkey if your shot is not perfectly placed. Fast-shooting crossbows also help to reduce the chance that the animal will “jump the string” and move before the arrow arrives. Because of the direct relationship between crossbow bolt speed and kinetic energy, a bolt that travels faster also carries a greater amount of kinetic energy. For example, a crossbow that shoots a 400-grain hunting arrow at 460 fps generates a devastating 188 foot-pounds of bone-crushing kinetic energy. This high level of kinetic energy means that the arrow will still carry deadly force at longer distances downfield, so you can take shots that reach out to 50 yards without worrying about having enough energy left in the crossbow arrow to inflict a mortal wound.
4. Crossbows are highly accurate and effective hunting tools.
When hunting any animal, proper shot placement can mean the difference between wounding and losing the animal or delivering a killing blow. Shot placement is especially important when hunting wild turkeys since the area you need to hit is only about the size of a softball. Improvements over the past several years in crossbow scopes, crossbow bolts and crossbow broadheads mean that shooting 1-inch groups at 50 yards is now a reality for modern hunting crossbows. The recent introduction of crossbow rangefinder scope technology provides exact aiming at any distance, as the shooter no longer must use multiple aim points and “gap shoot” if the animal is between dots or lines. Some crossbow companies now spine- and weight-match their crossbow bolts, and some have even developed the best crossbow broadheads to help you achieve success. With this level of accuracy, crossbows are now well-fitted to be one of your most effective tools for hunting a wild turkey.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: WICKED RIDGE NXT400
An ultra-narrow 6-inches wide, the NXT 400 is designed by hunting crossbow leader TenPoint and unleashes devastating speeds at 400 feet-per-second with jaw-dropping kinetic-energy, and match-grade downrange accuracy. At 400 feet-per-second with a 400-grain arrow, the NXT 400 is the best hunting crossbow TenPoint has ever made under the Wicked Ridge name.
American Built by American Workers, the NXT 400 provides a combination of width, speed, accuracy, and built-in ACUdraw cocking device that is unrivaled at its unbeatable price.
- Pre-sighted at 20-yards
- Easy 1-bolt Assembly
- Ready-to-Hunt Package
Crossbow Hunting Package Includes:
- Optics: TenPoint’s 3x Pro-View Scope
- Cocking Device: ACUdraw
- Quiver: 3-Arrow Instant Detach Quiver
- Crossbow Arrows: Three Pro Elite 400 carbon arrows with practice points
