Crossbow guides that explain the why
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Planet Crossbow explains how crossbows work and how to choose, set up, shoot and care for one. Our guides are written from manufacturer manuals, published archery references and established hunting-education material - we say where guidance comes from, we don't invent specs, and we don't pretend to have tested gear we haven't. Ready to compare models? See hunting crossbows on Amazon.
Crossbows for Disabled Hunters: How to Choose One for Your Needs
How to pick a crossbow that fits your disability: built-in cranks that also de-cock, mounts and rests for wheelchair and one-arm shooting, safeties and triggers for weak grip or arthritis, and lit scopes or laser sights (where legal) for low vision - plus groups that help you try before you buy.
Crossbow Shot Placement on Deer: Broadside, Quartering and Tree Stand Angles
Where to aim on a deer with a crossbow - broadside, quartering away and quartering toward - why to skip head, neck and gut shots, how tree stand angles change your aim, and what to do after the shot.
Crossbow Center Serving Separating or Fraying: What It Means and What to Do
What the center serving on a crossbow string does, why it separates or frays, which signs mean "re-serve it" and which mean "replace the string and cables before you shoot again", and how to make serving last longer.
Calibrating a Crossbow Speed-Dial Scope When Your Bolts Don't Match the Box Speed
Your crossbow's box speed isn't your real speed - so a speed-dial scope set to the box number can hit high or low at 30 and 40 yards. How to find your real speed, zero the top reticle, and fine-tune the speed dial so every aiming point matches.
Getting Ready for Spring Turkey With a Crossbow: Shot Placement, Broadheads and Blind Setup
Use the off-season to get ready for spring turkey with a crossbow: check it's legal, learn the small vital zone for each pose, choose broadheads, set up a blind and decoys, and practice at turkey ranges.
Why Is My Crossbow So Loud? String Suppressors, Limb Dampeners and Bolt Weight
Why crossbows are loud, why it matters (deer can react before the bolt arrives), and what actually quiets one: heavier bolts within your maker's spec, string and limb dampeners, and a few small habits.
Crossbow Hunting With a Disability or Limited Strength: Cocking Aids, Rests and Permits
How hunters with a disability, an injury or limited strength can keep hunting with a crossbow: crank cocking, rests and mounts, adaptive triggers, accessible blinds - and the disability crossbow permits many states offer.
Crossbows for Small-Framed and Youth Hunters: Weight, Length of Pull and Cocking Effort
How to fit a crossbow to a smaller adult or a young hunter: length of pull, weight and balance, cocking effort, trigger reach and scope position - plus the legal and safety checks that come first.
Shooting a Crossbow From a Ground Blind: Window Height, Limb Clearance and Sitting Posture
Why crossbow bolts sometimes hit the blind window even when your scope sees the deer, how much room the limbs need, and how to set up your chair, rest and windows so every shot goes clean.
Crossbows for Left-Handed Shooters: Safeties, Cocking Handles and Scope Knobs
Yes, lefties can shoot almost any crossbow. What to check before you buy - the safety, the cocking crank, cheek piece, scope knobs and quiver side - plus eye dominance and a left-hand safety kit that exists for some models.
How Long Can You Leave a Crossbow Cocked? What the Manufacturers Say
How long a crossbow can safely stay cocked, straight from TenPoint, Ravin and Barnett: hours, not days. Why it matters, the walking-while-cocked rule, and how to unload at the end of a sit.
Buying a Crossbow on Black Friday or Cyber Monday: A Practical Checklist
How to buy a crossbow during Black Friday and Cyber Monday without regrets: decide on the right crossbow first, compare package contents, read listings properly, register the warranty and plan setup time.
Crossbow Gift Ideas: What to Buy a Crossbow Hunter (and What to Check First)
Practical gift ideas for crossbow hunters: gifts that fit any crossbow, gifts that must match their model (bolts, broadheads, cranks, scopes), buying a first crossbow as a gift, and holiday shopping tips.
Crossbow Maintenance: Waxing, Rail Lube, Inspection and Storage
Keep a crossbow safe and accurate: string and cable wax, rail lube, inspection checklist, when to replace strings, why never to dry-fire, storage and when to see a pro shop.
Crossbow Bolts and Broadheads: Length, Weight, Nocks and Heads
How to choose crossbow bolts and broadheads safely: manufacturer length and weight minimums, nock types, carbon vs aluminum, straightness, fletching, fixed vs mechanical heads, 100 vs 125 grain.
Crossbow vs Compound Bow: Which Is Right for You?
An honest comparison of crossbows and compound bows: learning curve, accuracy, effective range, weight, noise, cost, maintenance and hunting-season rules.
How to Sight In a Crossbow Scope (20, 30 and 40 Yards)
Step-by-step: sighting in a multi-reticle or speed-dial crossbow scope at 20, 30 and 40 yards, adjusting the turrets, and checking broadhead flight - safely.
Crossbow Draw Weight, FPS and Kinetic Energy Explained
How draw weight, power stroke, bolt weight, speed, kinetic energy and momentum relate - with the formulas, worked examples and the commonly used energy-by-game rule of thumb.
How to Choose a Crossbow: A Complete Buying Guide
What actually matters when you buy a crossbow: limb design, draw weight, speed and energy, weight and width, cocking, triggers, scopes, packages and budget.