One of the fasted growing areas in the hunting industry in the past ten years has been using crossbows.

In New York, it took a few years before it was legal to use them as a hunting implement. I remember working at a sporting goods store when it was announced that they would be legal for use and the training we all had to go through to learn about them.

Now years later, crossbows are still popular sellers. The technology has changed drastically as it has in all of archery so hunters who bought early model crossbows are upgrading, hunters who kept with compound bows are getting older and can’t draw their bows anymore, and the ease of use is helpful for getting youth started into hunting.

Last year the NYSDEC had to change their stance on use of unmodified crossbows by those physically unable to draw a compound bow under as a Reasonable Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Now those wishing for the Reasonable Accommodation can go onto the NYSDEC website to find the instructions and the form.

You MUST have a physician fill out part of the form. So whether you are looking to get a crossbow to try something new or to replace your compound bow due to physical issues, here are some things to consider before going out and buying one.

Know what is legal. Unfortunately, New York has some restrictions on what crossbows are legal to use for hunting. It is 100% legal for a store to sell any crossbow and it is legal for you to buy any crossbow. However, you must follow the regulations of the state where you are hunting. In New York, you may only use a crossbow with a draw weight of 100 to 200 pounds. The width of the outermost part of the limbs must be 17 inches or greater and the overall length of the crossbow must be 24 inches from butt stock to front of limbs. If you hunt multiple states, do some research into what is legal to use in each state. You could buy multiple crossbows to use in each state or buy one that covers all the states.

Ask important questions. It is easy to find out a crossbow’s draw weight or how fast it shoots as every manufacturer puts it on their website and usually on a tag on the crossbow itself. The questions you should ask include the warranty, how long is it, how does it work if something goes wrong, can the store you are buying from do warranty work? It may seem silly, but problems don’t ever arise until it’s under a week from the first day you can hunt with it. The most common problem with crossbows is the strings and cable wear out faster than on compound bows. So, ask if the shop keeps extras on hand in. If you need to, ask to order a set so you have a back-up set just in case.

Test them out. You shouldn’t buy a car without taking a test drive and you shouldn’t buy a crossbow without test firing it (or a few). Due to the variety of setups available, each crossbow will feel differently when you hold it. Find the crossbow that fits you and is comfortable. Hold the bow with and without the quiver on it, as the weight does make a difference. Make sure you know how to cock the crossbow whether it’s using a cocking rope or a crank device before you leave the store.

Be ready to invest. In addition to the crossbow, you are going to need to purchase a few other things to be ready to hunt. As already mentioned, strings and cables wear quicker on crossbows so it is important to use string wax and rail lubricant to help them last longer. Due to the speeds that many crossbows shoot at, you might need to upgrade your target at home to be able to stop the bolts. To make it easier to see where the bolts hit, lighted nocks are the way to go. The key is to match the nock type to that recommended by the manufacturer or you may void the warranty. Broadheads designed specifically for crossbows are made to handle the impact with tough bones and hides at high speeds. Understand that you will need these in addition to the crossbow when deciding your price limit. Plan to spend about $75-150 depending on exactly what you need.

Practice. Crossbows are easy to shoot sight in when you have a good rest. Not all hunting situations allow you to use a rest so be prepared. Practice off-hand shots from both sitting and standing positions. If your scope has a drop-compensating reticle, make sure you test it to know exactly what each aiming point is. A rough guide is the main crosshair will be 20 yards with 10-yard increments after that. My crossbow has 4 aiming points and they are 20, 30, 42, and 55 yards when using my setup. Practice using the same setup as you hunt with. Most broadhead companies send a practice head now so you can use that without worrying about ripping up your target or ruining a $15 broadhead.

So if you are thinking of getting into the market for a crossbow, consider what you have read and you will have a great foundation to build upon once you go to a retail store.