Thread: Crossbow tactics vs rabbits

Hi fellow hunters,

I have a crossbow (one which is probably overkill against small game) and I'm wondering if anyone has good advice and experience using crossbows in rabbit hunts. I've read this forum a bit and it seems like people who have firearms have it way easier when dealing with rabbits but it'll be very helpful to know some tactics for maximising a crossbow's potential during a rabbit hunt on farmland. Do you use bait to get the critters to come closer to you? How do you reload without breaking a high profile/silhouette (my bow's draw weight is high enough that even a string reloader is difficult)? Will a flashlight help spot the creatures before/just after 1st light (I am way too poor for night vision)? Anyone have a smaller crossbow that is more appropriate (mine's a pse fang) and is willing to trade?

Cheers for good advice.

you want those blunt headed heads with the spikes that "grab grass" is you miss.
fit a decent torch onto it and away you go

Red light torch set up, or a night vision add on to the scope will work. You may want to use cheaper bolts as you will end up breaking a few.

just remember xbows and air rifles are ruthless on scopes !

Observation. If it's your farm spend a week with binoculars observing where they are at the time of day you want to go shooting. Then find the best cover to approach from. If possible sit and shoot from a cover spot will prob work better than stalking.
Redlight works best. Green and white tend to make them skitty.
Camo/gilly will confuse them for a bit and I've knocked of few hare s trying to sort what I was and if I was dangour. Break up your outline.
If you have time to bait them in to a area, that may well work. I've never done it but have thought about it a few times.
Go hard looking for the rabbit holes/runs( hares don't have holes, they sleep in small shallows in the ground.)
If they run off keep an eye behind you. It seems to be they take a big wide circle and double back behind you quite often.
Pratice your shooting out to 50/60m. Open field hare shooting (air rifle) I've found that once they get onto you you will be lucky to get any closer than that.

To enhance your visibility at night, you can either equip a red light torch or attach a night vision device to your scope. It's advisable to opt for less expensive bolts since you might break a few during the process.

If you have to hunt at night with that, buy a laser beam light......Got it?