Types of crossbow

Three designs dominate, and the trade-offs between them are mechanical rather than a matter of taste.

Recurve

Simple limbs, no cams, no cables. Strings can often be changed in the field and there is little to go out of time. The cost is width and a heavier draw for the same energy.

Compound

Cams and cables store more energy in a narrower package, which matters in a tree stand or a blind. In exchange the system must stay in time, and string or cable replacement usually means a press and a shop.

Reverse draw

The limbs face forward, moving the riser back and lengthening the power stroke without lengthening the bow. These tend to balance well and shoot quietly, and they are usually the most expensive of the three.

• ChoosingWhat to check before buying a crossbow: cocking method, trigger, weight, scope and the total cost beyond the bow itself.
• Bolts & broadheadsBolt length, spine and weight, nock types, and how field points and broadheads differ in flight.
• SafetyHandling rules, string and rail maintenance, and where to check Canadian and provincial regulations on crossbow ownership and hunting.
• AboutAn independent reference on crossbows and crossbow equipment.