How long can you leave a crossbow cocked? This is a question that many crossbow hunters have. The answer, however, differs slightly from brand to brand and model to model. In most cases, you can leave a crossbow cocked for up to 12 hours without any problems. There are, however, a few exceptions.
And to be on the safe side, always check your crossbow manual. Contact their product support if there is no information about how long you can leave the crossbow cocked.
Contents (Jump to Topic)
ToggleTo make things easier for you, here’s what we found out about some of the most popular crossbow brands.
CenterPointArchery Crossbow
How long can I leave my CenterPointArchery Crossbow cocked?
“It is safe to keep your crossbow cocked while you are hunting in a stationary position. For personal safety reasons, do not stalk or walk to or from your hunting location with your CenterPoint Archery crossbow cocked. Do not keep your crossbow cocked for more than about 8 hours.”
Source: https://www.centerpointarchery.com/support/faq
Ravin Crossbows
How long can I leave my Ravin Crossbow cocked?
“It is safe to keep your crossbow cocked while you are hunting in a stationary position. For personal safety reasons, do not stalk or walk to or from your hunting location with your Ravin crossbow cocked. Do not keep your crossbow cocked for more than about 8 hours.”
Source: https://ravincrossbows.com/faq/
Excalibur Crossbows
How long can I leave my Excalibur Crossbow cocked?
I tried to find an answer in the FAQ section of the Excaliburs website. I couldn´t get an answer right away. But after some clicking through their knowledge base, I found this answer.
Mind you – it’s from 2014 – I created a new account and submitted the question again. I’ll update this page once I receive an answer.
Source: https://excaliburcrossbow.com/warranty/
TenPointArchery Crossbows
How long can I leave my TenPointArchery Crossbow cocked?
“Your crossbow has been designed to be cocked during an entire day of hunting without needing to discharge or de-cock it, however, we strongly recommend discharging or de-cocking the crossbow at the end of each day.”.
Source: https://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/faqs/is-it-safe-to-leave-my-crossbow-cocked-for-long-time-periods/
Barnett Crossbows
How long can I leave my Barnett Crossbow cocked?
“It is safe to keep your bow cocked while you are hunting in a stationary position. FOR PERSONAL SAFETY REASONS, DO NOT STALK OR WALK TO AND FROM YOUR STAND WITH YOUR BOW COCKED. We do recommend that if you break from your hunt that you let the bow down to the un-cocked position by shooting a target arrow into a safe backstop. It would be good practice to let the bow down every 4 hours relax it for about ½ hour. If ending your hunt without having taken a shot, it is recommended you keep a practice arrow at your camp to fire the crossbow safely into a target.”
Source: https://www.barnettcrossbows.com/faqs
read.. crossbow poundage for hunting
WickedRidge Crossbows by TenPoint
How long can I leave my WickedRidge Crossbow cocked?
WickedRidge redirects directly to TenPointArchery. So the advice is basically the same:
Do not leave your crossbow cocked for longer than a 24-hour period.
Source: https://www.wickedridgecrossbows.com/
Killer Instinct Crossbows
How long can I leave my Killer Instinct Crossbow cocked?
Source: https://shop.killerinstinctcrossbows.com/frequently-asked-questions/
PSE Archery Crossbows
How long can I leave my PSE Archery Crossbow cocked?
Source: https://psearchery.com/contact-pse/
I couldn´t find anything on their website. So I did send an email. I´ll post their answer here as soon as I receive it.
Mission Crossbows
How long can I leave my Mission Crossbow cocked?
Source: https://missioncrossbows.com/contact/
I couldn´t find anything on their website. So I did send an email. I´ll post their answer here as soon as I receive it.
Overview
Crossbow Brand | max duration to keep crossbow cocked |
Center Point Archery | max. 8 hours |
Ravin Crossbows | max. 8 hours |
Excalibur Crossbows | max. 12 hours |
TenPointsArchery Crossbows | max. 24 hours |
Barnett Crossbows | max. 4 hours |
Killer Instinct Crossbows | max. 24 hours |
PSE Archery Crossbows | waiting for feedback |
Mission Crossbows | waiting for feedback |
read.. How Does A Crossbow Arrow Compare To A Conventional Arrow