Leaving it cocked?

[Star1pup]

The only way I know to decock my Horton is to shoot it into a target.  This is not always feasible after a day in the field and returning home.  Do you guys decock at the end of each day?

[Jal5]

Yes either as soon as I leave the stand or near the truck I shoot an old arrow field point into the dirt.

[rickyp]

you need to always decock your bow at the end of the hunt if for nothing else if the string should be cut at full draw you will do treble things to the bow. few more reasons Some places consider the bow loaded if it is cocked, a cocked bow puts a lot of stress on the limbs and leaving it in that state is not what theya re made for and it will eventually damage them.

I have an old arrow with me all the time when I come in from hunting I shoot in to a dirt bank near where I park or you can get a bunch of blunt points and "stump shoot" on the way out it is fun and good way of learning distance and how to hold your bow off hand.

[Star1pup]

Thanks for the good advice.  What I have been doing is shooting a broadhead into a foam target as soon as I get home.  This is the same as the broadheads I use so I get the opportunity to make sure nothing has gotten changed.  I was just wondering if I really needed to do that as in Ohio as long as there is no bolt on the rails, it's considered unloaded.  It's the same as not having a cap on a muzzleloader.  Guess I'd better keep doing the same thing I've been doing.  Now if I could just get a shot at a deer, all of this would be for nothing. 

[opossum]

Get a rope cocker for your crossbow.At the end of your hunt remove the bolt  attach the cocker and pull up on the one handle with your left hand.Release the safety and pull the trigger and ease the string down with the cocker.You make no noise and you don't have to retrieve your arrow.

[Old English]

I do the same thing with the rope cocker. However.......take the bolt out first, I still shudder when I remember the time I just stopped myself from pinning my foot to the ground. I was half a second from doing that, beware!!

[rickyp]

the rope cocker is an option but not a good one
if you should slip or the rope break you will dry fire your bow as was said if you leave an ARROW in it by mistake you will put it trough your foot.
That is a lot of energy you are releasing and if a accadent happens all sorts of things can happen.

I have a good Job because of accidents happening- BTW I am a fire fightet / heavy rescut tech

[Jal5]

Just shoot the old arrow as soon as you get down out of the stand or stump shoot it on your way out of the woods. I wouldn't take any chances with it and its not a big deal. Whatever little noise you make shooting that arrow into the dirt is no different than the noise you would make if you shot a deer! The only trouble I had once with this was a late Jan. hunt here in Ohio when everything was frozen solid. I shattered that old aluminumn arrow as I fired it into the ground!

[Star1pup]

Just shoot the old arrow as soon as you get down out of the stand or stump shoot it on your way out of the woods. I wouldn't take any chances with it and its not a big deal. Whatever little noise you make shooting that arrow into the dirt is no different than the noise you would make if you shot a deer! The only trouble I had once with this was a late Jan. hunt here in Ohio when everything was frozen solid. I shattered that old aluminumn arrow as I fired it into the ground!

So you recommend that I don't even carry the crossbow home in my truck and then shoot it at home into a target?  Even if I hunt late I can turn on a light at home and by using the target I never lose an arrow.  I hunt about 7 miles from home so it would not be cocked for long.

[rickyp]

you can if you want to take a chance of something happening to the string  while it is in the back of the truck, even in the back seat of my truck I have stuff sliding around and anything could catch the string and with all the tension on it, it would be a lot easer to cut  and that is a lot of energy stored in the limbs.

You can put your target in the back of your truck and carry it with you hunting. then use the truck headlights to light up the target.     
Just remember it is your bow you can do with it as you wish.                                 

[Star1pup]

you can if you want to take a chance of something happening to the string  while it is in the back of the truck, even in the back seat of my truck I have stuff sliding around and anything could catch the string and with all the tension on it, it would be a lot easer to cut  and that is a lot of energy stored in the limbs.

You can put your target in the back of your truck and carry it with you hunting. then use the truck headlights to light up the target.     
Just remember it is your bow you can do with it as you wish.                                 

Good advice.  I'll stick the target in the truck.  I sure don't want to buy a new bow with the economy in the toilet.