There is definitely an inherent danger with a crossbow that you don't have a bow and arrow for sure. I think similar to a shotgun a rifle you don't point the business end at anything you're not willing to kill. I'm glad you're OK and I hope everyone can take a lesson from your story. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Glad you're ok and God was definitely looking after you. I know that the manufacture stated that you can remove the bolt and still leave it cocked while moving (mounting or dismount a stand or riding, walking, etc) but I don't trust that. I've seen first hand what kind of damage the string alone can do. If I don't have a bolt with a field tip on it with me, I always have a "cub" (a "crossbow uncocking bolt"). They are biodegradable and can just be shot into the ground. You can never be to safe. Always be alert.
So glad, Mr. Aaron that you are recovering and that you were blessed to still be here to tell about it... However, before we "bash" the bow, the manufacturer, the salesman/company, we cannot leave out human error. Mr. Aaron was tired and not thinking properly... However, there may be other reasons how this happened. NOTHING mechanical is fool proof, and the proof, is the fool that thinks other wise. things break, malfunction, or for what ever reason, fail! I mean NO disrespect to Mr. Aaron in any way. Just pointing out that every time that accidents happen, we always want to find anything, other than our own human error, to blame it on...
When used safely and respected (like any weapon) crossbows are perfectly safe. I am sorry to hear that the OP suffered such a tragic injury, however, he admits to not unloading the weapon--for which his honesty is much appreciated. How many times has a loaded gun discharged and injured or killed someone who "thought the gun was unloaded"? This situation is no different. It was not the crossbow's fault. My son has been hunting (supervised) for 2 years with a crossbow and has killed 2 turkey's with it. He will hunt again with it this fall (supervised). I am as comfortable with him using the crossbow as I would be with any other weapon he was trained to use. Weapons are just that...weapons. They are used to inflict injury. Use caution and care and you should be fine, however, accidents do happen. Nothing in life is foul-proof. Again, I am so sorry for your injury. I feel bad that you hurt so badly and glad you use your experience to warn others to be vigilant when handling their crossbow.
Glad your OK. And thus is not directed at you because you admit it was human error. But the guys pilling on about crossbows being unsafe is absolutely ridiculous. It's a training and mindset issue, not a hardware issue. Reminds me of the guys who say that pistols are unsafe or any gun without a manual safety is too dangerous. Mechanical devices fail all the time, and if you use that as your failsafe your setting yourself up for disaster. Hell the lever guns with the half cock safety was thought to be unsafe, turns out it was the fudds that were unsafe and now we have and ugly cross bolt safety on an otherwise beautiful firearm.
Wise advice. A cocked crossbow is considered a "loaded weapon"--even without an arrow--in some states. Transporting a "loaded weapon" is a no-no. Always keep a discharge target in your vehicle or a "CUB".
I'd love to hear the specifics of exactly how that LOADED CB got in the position to essentially hit him in the head? Tired or not, that just shouldn't have happened.
I find it somewhat interesting that the OP doesn't explain EXACTLY how that horror story came to be. It's probably one of the most bizarre hunting stories I've ever heard!
