Very quick season...But not for good reasons.
- Thread starter yoderjac
- Start date
Deadeye
Well-Known Member
Parker makes or did make excellent Bows and Crossbows. I think they now have closed.
Anyway my Brother was shooting his as practice when he smelt "something like smoke" and the next shot one of the limbs exploded. Shattered.
Took it to his archery guy and he told him Parker was closing and he didn't think he could get a limb replacement.
It happens sometimes.
Anyway my Brother was shooting his as practice when he smelt "something like smoke" and the next shot one of the limbs exploded. Shattered.
Took it to his archery guy and he told him Parker was closing and he didn't think he could get a limb replacement.
It happens sometimes.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
My first couple crossbows were from Parker. They were a local VA company. They were one of the crossbow companies that came to our Hunter Education Instructor Training when crossbows were first legalized for all hunters in VA. One of the other companies that came in was Excalibur. I'm not sure if Mission was around back then as a company.
At any rate, Parker was by far, the quietest crossbow of the companies that showed up to train us Hunter Ed instructors on crossbow safety. We shot all the crossbows at the range. The Excalibur sounded like a .22 when it was fired. One of the students asked about the noise and string-jumping. The Excalibur rep spouted the company line "Our crossbows are so fast a deer doesn't have time to jump the string". The class of hunter ed instructors broke out in laughter. He was kind of sheepish after that realizing that this crowd wasn't buying the sales BS.
I was happy with the several Parker bows I owned over the years. The Mission Sub One light was the first crossbow I found quieter than the Parker.
I bought one of the Parker crossbows for my nephew for a graduation present. The limb cracked on it during his first few shots at a target. I physically took it into the Parker factory. They replaced it for free of course, but also replaced the string and cables on my crossbow and my friends crossbow for free while I was there.
It was sad to see them go out of business.
At any rate, Parker was by far, the quietest crossbow of the companies that showed up to train us Hunter Ed instructors on crossbow safety. We shot all the crossbows at the range. The Excalibur sounded like a .22 when it was fired. One of the students asked about the noise and string-jumping. The Excalibur rep spouted the company line "Our crossbows are so fast a deer doesn't have time to jump the string". The class of hunter ed instructors broke out in laughter. He was kind of sheepish after that realizing that this crowd wasn't buying the sales BS.
I was happy with the several Parker bows I owned over the years. The Mission Sub One light was the first crossbow I found quieter than the Parker.
I bought one of the Parker crossbows for my nephew for a graduation present. The limb cracked on it during his first few shots at a target. I physically took it into the Parker factory. They replaced it for free of course, but also replaced the string and cables on my crossbow and my friends crossbow for free while I was there.
It was sad to see them go out of business.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
Yes, I had a friend with a Barnet t years ago and it was pretty loud but not as loud as the Excalibur. You are absolutely correct, you can quiet a crossbow to some extent. All of my Parker crossbows were quiet compared to others at the time and I always added other quieting devices like limb savers and such. However, crossbows have much shorter power strokes than vertical bows. Even with this quieting, I still had occasional string jumping issues with the Parker. My vertical Mathews Switchback eliminated string jumping from my compound bowhunting.
When I finally switched to the Mission Sub One Lite, I stopped seeing string jumping with my crossbow hunting. I haven't added any 3rd party quieting to it. It seems Mission has designed them with noise suppression from the get-go. It might not be quite as quiet as the Switchback, but it is close.
We are seeing more manufactures go with parallel limbs. I think this design also direct much of the noise to the sides rather than directly toward the targeted deer.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear that!Joining the season over club, unless I can borrow my brother's crossbow.(Wasn't going to start until Friday)
I think I figured out what happened. I might have been a little too close to the Labradar, and hit the tripod with the crossbow cam when firing. (Labradar and tripod are LIGHT) You can see the damage to the bottom of the cam. It's odd that the damage is on the bottom, not the side. Let this be a lesson to all to make sure your shooting area is CLEAR of any possible obstruction.Joining the season over club, unless I can borrow my brother's crossbow.
Attachments
Managed to borrow my brother's crossbow, but didn't see any bucks while on stand. No turkey's either. Did see two nice ones on Sunday. (Very limited Sunday hunting in PA)
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
Well, my archery season is now over. First year in a while, I haven't harvested anything. Between the crossbow failure and the fact they are logging our pine farm, I never even had an opportunity. I had one young buck in range but we don't shoot them at the farm. One evening I had 2 does come into the field I was hunting. They stayed just out of my shooting range.
Our muzzleloader season started this morning. I harvested a young 8-point at my retirement property. It is only 16 acres so young bucks are fair game there. In fact, I prefer to shoot a young buck over a doe there. It helps keep our population up and I get more meat for the same effort. So, I'll now be using the smokeless muzzleloader for the next couple weeks. At least I've got some meat for the freezer.
Our muzzleloader season started this morning. I harvested a young 8-point at my retirement property. It is only 16 acres so young bucks are fair game there. In fact, I prefer to shoot a young buck over a doe there. It helps keep our population up and I get more meat for the same effort. So, I'll now be using the smokeless muzzleloader for the next couple weeks. At least I've got some meat for the freezer.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
I just thought I'd provide an update on the Oracle X laser ranging scope on my Mission Sub-one lite. Before the season, I changed the battery and went to the range. I was spot on at 20 yards but about 3" low at 30 yard. 20 yards is the distance where you physically adjust the scope to sight it in. For longer yardages, the procedure to sight in involves adjusting the scope electronically, not physically.
That fact that it was spot on at 20 yards, clued me in that the scope had not been bumped or anything. The ballistic curve stored in the scope is in non-volatile memory, so removing and changing the battery should not be an issue.
So, I decided to sight it in again. For some reason instead of getting the normal MENU display when I held the up-arrow and fire buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, I got a CONFIG display. I could not get to the MENU display to adjust the ballistic curve. I tried calling Burris but, of course, they were closed the day I called. I sent them an online request. Early the following week, I got a response. Evidently there is some button combination that is not documented for users that puts the scope in CONFIG mode. They told me the only way to get out of CONFIG mode was to remove the battery.
One of the few complaints I have with the scope is the battery slot. It is very hard with my fat fingers to change the battery. I did follow their instructions and was able to get back to the MENU button. No matter what I did following the instructions, I could not seem to modify the ballistic curve. I was always 3" low at 30 yards. I ended up doing a RESET. After I did that, I was able to follow the instructions for sighting in and the ballistic curve adjusted properly. So, it is now good to go.
The moral of the story, is the with advances in technology come some risk. I'm glad I'm in the habit of going to the range and shooting before every season. I'd rather deer with problems there rather than wounding a deer.
Overall, I still like this laser ranging scope.
That fact that it was spot on at 20 yards, clued me in that the scope had not been bumped or anything. The ballistic curve stored in the scope is in non-volatile memory, so removing and changing the battery should not be an issue.
So, I decided to sight it in again. For some reason instead of getting the normal MENU display when I held the up-arrow and fire buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, I got a CONFIG display. I could not get to the MENU display to adjust the ballistic curve. I tried calling Burris but, of course, they were closed the day I called. I sent them an online request. Early the following week, I got a response. Evidently there is some button combination that is not documented for users that puts the scope in CONFIG mode. They told me the only way to get out of CONFIG mode was to remove the battery.
One of the few complaints I have with the scope is the battery slot. It is very hard with my fat fingers to change the battery. I did follow their instructions and was able to get back to the MENU button. No matter what I did following the instructions, I could not seem to modify the ballistic curve. I was always 3" low at 30 yards. I ended up doing a RESET. After I did that, I was able to follow the instructions for sighting in and the ballistic curve adjusted properly. So, it is now good to go.
The moral of the story, is the with advances in technology come some risk. I'm glad I'm in the habit of going to the range and shooting before every season. I'd rather deer with problems there rather than wounding a deer.
Overall, I still like this laser ranging scope.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
Not about the scope, but this thread is also about the crossbow, Mission Sub-one lite. My partner liked my Sub-one so much, a year or so later he told me he bought one for himself.
If you remember from my original post, I said the "arrow skipped off the window seal", or something to that effect. Now I don't know if that was a function of the cracking limb or if I simply did not account for the window seal. Unlike a firearm, the scope on a crossbow is well above the projectile. Unlike most crossbows, the Sub-one light is designed so you put your foot on the riser to cock it, not in a stirrup. This means the riser is further forward than most crossbows because there is no stirrup. If I put the riser outside the window, it attracts a lot of attention. So last winter, I decided to deal with this issue.
My crossbow has a picatinny rail on the bottom and a spot where a monopod can attach. I like the monopod in a treestand, but not in a blind. I ended up fabricating a short grip that attaches like the monopod. If I fold it forward and set it on the window seal (a 2x4), I'm pretty certain the arrow can't hit the seal. I used it this season so far. It works, but it could be better.
Back to my partner...A couple weeks ago, he took a spill and broke the plastic butt portion of he stock. I don't use the butt portion of the stock. Instead, when I first got it, I removed the butt plate and extended the stock straight back and covered it with foam. I rest it on top of my shoulder rather than pulling it into the front of my shoulder like a firearm. Since there is no recoil with a crossbow you don't need the bracing behind the butt that your shoulder provides like you do with a firearm. I find gravity helps as the weight of my right arm holding the pistol grip stabilizes the rear better than using the butt. So, I gave him my butt stock.
I was shocked when he brought out his crossbow to install it. It had a stirrup! I had no idea they made them for the Sub-One since they did not make them when I bought mine. Evidently the design of stepping on the riser helps shorter folks cock the crossbow easier. I'm plenty tall. I got to thinking after that, that a stirrup would completely solve my window seal issue. So, I ordered one from Mission. It is supposed to arrive on Wednesday.
I'll probably have to redesign the carrier on my ebike given that my current configuration has the riser right up against my butt, but I'm sure I can work that out. I hope to get it installed on Wednesday and hunt Thursday evening with it. Here is a picture of how it attached to the bow:
Mine has rubber bumpers on each side where the stirrup attaches.
If you remember from my original post, I said the "arrow skipped off the window seal", or something to that effect. Now I don't know if that was a function of the cracking limb or if I simply did not account for the window seal. Unlike a firearm, the scope on a crossbow is well above the projectile. Unlike most crossbows, the Sub-one light is designed so you put your foot on the riser to cock it, not in a stirrup. This means the riser is further forward than most crossbows because there is no stirrup. If I put the riser outside the window, it attracts a lot of attention. So last winter, I decided to deal with this issue.
My crossbow has a picatinny rail on the bottom and a spot where a monopod can attach. I like the monopod in a treestand, but not in a blind. I ended up fabricating a short grip that attaches like the monopod. If I fold it forward and set it on the window seal (a 2x4), I'm pretty certain the arrow can't hit the seal. I used it this season so far. It works, but it could be better.
Back to my partner...A couple weeks ago, he took a spill and broke the plastic butt portion of he stock. I don't use the butt portion of the stock. Instead, when I first got it, I removed the butt plate and extended the stock straight back and covered it with foam. I rest it on top of my shoulder rather than pulling it into the front of my shoulder like a firearm. Since there is no recoil with a crossbow you don't need the bracing behind the butt that your shoulder provides like you do with a firearm. I find gravity helps as the weight of my right arm holding the pistol grip stabilizes the rear better than using the butt. So, I gave him my butt stock.
I was shocked when he brought out his crossbow to install it. It had a stirrup! I had no idea they made them for the Sub-One since they did not make them when I bought mine. Evidently the design of stepping on the riser helps shorter folks cock the crossbow easier. I'm plenty tall. I got to thinking after that, that a stirrup would completely solve my window seal issue. So, I ordered one from Mission. It is supposed to arrive on Wednesday.
I'll probably have to redesign the carrier on my ebike given that my current configuration has the riser right up against my butt, but I'm sure I can work that out. I hope to get it installed on Wednesday and hunt Thursday evening with it. Here is a picture of how it attached to the bow:
Mine has rubber bumpers on each side where the stirrup attaches.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
Yes they did. There were located in VA and I visited the plant and chatted with the engineers there at one point before they closed.
jsasker007
Active Member
Looks like it would make a big difference in how far you have to bend down and looks like it must be much easier to cock it now? I didn't read everything in this thread so maybe I already missed it but can you crank it down to remove the bolt vs the older style crossbows where you had to shoot the bolt to unload after hunting.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
I doubt it will be easer to to cock. The reason the give for not putting a stirrup on it by default is that it easier to cock because most of the weight occurs where you are the strongest when you step on the riser. I'm tall enough and big enough that I doubt I'll have a problem. I hope to find out tomorrow.
As for decocking, it has a very nice decocking feature. I could describe it but their video makes it more clear than I could describe:
Decocking Mission Sub-One
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
I installed the stirrup and adjusted to rack on my ebike to accommodate it. I didn't notice much difference cocking it, but I'm pretty tall. Here it is:
I had hoped to hunt with it tonight, but my knee is not going to let me. I've got it on ice now. Maybe tomorrow. I'm sure I could have made it to a blind today, but I never could have dragged a deer with this knee today.
I had hoped to hunt with it tonight, but my knee is not going to let me. I've got it on ice now. Maybe tomorrow. I'm sure I could have made it to a blind today, but I never could have dragged a deer with this knee today.
jsasker007
Active Member
I use to have a brace that helped me quite a bit when I was active. It was just a kind of rubber on one side and a mesh type fabric on the other side. Helped with support some but created some heat also which helped a lot with circulation and made a world of difference. Don't know the extent of your knee problems but that style "brace" sure helped me do this that I doubt I could have done without problems otherwise.
jsasker007
Active Member
It was like a section of a wet suit they use for scuba diving.
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
My knee is shot. I'm just trying to make it to the end of the year when I retire to do the replacement. I've got a misshapen ankle that causes me to put more pressure on the inside (medial) meniscus. Years of sports have worn that side out. I've had a number of meniscus tears over the years as well. I have a number of braces. I have an unusual brace that is hard metal on the outside and plastic mesh elsewhere. It pushes my knee inward to put more pressure on the outside of the meniscus. I also have a brace with hinges on both sides and an inflatable section that holds the patella in place. I used that one for pickleball. I have a neoprene brace with elastic straps too.
Since I did the stupid "jump off a loading deck" and reinjured it, none of those braces helped much. I ended up getting a cheap patella tendon strap. That relieves a lot of pain when I'm walking around, but stairs and uneven ground are still a challenge. I thought it was improving, but I must have slept on it wrong last night. When I woke up this morning, I could hardly walk. No way I could drag out a deer the way it is today.
I found an even more satisfying activity this afternoon. I got a call from a neighbor boy yesterday morning. He had shot his first deer with a bow and could not find it. Unfortunately I was 80 miles away and had to work this morning. I drove down to the farm and installed the stirrup and then headed to the retirement property. I met with the neighbor boy. We went out and reenacted his shot and trailing from yesterday. Of course there was no real blood trail left and I knew we would not recover the deer. I just hobbled around with him and asked him questions and gave him pointers for next time. With the temperatures here, even if we had found it I knew the meat would be tainted. From his description, it sounds like it was a slight quartering toward shot (although he thought it was broadside) and he likely hit the liver and then had an exit through the paunch. He then only waited an hour before trailing it. He likely bumped it. It was more enjoyable to pass on tips and such to a youngster than for me to hunt anyway.
