Best Crossbow for Squirrels

Introduction Archery-Best Crossbow for Squirrels

  • Archery is an old art of hunting that has been in practice for thousands of years. It uses a bow and arrow, where the bow consists of an elastic arc having a high-tensile bowstring attached to its ends. The Bowman or the archer uses a sharp pointed arrow that is held inside the bow. The arrow has got a notch at its back end where the bowstring comes in contact with an arrow; the arrow is then pulled backward storing the elastic energy in the arrow. When launched from this position the arrow gains a high velocity and can pierce the target with high accuracy.
  • Let’s shift our focus to the different types of bows that have evolved since their invention. We will take a closer look at the Crossbows that were invented in medieval times.
  • Traditional Bow (or Simple bow)
  • Recurve Bows
  • Takedown Bows
  • Yumi Bow or Japanese Bow
  • Reflex bows
  • Compound bow-used by professional archers in tournaments and for hunting.
  • Crossbow-A crossbow is a ranged weapon that can be shot from a distance. There is evidence that tells us about the use of crossbows in prehistoric China, somewhere around 700 BC by the Zhou Dynasty. A crossbow will get a piece of your attention immediately you see it. It looks more sophisticated than a traditional bow but uses the same principal for launching the “bolts”-an arrow used in a crossbow. The assembly consists of a “prod” mounted on a wooden or metal frame called “tiller”. A crossbow is held like a gun in your hand and can shoot bolts at 300+ FPS (feet per second) in the hands of a trained archer. When compared with the modern compound bows, then crossbow score close to compound bows and could be better than compound bows in some cases.

Compound bows vs Crossbow-Crossbow for Squirrels


A crossbow having a speed of 300 FPS can generate kinetic energy in the range of 82.50 foot-pounds, which is similar to the energy developed by a compound bow. A crossbow is capable of generating more kinetic energy than a compound bow but can be noisy at the same time. The only cons of using a crossbow are the higher draw weight in a crossbow which could range starting from 140 to 150 lbs, whereas the draw weight for a compound bow is in the range starting from 70 to 75 lbs. But unlike the compound bows, the crossbow doesn’t need much practice to aim and shoot with fair accuracy. Both have their advantages and disadvantages that we have discussed above and now the choice is up to you keeping in mind their pros and cons.


Let’s now find out the best crossbows available for hunting down squirrels. To pick up the best crossbow you need to check out the crossbow for the following features:

  • Arrow Speed
  • Draw Weight
  • Total Weight and
  • Dimensions


Best crossbow for squirrels

Excalibur Matrix 350SE Crossbow Dead-Zone Scope Package Mossy Oak Treestand Camo


This crossbow is power packed and is perfect for genuine hunters. The massive power and speed make it a serious choice for taking down your target totally. Because of its high speed and lethal ability, this one is not meant for use in tournaments or games. With a draw weight of 240lbs and a total weight of 5.4 lbs, this lethal weapon can generate a fiery speed of 350 FPS. At this speed, it penetrates the target with no mercy and has got an absolute accuracy. The ergonomics and design of the Excalibur Matrix 350 SE resemble that of a gun. This is a cheaper option for those who love hunting and comes with a scope mount and a dead zone scope.

  • Arrow Speed – 350 FPS
  • Draw Weight – 240 lbs
  • Total Weight – 5.4 lbs
Barnett Whitetail Hunter II Crossbow | Shoots 350 FPS | Includes 4×32 scope, rope cocking device, light weight quiver & two 20 inch Headhunter arrows


This crossbow is precisely meant for beginners and goes easy on your pocket. For providing choices to its customers, the crossbow comes in black, wooden and camouflage finish. It has a rope cocking device for easy cocking of your crossbow. Although not so lethal as Excalibur Matrix 350 SE, but is a good choice for amateurs.

•Draw weight – 150 lb

•Arrow Speed – 220+ FPS

•Scope – 4×20 scope

•Arrows – 7 arrows included

Excalibur Assassin Crossbow Package
  • It’s a strong built and high-performance crossbow. It comes with sound dampening system that makes it quieter but yet so powerful that it can take down big targets in a jiffy. Let’s have an overview of its stats. It can tame even the fiery compound bows.
  • •Arrow Speed – 360 FPS
  • •Power – 100 foot-pounds of kinetic energy
  • •Draw Weight – 285 lb
  • •Weight – 7.7 lb
  • •Dimension – Length 30”-33”
Tenpoint Shadow NXT Crossbow Package with Pro-View 2 Scope, Quiver, and Arrows and ACUdraw(CB18018-5822)

This crossbow comes with a mounted pro-view 2 scope, instant detach 3-arrow quiver and arrows. Having vital stats matching that of Excalibur Assassin and is quieter because of the inbuilt sound dampening system.
•Arrow Speed – 360 to 390 FPS
•Dimension (Length) – 32.2”
•Total weight – 7lbs
•Power – 125 to 128 foot-pounds kinetic energy

PSE Fang Series Crossbow! LT and XT

PSE Thrive 400 Crossbow Kryptek Highlander 175lbs 4×32 Illuminated Scope Package


This one is a great choice for people on a budget, as it costs less on your pocket. Let’s check out the specs of this crossbow. Because of its design of limb dampers, it is quiet and vibration free. Its simple design makes it an adequate choice for hunting. 2018 make comes with a new and improved trigger, scope and arrows.
•Arrow Speed – up to 330 to 350 FPS
•Draw Weight –165 to 145 lbs for LT and 165 lbs for XT
•Total Weight – 5.8 lbs for LT and 6.25 lbs for XT
•Power – a 97 foot-pounds of kinetic energy for LT and 109 foot-pounds of kinetic energy for XT
•Length – 32” for LT and 34” for XT


Conclusion

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Archery is a sport and a hunting practice. The professional archers go for either a compound bow or a crossbow depending on their requirements and handling feasibility. For your easy understanding, we have also compiled the difference between compound bows and crossbows. Crossbows have got massive draw weight as compared to compound bow but they don’t need much practice to take down bigger targets. We have further compiled a comprehensive list of best crossbow for squirrels. Arrow speed, draw weight, total weight and dimensions (length) are the few salient features on which you may differentiate between these crossbows. Now that you have the basic to advanced level knowledge about crossbows, you can choose the one that suits your needs and requirements at ease.