Whatever your budget happens to afford, if you are looking for a hunting weapon these 3 recurve crossbows will suit your needs.

Primitive means first not worst. I was told this phrase a long time ago and it has stuck with me ever since. This byte of information is often lost on our modern society as we are always trying to keep up with the latest and greatest in everything. As soon as a new model of something hits the shelves, we collectively toss away the old and spend our money on "the best." Realizing the truth in this saying can ring especially important in archery. Depending on your opinions regarding the authenticity of historical dating practices, people have been hunting on this planet for about the past 200,000 years. That is a long time. For the majority of that time people were hucking spears with sharpened stone at animals. Eventually the bow and arrow was created. For tens of thousands of years hunter gatherers lived comfortably on the table fare a simple bow and arrow provided. Today some people scoff at the thought of using a traditional bow and arrow to hunt. They believe these weapons have seen their day and should be tossed out with the bath water. If you happen to disagree and enjoy staying traditional, check out these 3 recurve crossbows that can bring home the bacon at deer camp.

EXCALIBUR MICRO 355

[caption id="attachment_6447" align="alignright" width="181"] Excalibur Micro 355[/caption] The Excalibur Micro 355 is a fantastic recurve crossbow. Not only is it made by one of the top crossbow producers, but it has the performance to give you confidence in the field. As its name indicates, it can shoot arrows downrange at 355 feet per second, closing the gap between you and your prey lightening quick. One reason the Micro 355 would serve as a good hunting crossbow is due to its toughness. If you've not seen the Excalibur crossbow test, I'd recommend you take a look. The pounding this crossbow takes is incredible, and it keeps on ticking.

EXCALIBUR VIXEN II

[caption id="attachment_6449" align="alignleft" width="173"] Excalibur Vixen II[/caption] Not surprisingly another Excalibur recurve crossbow finds its way to the list. The Excalibur Vixen II is a good option if the Micro 355 is a bit out of your price range. The Vixen is a bow designed for smaller framed shooters, especially women and adolescents. While the design is smaller, it still has enough performance to serve as a useful hunting tool. Arrow speeds of 285 feet per second may seem slow when you talk about crossbows these days, but the truth is that if you enjoy traditional archery you realize 285 is more than enough for the job. Another added benefit is the light 150 pound draw weight. This draw weight is lighter than most high performance compound crossbows on the market today and is very light when you start talking recurve crossbows. If you a looking for a big crossbow in a little package, the Vixen is worth a look.

JAGUAR II

[caption id="attachment_6448" align="alignright" width="179"] Jaguar II[/caption] The final recurve crossbow to find its way on this top three list is the Jaguar II. Although the Jaguar II is the slowest crossbow on this list, with arrow speeds of 260 feet per second, it still produces a killing 60 pounds of kinetic energy upon impact. This may not be enough power to efficiently take down the largest game animals in North America, but should serve you fine in the whitetail woods or hunts of similar size creatures. One top benefit of the Jaguar II is the price tag. Retailing for only $169.99 with a quiver, arrows, and scope, the cost is hard to beat. If you are interested in traditional archery and a recurve crossbow sounds appealing, take a peek at these three hunting crossbows.The one thing to remember when you enter the world of traditional archery, whether it is with a vertical bow or crossbow, is that traditional archery is just different than modern archery. Arrow speeds are slower so you must be closer to your quarry to take the shot. Using traditional archery really is a commitment to the idea that you will become a better hunter, rather than buying better equipment. I personally shoot a modern compound and a traditional longbow. On the days I choose to tote the trad bow into the field, that is just the decision I am making.

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NEXT: THE EXCALIBUR DESTRUCTION CHALLENGE; WILL THE EXCALIBUR MICRO 355 STILL WORK AFTER A TRUCK DRIVES OVER IT?