The Worst Crossbow Mistake - Don't Let This Happen To You 

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just picked up my first crossbow and i'm glad i watched this, thanks man.

One other very important safety tip is to roll your bolts, every time along a smooth, flat surface and watching for a "belly" or bend. Loading bent bolts could very well lead to a wild shot, or worse, the bolt flies off the rail before passing your stir-up. Please be careful bow enthusiasts and safe shooting.

Just bought my first crossbow today a Wildcat C6. Thank you 🙏 so much for those safety tips! Keep up the good work!

Great point, it's common sense but to a new hunter or first time crossbow user, it's important to emphasize.

Thank you for making this safety video and explaining how to properly load the bolt!

The 🔺️ of danger is never to be underestimated on crossbows. The string snaps forward with enough force to sever just about anything placed in its path.

Great video sir, very important information. Got my Barnett recurve 2 years ago. It's lethal, 2 last year just learning and getting the right broadheads finally, 2 already this year. One of my 1st time shots in the stand, got so nervous I didn't pay attention to how I was holding it and caught edge of my hand, threw off the shot and hurt like heck. I was lucky, could have been much worse. I'm very careful now at all times with it.

Thanks for making this video. Ive been shooting guns and rifles for years and now getting into crossbows. I would've never thought about NOT putting my hand there when loading a bolt

And now I know I've been loading my arrows wrong.. thanks for informing me how to be safer when I'm simply just having fun shooting!

Thanks for the great video! Also something that people need to remember is that when it fires that string will come forward of that triangle so we need to keep our fingers out in front of the limbs too. Thanks again!

Thanks for the advice. I am a rifle/shotgun hunter. considering buying my 1st xbow. I hadn't even thought of that triangle danger area. The advice provided in this video, you possibly saved me from some potentially severe injuries!

Sometimes the no-brainer precautions are forgotten...thanks for the info and reminder!

I like that he has so much pride, even the K is too bold to be silent. Great vid btw

Came to this video thinking i knew it all but you got me with that bolt placing technique. Thank you.

Thank you !!! Great video !!! I am new owner of a crossbow and haven't shot it yet and had no idea of any of this. Thank you for posting this.

Thank you...I’m new at this and needed that. I have a friend who had to have surgery from holding it with his fingers too high. It was before the wide lip or the hand hold below the rail. It was only the small narrow rail which inadvertently you’d put your fingers in harms way. It now has a handle attached to it that swings down that is one used on rails on AR rifles. It folds out of the way.

Awesome video. I have a PSE Fang they did a good job making the bow safe. It’s almost impossible to shoot it accidentally I do wish they had made it easer to uncork but once you learn how it pretty simple with a pull string. Mine has a hand protecter that keeps you fingers under the rail too.

From Illinois picked up a Barnett XP 400. I’m So excited and while some knuckle heads may think this is common knowledge or can just be read in the manual.. sometimes hearing it makes it click because being complacent can get you hurt.

Good pointers man! In new to crossbows and a bot nervous about them and and my brother who also just got 1. This is great info I hope everyone that watches it pays attention and learns something! Thanks

Excellent safety tutorial... especially, about proper placement...Every time ! Thankyou

Very clear instructions and informative video like you said for beginners and even veteran hunters or target practice

I like those wings on the TenPoint stock making it nearly impossible to wrap your fingers up onto the deck to get hit by the string. I can’t imagine the damage you would get with the super fast crossbows.

Very simple and makes perfect sense. I'm a novice and found it very helpful.

Thanks. Looking to get into archery hunting here in TN. Very knowledgeable tips here. God bless you too.

Always appreciate a safety review

Things have changed in the few years since this video, most crossbows now (2023) you need to have the crossbow safety in the fire position to pull the string back. Be sure to fully read your manuals people or even better yet take it to an archery shop and have them walk you through the correct cocking procedure for your particular crossbow.

I just picked up a crossbow I'm looking forward to trying out. Your videos are very appreciated and helpful

Thank you for the video, I am new this year to using a crossbow. It helped a lot!!

Thanks, I am new to cross bow.Your information is such a big help.Keep up the good work.

Good and detailed information

Solid advice. Thank you. 👍

Great video just got a crossbow for Christmas and learning about the safety first before I even unbox it and then I will rip into it thanks again for the great safety tips

i’ll definitely use that information.. i thank you sir

Its worthwhile mentioning its very important to not have any object or body part in the area surrounding where the crossbow limbs will swing out to. Also inspect the Bolts, Limbs and Strings for damage/wear/etc before every shot of a crossbow since the kinetic energy is much higher than a bow, the chances of catastrophic failure to each of those parts is also higher.

I have a crossbow and have shot it a few times. I knew well enough to keep my fingers out of the way of the strings and the arrow. It's a good thing that you have made this video to warn people of the dangers when somebody uses a crossbow. I hunted with mine only one time. I am going to hunt with it sometime this year yet.

Thanks for this. I'm looking at buying a crossbow soon, I probably wouldn't have known that point about loading it unless I learned from bad experience.

Thank you for this safety video! 👍

Great information!

Thanks for this! It's appreciated! 👍

Very good points, Just got my first crossbow a Barnett Wildcat getting ready to assemble it.

Hi KPO. I'm Mr. Safety but when I first went to load my son's new crossbow he started waving his arms. No no. Don't put the fingers inside! So yeah, coming from a traditional bow perspective I didn't think it out. Took his admonition to heart for when I purchased mine. KNOW where those darned fingers are. What got me here today was I just had a silly bow fail in the woods this morning. Went to cock and mine wouldn't lock. First time ever...and it would have to be on my first trip this year, the thing simply would not lock. Trying to cock a crossbow over and over is like pulling on a lawnmower or chainsaw cord when the engine won't start. Totally got out of the mood to go up that tree. I just came on home and set up a target. What happened was that for some cockamamie reason the thing somehow set it self to SAFETY after my last practice shot. My crossbow won't lock with the safety on. It is sposed to stay set to FIRE every time you shoot. THEN when you cock, the string automatically sets it back to safety. The fix was to just tickle the trigger mechanism with my knife (or a twig). After that I could engage the safety back to the fire position....thus allowing the string to lock. Naturally, hunt aborted, back at the house the thing never goofed again. I present this as a tip if this ever happens to you. If your bow won't lock when cocking... actuate the trigger thingy (at the back where the string catches), set safety to fire, then try it again. PS...GREAT and needful video as (most) of your replies show.

Thank you for that,very informative.

Just bought my first, 175lb, crossbow. Great tutorial. Thanks.

Thanks for the warnings.

I know two people who lost tops of their thumbs with their crossbow. 🥺 The models from just a few years ago had poor hand guards. I upgraded to a newer model last year that has a much better hand hold safety guard. I still check hand position before shooting. Great tip on arrow loading too!

As a soon to be new owner of an entry level Centerpoint 385 I very much appreciated this video. Thank you for this.

Thanks a lot for the tutorial. I was curious of how to avoid clipping your fingers while loading the arrow if the bow shoots.

Dave you got yourself another Michigander sub now. Way to teach and way to preach it (joy). Grand Rapids area here, and the best time of the year ....... Fish On...... hamburger!!

Well done, thanks!

Thanks bud. Good tip on loading the bolt.

Thanks! I’m a newbie and this is very important info to me!

Thanks for letting me know, even though I may never use this information.

Newbie here so thank you kindly for this video it has been incredible education in this style weapon safety!!

Great video and thanks for reviewing crossbow safety! I nearly lost my left thumb with my BARNETT JACKAL, three years ago, and I do an annual crossbow safety video. I was lucky a nice surgeon from Yale New Haven Hospital was able to stitch the tip of my thumb back on!

Thank you for the information

Good information, thanks.

Excellent video. I'm new to this and researching all safety/danger aspects. I haven't purchased a crossbow yep. Still researching for a good but budget of 300. to 400..

Great instructional video!

Great tip on safely placing a bolt. Thanks Dave...good stuff. Always enjoy your videos

Thank you. Great video.

Great Tips! Thank You!

Just bought my first crossbow Watching videos on how to safely use it..best video I've found

I didn't realize my cocking rope still had a hook on the string. The cocking-rope handle bloodied my chin. Had bruises and rope burns on my hands. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories. I feel so stupid! It makes me feel better that other people make mistakes, too.

This information is worth its weight in gold. Ty.

Thank you!! 😎

Good instructions for not just beginners!!!

Awesome video, thanks.

Thank you! 🙏

I just got a Bear Legion 370 and i really appreciate videos like this. Im a guitarist and i NEED those fingers! Ive only had pistol style crossbows until now so im taking this all VERY seriously. Im reading up and watching lots of demonstration videos before i even fire it. Biggest one i had before this is my 80lb draw mini crossbow, it was made for the small bolts but it actually can fire the full size bolts. Despite lots of experience with that, i know its not even close to the same thing. Great video

Good video,explained very well and danger areas 👍

Great tips thank you 🙏

Thanks man! No one really talks about loading these correctly

Great tips, thank you

I was helping renovate an old home. we had insulation to staple in the top of the second floor in one area. we had no floor on second floor in that area, so 12 ft ceilings to the top of 2nd floor was pretty high up on scaffolding. with a couple boards to stand on always looking above our heads and stapling. (I.m coming to the point!). Old timer (Carpenter) said to me, "Derek, you know the key to working above your head high on scaffolding?" Tell me, "Always know where your feet are." Very good video, thank you. I will always know where my hands are is what I learned today!

👍 thanks, looking into this topic

I shoot from a rest in my tree stand, and I always put my hand between the bow and the rest just like I normally would when I am shooting so i don't have to worry about my fingers. It also keeps everything quiet having a hand and glove under the bow.

Thank you I just bought my first crossbow and I'm watching many videos before I even use it so my fingers and hand thanks you

My incident yesterday brought me here. I got my thumb above the rail and paid the price. I’m experienced with the xbow, know the dangers, but decided to switch my grip for some unknown reason. Fired, The blood splatter was instantaneous. Pain as well. Fortunately it caught my thumb nail so I haven’t lost any part of my body. I’m going to lose my thumb nail. Hopefully enough of the blood vessels in my thumb weren’t crushed to the extent where circulation issues and possible gangrene could set in and medical amputation necessary. I feel stupid and blessed at the same time. My accident led me to this video and I wished I had been looking for this information 2 days ago. Sir, your video will save fingers and possibly lives. It’s accurate , real life, and timely with archery seasons current. If you have a xbow or considering buying one, don’t let this stop you. They are great and I’ve killed deer, bobcats, coyotes with it. Like anything, from the kitchen fork to the automobile there is a right way and a wrong way to use it. The crossbow is powerful and accurate. Be careful!!!! Well done.

thank you for you movie, I recently got a crossbow for shooting target, big thanks

Thank you.

Thank you Sir... I'm new at this... I appreciate your SAFETY TALK...

Got one of my fingers hit as a new crossbow user, lesson learned and I haven't had anymore issues.

Hey I know this video came out a while ago, but I really like that crossbow shooting stand you have. By any chance remember the make or where you got it from? If not any suggestions on others that are out in the market now. Thanks for your time!

Knetters Practical Outdoors great advice! Question? how is your Parker holding up? we have two thunderhawks, and we broke the strings on them both last season, and with parker out if business, no parts.

Thank you!!

Excellent words. Congratulations from Brazil.

Good points.

I am a gun nut but really want to buy a crossbow, this was truly informative, big thanks mate..

Good video. Just bought a fierce 405 killer instinct. Hope it works out for me. Thanks.

Good info and as a newbie crossbow guy duly noted. You sound like you're from the UP... Sault Ste. Marie here.

Thanks for the tips! I hunted with a compound for many years but this year will be my first with a cross bow.

Great info, just as with a revolver and the flash from the front of the cylinder, keep the fingers away. Better told than felt to learn! God bless Happy thanks Giving!

Excellent video

Good tips and very good video on saving your fingers and how not put finger in the triangle spot also I learn to load arrow by tip are right before the blades..you can never be to careful....thanks BJ Beagles

Great video, ty

To better aid in the Triangle, maybe cut a template with cardboard box what it looks like on your bow... does not need to be cocked. Very nice video. Best part was the description when doing something different like using a rest, now what to do with that extra hand.

Great info

Great video

Great video!! Appreciate it!!👍