Barnett Jackal vs. Wildcat Crossbow

November 29, 2013 9:56 AM

I'm trying to find an entry-level crossbow for my husband. Correct me please if I'm wrong, but it looks like Barnett is a good brand and I've read that the Jackal is a decent entry level one. But I've noticed that there is one call the Wildcat and I can't figure out which is better.

I'm in Canada, can't get the thing shipped by Amazon, and where I CAN get them the cost of each one comes out equal - $500. This is a LOT, so if anyone knows of a cheaper decent model, that would be great.

Otherwise, could someone please look at these specs and help me decide:

Jackal vs. Wildcat

- Husband has never shot a crossbow
- He's a hunter, but it's not clear if he will really truly get into the crossbow thing. Still, he REALLY wants one.
- Will ultimately use for deer, but probably needs a few years of practice first?
- I'd rather not have to buy accessories not included
- Winter climate

posted by kitcat to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

If it's not clear whether he'll get into it, why not buy him some lessons first? Crossbows are pretty lethal, and knowing how to use one safely and maintain it properly is important.
posted by pipeski at 10:22 AM on November 29, 2013

Response by poster: I hear what you're saying about lessons, but he really wants to have the crossbow now and he's the kind of guy that never buys anything for himself - and I think he deserves it too (and it's a b-day + x-mas present). He's extremely careful and wouldn't just go out to the woods with it without taking someone experienced. The reason I mentioned that he might not get really into is just to explain that I don't need to spend extra money to get a stellar one.
posted by kitcat at 10:59 AM on November 29, 2013

He'll need to have it set up for him hy someone experienced and it'll need to be the right size for his height, heavy enough to be legal for what he hunts, right draw length etc so I'd make him a "gift certificate" and let him go to the store and have them set him up. Most likely one of those two will work fine unless he's an outlier size wise. You can't really just buy a crossbow and learn how to set it up and shoot it yourself though. There is some stuff you really need to know before you even touch it to avoid breaking the bow itself.
posted by fshgrl at 11:55 AM on November 29, 2013

Best answer: Go with the jackal. It is lighter, comes with 1 more bolt (they are not 'arrows' they are bolts when made for a crossbow) is less expensive and appears to otherwise be the same as the wildcat. You are also going to need to get lots more. I would get a at least two dozen with different tips for practice and a few broadheads for hunting.

Crossbows aren't particularly difficult to use and don't require any setup for draw length or tuning really. (Maybe you are thinking of a compound?)

I know everyone puts a scope on theirs but really, at the ranges they are good at-less than 100 yards, an iron sight is better (the red dot shown on the jackal is a good compromise but still not as fast or reliable as iron sights).

Crossbows are more like black powder guns then they are like other types of bows in how they actually work and the skill required. Make sure they are legal for hunting in your jurisdiction, a lot of fish and game departments in the US don't allow them.
posted by bartonlong at 5:19 PM on November 29, 2013

I totally read yhe question as a compound bow probably because I just started shooting one. Sorry! Ignore me!
posted by fshgrl at 5:05 PM on December 3, 2013