Uncock bow before encasing it?

[jamesb]

I have wondered for years. At the end of my bow hunts i always decock bow and encase before end of legal.

Now, am i required to decock it? Or can i just unload arrow and encase. Then when i get home.... decock.

The reason im asking, is that decocking bow in stand is superloud. Not very good for sneaking out of stand after hunt. Im sure this has been asked before, but i couldnt find it.

Thanks in advance

[rick_iles]

You don’t need to release your string. You only are required to encase it. I do the same. I kock my bow at home and encase it. After the hunt When I leave, I encase my bow and release it when I’m home. A crossbow is only loaded when a bolt is ready to go.

[gbk]

What are You using?-my Excalibur goes into the case unloaded,without uncocking,then at home i uncock it.Always sits on its left tip in my car,forever..........Never an issue with losing accuracy ,or such.

[jamesb]

Thanks for reply. Just wanted to be sure i was legal. Im shooting micro 335

[hockeymjt]

I will uncock when I get back to truck. Not sure if you put in searing area . I do. So dont like the idea of the bow being cocked going from cold to hot ..when I go hinting I throw in the back of truck so its climateized before cocking. No idea if the hot cold maters

[gbk]

I will uncock when I get back to truck. Not sure if you put in searing area . I do. So dont like the idea of the bow being cocked going from cold to hot ..when I go hinting I throw in the back of truck so its climateized before cocking. No idea if the hot cold maters

hockeymjt-i hunt from small cars,do not have and so far never had a truck or an SUV.In the trunk i fit all recovery equipment(deer cart or sled-whatever the snow situation is)
Have no other choice but to place my crossbow on the rear seat.Mostly cocked-but many times not ,when going for an afternoon hunt.Just cocked when coming home.As stated above.So to say-on the edge(stock end and left tip sitting on the seat-right limb leaning on the backrest of the seat )Always have,for maybe 20 years by now.I place my stuff beside,in between seats and on the front seat .Do not place anything on the crossbow though ,ever.I have been hunting in any weather ,thus the crossbow was exposed to any weather condition(like from -20 C to like +20 C)
Snow,sleet ,ice sitting on the crossbow(i just wipe off what i can ,before placing it in the car).
I had pants frozen on me-going in the car,with all my gear seeing same weather.

Long story short-the crossbow being cocked and going thru all this climate change showed no ill consequences.In accuracy or durability.........the very tip on the left side limb's mag Tip of the crossbow by now has no paint left,due of that area rubbing on the cotton case while sitting in my car)
For a while i thought i may start to shoot left-or right due of cocked limb receiving extra stress from the weight of the crossbow(or such)about 20 years,about 12 times x 2 a year........for about 1 hr each time.
I do not see issues so far,so i think the acclimatization and this small stress does not really matters.
But this is just my experience,and yes-i do not like hot cars,so the air in my car is never "crazy"hot inside, while i am in it........
Cheers

[gbk]

To the OP-your question was legality and practicality while hunting.

For having fun,practicing or sighting in ,mostly in hot summer days,i transport the same way as for hunting,except do not transport it to the range, or home ,cocked.
I never leave it in in a HOT car,ever ,for anything.Drive there(15 min)use AC(for me ,not for the crossbow......)use it,back to the car ,back to the house.

Scorching heat in the car with sun effects can and will damage limbs in short order.

[rf2]

No offense to you guys, but transporting a cocked bow in a car or anything else is a bad idea. If that thing goes off in an enclosed space, that would be a dangerous situation and would damage your bow. I always uncock my crossbow. With an excalibur it is very easy and quiet to do using the cocking aid.

[rick_iles]

No offense to you guys, but transporting a cocked bow in a car or anything else is a bad idea. If that thing goes off in an enclosed space, that would be a dangerous situation and would damage your bow. I always uncock my crossbow. With an excalibur it is very easy and quiet to do using the cocking aid.

Most have dry fire prevention. Mine has. No way it can go off without a bolt seated.....

[huntnmachine]

rf2 is correct about the ease of uncocking an Excalibur. I personally let mine down at the truck due to the rope from Excalibur. But as Rick mentioned dry firing the new Excalibur bows is not an issue