I have a history with the crossbow. I was there back in the 70s when Ohio allowed crossbows for deer hunting. First they could only be used during the short primitive weapons season. The following year in 1977 crossbows had their own 10-day season. By 1984 all the cards were on the table and crossbows could be used during Ohio’s lengthy archery season. Dad was right on time for the game. He decided the only way he could bow hunt due to time restraints was to get a crossbow. By the time Ohio opened archery season to crossbows he went out and purchased his first crossbow. Back then there were very few manufacturers. The crossbow he chose was the Barnett.
I carried that crossbow much more than he did. It was heavy, judged by today’s standards, the arrows were very slow, only fairly accurate and the sighting system left much to be desired, but it was cutting edge in 1984.
Fast forward 40 plus years, Barnett is still the cutting edge of the crossbow game and producing crossbows but this ain’t my daddy’s crossbow.
The Barnett Wildcat CRX is reminiscent of that first crossbow in the way it is a recurve crossbow that’s where the similarities end.
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History of Barnett
Barnett crossbows aren’t some johnny come lately outfit. In 1962, Bernard Barnett was making crossbows as a hobby from his garage in the United Kingdom and decided to turn his hobby into a business. Several factories sprung up across Europe before finally making their way to the U.S. The popularity of crossbows in the U.S. led to manufacturing being relocated in the U.S. in 2003. The rest is history.
Wildcat CRX Assembly
The Wildcat CRX is an entry level bow. It is partially assembled. I just had to attach a few accessories like the quiver mount and the string dampeners before I put on the limb. Okay, so maybe I had to take the limbs off a couple times to install the accessories, but the limb is held in by two hex screws. It wasn’t a big deal. Atop of the CRX a red/green dot precision scope with a neoprene cover to protect the optics. Inside the CRX box were 2 -20” Headhunter arrows and a rope cocking device and wax to lubricate the string. Ready to shoot.
What I Liked
The Wildcat CRX came almost ready to take in the woods sans broadheads. The crossbow itself was easy to assemble. Some of the features I especially appreciated were the red dot scope which has hold over dots for different yardage in both red dot and green dots and different brightness. I find many crossbow optics lacking, the “roller ball” Rope Hold technology which holds the rope cocking device in place while the crossbow is being hooked up on the string to cock the crossbow which is handy, safety finger reminders, a guard to keep fingers below the string and arrow. Having heard horror stories of shooters getting digits dislocated or worse, I really appreciate these guards.
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Though most of my hunting is stationary, I appreciated the weight of it. It is easy to carry to and from the stand and much lighter than the crossbow I am currently using.
What I Didn’t Like
I get it. To make a crossbow fall into a $250 budget some less important accessories must be made less expensive. I found the quiver mount very wobbly even after tightening it up. Also, one of the quiver posts that fit into the mount was broken but a quick email to Barnett and I had another one sent to me.
I was not a fan of the 6.9-pound trigger pull.
Does the Wildcat CRX Shoot?
The Wildcat CRX is not a speed demon. The 20-inch arrows clocked an unimpressive 258 feet per second (fps) well under the advertised speed of 280 fps. That being said, the Wildcat CRX’s accuracy surprised me. In an impromptu shooting session sitting 30 yards away, I was able to group arrows under ½”. It was a bit slow and louder than other models I’ve shot, but the end results were just what any hunter would want.
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Personally, I would limit my shots to under 30 yards as the arrow drops quickly at ranges much beyond. I would choose a razor sharp, fixed blade broadhead for fear the mechanicals might not open up at slower speeds.
Most of my deer hunting is in the hardwoods, not open fields, which calls for a hand-to-hand type set up, close and personal with my quarry. The Wildcat CRX fits the bill, and I can hardly wait to give it a try in the woods later in the season.
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