You can all agree with me crossbows have become a popular weapon after the AMC’s Walking dead TV series. We’ve all seen Daryl Dixon shoot down zombies, but the question is why you need to learn crossbow hunting for survival. While most people will go for a firearm as the ultimate defense and hunting weapon in a survival situation, cross turn out to be excellent options with several advantages.

There are various ways crossbows can be utilized to survive in the wilderness. It not only protects you but gives you a way to hunt down small and big games for food. If you’re looking for a different challenge from guns and bows and arrows, then a crossbow is your ideal weapon of choice in a survival situation.

The benefits of a crossbow in a survival situation:

While crossbows are not the best defensive weapon, they can turn out to be handy when in a real survival situation. If looking for the best silent weapon, compound bow and crossbow are great options.

However, bows will require learning a lot before you can shoot efficiently. With a crossbow and the best crossbow scope, you can start shooting accurate arrows in minutes. The following are some of the reasons/benefits to learning crossbow hunting for survival:

Silent use

One of the main advantages of using a crossbow is that it is silent and will not alert the target or anyone near your location. When stealth is required, a crossbow turns out to be the ideal weapon of choice. However, you will need ample space to wield the weapon because of its size. The loud bangs experienced when guns are fired will not be heard here. A crossbow will not attract any attention to you before and after your kill.

Reusable arrows

We’ve all seen Daryl Dixon remove some arrows from a zombie’s head and reuse them to kill other zombies. When you consider firearms, when a single bullet has been shot, it is gone. However, ammunition of the crossbow is reusable. Once your target is hit and unable to walk, you can retrieve the arrow and reuse it on other targets. I hope you’re not the type that misses your target but then if you miss you can still get your arrows back and reuse them.

Most preppers will not only reuse the arrows but make their own from available materials like wood.  This is not something you can do with guns in a real survival situation where there getting extra ammunition is not an option.

Quite easy to shoot

Crossbows are one of the easiest weapons to use whether you’re new to weapons or not. However, their weight might pose some challenges as some crossbows are unbalanced from front to back. Some crossbow models have pistol grips to make handling easier. You will realize it takes longer to load crossbows that it usually takes to shoot. Practice is always paramount if you’re to load faster and hit your target with the highest precision levels.

Once the arrow is loaded, just aim, pull the trigger and release. It is quite simple in the same way you use a gun. Having said this, you will need to train how to use a crossbow properly to be able to counters issues of weight, size, and imbalances.

Another benefit when shooting with crossbows is that you can light it on fire and use it to shoot fire at your assailants especially when they are unaware. Find a way to make flaming arrows (perhaps use an oil-dipped rag) and gain the advantage over your enemy.

We’ve seen all the good things that make crossbows great for hunting is times of survival, but they also have disadvantages. This is where learning how to use a crossbow can help you counter some of the disadvantages and make good use of your weapon. One of the biggest disadvantages when using a crossbow is that you can only load one arrow at a time. It also takes a lot of time to load which can cost your life.  You need to be highly skilled in loading faster, and hit your target with the first aim.

The size and weight of the crossbow make transportation quite difficult. Crossbows are heavy and bulky to carry around. They are also more difficult to conceal around. However, most come with a good strap that helps you carry them over your shoulder. You can easily lock a bolt and carry the crossbow around all ready to fire.

Are crossbows the ultimate survival weapons?

To protect yourself, guns seem a good option, but a crossbow will certainly be great for hunting. One of the best ways to survive is to stay in a stealth mode and avoid people. Crossbows surpass guns when you need to be in a stealth mode and stay hidden thanks to their silent nature. You can hunt without alerting people around you.

Final verdict

The few disadvantages of crossbows have not stopped them from being a popular weapon among many preppers.  They are fun to use and come in handy when you need them the most. When hunting for survival, I strongly believe stealth is crucial, and this is where crossbows have the edge over other weapons. Starting learning how to use a crossbow today, test your accuracy at different ranges to be ready for the unexpected.

This article was originally published on the Loadout Room

Author – Brandon Cox is the founder of StayHunting, who is passionate about all things of hunting and fitness. Through his hunting website, he would like to share tips & tricks, finest tech that will excite all of the intricacies of hunting whether you be an amateur or a professional.