I know this has been discussed more than once.

#1 = Is there a tutorial on using the search engine here?
Was thinking Wolfie may have done one but can't find it either , LoL.
#2 = At 72 years old my gun hunting days are over.
I do believe i can resume if i can get a good lighter crossbow
Would like to stay below $7-800 .
I know there was another person asking for his wife earlier this year .
But like I implied, I suck at the search engine.
Any recommendations will be seriously considered.

First time since I was 14, I haven't been chasing them.
Don't want to surrender to the TV and surfing the web.
Thx for your help.

How sure are you it will work out well and you'll like it?
How sure are you that you can pick "right" the first time?
Is there a feature you have in mind that makes you think 700-800?

I ask because paid less than $100 for an old crossbow on Craigslist, including a case that was worth what I paid for the crossbow + case. I'm not sure what it is, maybe "10 point" ? I don't think its anything special. I hadn't hunted with a crossbow before, and wanted to start with a cheap experiment rather than spend a lot and still decide I wanted something else. I figured after I used that a bit I'd know what I want. But I've killed 4 deer with it (2 last year, 2 so far this year), and I'm not very inclined to upgrade. Narrower would be nice, but I'm getting buy as is.

Not trying to critize those who've bought high end cross bows. If I do replace what I've got, there's a good chance I'd get a high end one. But I'm not inclined to at this point.

Love my barnett reverse draw crossbow.Very quiet and smooth.

Killing a deer with a rifle is a little easier than with a crossbow.

Ya don't have to be as particular on yardage.

Ravin, A little more than the 800 you want to spend, but I think you will be really pleased with it. I was forced to stop using a compound bow due to an injury, and I have been really pleased with my Ravin. Money well spent to keep me in the game. Eric

Actually i am looking in Craigslist.

Weight an portability is my concerns.
No shot at more than 25yds.
I'm not to concerned with long range capabilities.
My new hunting condition will be akin to the "Is it ethical to use a toolshed window ? "
I am harvesting proteins .
.

Really weight wise you aren't losing a lot of weight on a crossbow vs a single shot rifle carbine like a cva scout 44 mag...if I were to pick which one to hunt and take a long walk in with, it definitely would be the carbine. It's about a pound heavier than the crossbow

As for the crossbows, ive been happy with my tenpoint titan, I think it's 850 at Cabela's. It does have "knockdown" power at least on does. I've had several does that I've double shoulders bladed, not quite intentionally and staked them, sometimes literally. With the arrow in the ground with deer attached.

If you go cheaper,.you probably aren't gonna lose much other than compactness of the bow.

What are your physical limitations keeping you from gun hunting? a lot of the new x bows are about as heavy as a gun. there are all types of methods of getting them pulled back fromncocking strings, cranks, even electric. some are very narrow across the limbs some are shorter and narrow.

Knowing your limitations and preferences will make it easier to get an accurate recommendation.

Vertigo
I just don't feel safe carrying a gun anymore .
Therefore I will be hunting suburban areas.
Gunfire is not desired in these situations.
Currently have some access to very small wooded areas , Bows only per landowners.

I am looking at some used Ten Point set-ups

That is a awesome looking weapon !
Bow weight is something I will have to explore.
Thx for the recommendation.

i shoot a Xcalibur Matrix 330 for the last 9 years. shot at and killed 10 deer. Longest shot 27 yards. 9 pass throughs. It is a little wide and heavy, but very simple, dependable and effective. No plans to change.

My 2 cents.

Cant go wrong with tenpoint. Excellent products with excellent customer service that you will likely never need.

I have an old mission 320. it shoots about 320 fps and is around 16" wide and fairly short length wise. It gets locked with a string cocker. I think they quit making them now bought it for my daughter when she was about 9. she is now 22 its killed some deer and still works very well.

I just bought a 10 point venom I think it is this year so we have two x bows one for each of my boys. Is faster I think high 300s it's narrower at the limbs but longer from butt to front. I think I paid 1300 but they were 100 cheaper if you didn't get the camo pattern. but they didn't have the non camo in stock so I got what they had.

it cocks with a crank and in my opinion the crank on the 10 point is better then what's on the ravens because when you are using thebcrank to uncock it and stop it stays where you stop it. so if you had slips off the Handel it won't let loose and spin the crank crazy fast like the crank system will on the ravens.

I think I say then on sale maybe a bass pro add for 2 or 300 less than I paid not long ago and very close to your price range but I don't remember where or how long the sale was. My 14 year old has really taken to it over the older mission. He shot the two deer he killed so far this year both with x bows. one with each shot his 10 point with the 10 point.

my kids shoot low end barnetts still pretty impressive up to 30 yards
as far as weight maybe a good tripod

… I run a diamond crossbow… when it’s laid aCross my knees

Southwest MI would put me at Kruizenga to talk to them and handle some.

Having said that, if I was replacing mine I'd likely upgrade to something narrower and more modern which also exceeds your budget if you stay new. But they did have a pile of used ones when I was in there. They seem to get traded in constantly as folks upgrade.

Go past there several times a month.
I live in the Galesburg area.
Might stop in there and see what they have.

I had a fairly cheap bear crossbow. Came as a set from midway for around $350 I had maybe $500 in it all total with the bolts, broadheads, case and all... it worked perfectly out to 35 yards. That's as far as I ever shot it. I'm sure it would shoot accurately further. The problem with it was it's still bowhunting, which to me is painfully boring except for the few minutes when the deer are there, so I sold it. I used a shooting stick for a rest since it was a little heavy for off-hand shooting, especially with bad shoulders.

I like my Ten Point Flex, had it for years, very simple and dpendable. No cam, pulleys, etc. to get messed up.