# Is there such a thing as a "crossover" bow for target and hunting?



## CPTEXAS59 (Mar 31, 2021)

Obviously you can hunt with a 40" bow and target shoot with a 29" bow, but neither would be ideal. I'm new to bows after decades hunting and think I'd like to have one bow that allowed me to be reasonably competitive target shooting but also not dragging around a full target setup hunting. I'm shooting ab Axius (29" ATA) at 70lbs with a 28" draw. Am I imagining a bow that doesn't exist, or should I just shut up and get a 35" bow, trade stabilizers to fit the scenario, swap sights when needed, and just practice?

If this is a dumb question, apologies in advance.
CP


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## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

Shoot in hunter class.. then U have restricted stab measurements, sight model etc.
U shoot what U hunt except maybe arrows.

Lot of 33-36" bows what are OK to hunt with and also good for target.

But after all.. that just practice is that whats most important 👍


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## ohiobullseye (Feb 6, 2011)

It can be done, I used to shoot one bow for 3D and hunting, switching stabilizers and sights and it wasn’t bad because 3D is in the summer and hunting Stratton the fall usually. But I through in a wrench and started shooting Vegas rounds that interfered with hunting season and was not working. I have been shooting for a long time and now I have 3 bows for the three types of shooting I do. Switching from 3D to hunting is not that big of a deal.


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## JacobVance (Mar 24, 2021)

I see many using the TRX34 for double duty.


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## Robspartacus (Feb 20, 2017)

A 34-37" ATA is ideal IMO for a crossover bow. I actually prefer those sized for strictly target/3D anyways. 

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## dtrkyman (Jul 27, 2004)

Pse perform x 3d would be a solid example. Personally due to the fact 3d is just for fun and practice I shoot my hunting bow.

I am shooting a short bow currently but like a 33-35 inch bow.


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## hoyt fo life555 (Jan 31, 2005)

Prime black 9 would be my choice.


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## 1/2 Bubble Off (Dec 29, 2016)

Like everyone else said.... anything in the 33-36" range would be perfect for a crossover.

If I could only have one bow, it would be the Vista 33 from Athens....


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## Mdawgpound91 (Aug 24, 2019)

PSE EVoke 35 is the bow I chose for exactly this. Got second in a 3d League last year for known 40 and took it right into the tree stand without changing a thing. Same sight, rest, stabs, arrows and release....


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## Torque_tune (Aug 23, 2019)

traverse is my do all. climbers, ladders, blinds, 3d, indoor no problem at all.


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## CPTEXAS59 (Mar 31, 2021)

Thanks all - I'm seeing lots of great suggestions - thinking I need to go pull on some strings. General consensus so far is 33" to 36". Thanks again!


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## Ingo (Oct 16, 2008)

CPTEXAS59 said:


> Thanks all - I'm seeing lots of great suggestions - thinking I need to go pull on some strings. General consensus so far is 33" to 36". Thanks again!


I have two "crossover" bows. Both 35" ATA. I've taken them both hunting and shot all kinds of target with both. I can't ever imagine needing a 40" bow for targets or anything shorter than 35" for hunting. Anything that's nice and stable with a ~7inch brace height works great. 

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## ImpactDoc (Apr 2, 2021)

Glad I came across this thread I was thinking the same thing of getting a hybrid bow to mostly target shoot but rarely hunt.


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## sjanderson117 (Nov 14, 2019)

I shoot a PSE NXT 35 for exactly this.


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## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

I can remember in the 70s when a 48" bow was for tournaments and a 46" bow was for hunting. Then in the 80's a 44" bow was for tournaments and a 40" bow was for hunting. We took a lot of animals with those bows, but now a 40" bow can no longer be used for hunting.

I use a 32" Hoyt Carbon Element for hunting and took it to Redding to use in the tournament. Stupidly I lost my release Thursday night and ended up shooting with fingers in the Freestyle class. I shot the highest score on the 101 yard target among the 12 people in my group with my fingers and they all had releases. I couldn't compete against the best, but I could still hit the targets and have fun.

So I have always believed that any bow can be used for target and for hunting. I can also remember before bows came out in Camo. We had a paint that peeled off the bow after hunting season. 

Can you compete using a hunting bow for targets? I believe you can if you don't shoot in the pro division. Can you hunt with a target bow? Yes if it is not a bright color and if you practice taking normal hunting shots.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

huteson2us2 said:


> I can remember in the 70s when a 48" bow was for tournaments and a 46" bow was for hunting. Then in the 80's a 44" bow was for tournaments and a 40" bow was for hunting. We took a lot of animals with those bows, but now a 40" bow can no longer be used for hunting.
> 
> I use a 32" Hoyt Carbon Element for hunting and took it to Redding to use in the tournament. Stupidly I lost my release Thursday night and ended up shooting with fingers in the Freestyle class. I shot the highest score on the 101 yard target among the 12 people in my group with my fingers and they all had releases. I couldn't compete against the best, but I could still hit the targets and have fun.
> 
> ...


Yes you can use a 40" bow for hunting. It's just the world went nuts over short ata bows. Chuck Adams used some of the longest compounds for hunting, crawling through brush and muck and whatever... 

I had a short ata bow, 33 1/2" ata, that performed so well I thought it Field worthy. 

My colorful target bows have taken deer. One was bright red and polished limb pockets and cams and another was a beautiful blue fade to black with polished limb pockets and wheel and cam.


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## duckknot1 (Jan 12, 2020)

I once set up an insanity cpxl (34" ata) for target shooting/hunting and it was phenomenal! It shot amazing as a target setup with a longer stabilizer, then transitioned seamlessly to hunting setup with a different stab setup! It was a 60lb bow but still shot over 300fps....I kick myself every day for letting that bow go 

All that to say yes it's doable, and it's easier than a lot of people think!

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## playswithstix (Aug 13, 2013)

Bows right around that 34” ATA mark are good for this. In my opinion atleast. It’s exactly what I’m doing with my Axius Ultra. It’s a 60-70# bow, so I have it set to 60# with one set of arrows for 3D, and when hunting season comes it will be turned up to 70# with a different set of arrows


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## coastiehunter2 (Jun 27, 2011)

I just switched from a perform x 40 to a evl 34 and shoot the evl better


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## kansasboy91 (Aug 4, 2020)

I shoot hunter class with my VXR 28 and switch my sight to a fixed 5. But it was tuned to shoot fairly accurately out to 120 yards. Bows these days can do just about anything.


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## ScottMik (May 8, 2016)

CPTEXAS59 said:


> Obviously you can hunt with a 40" bow and target shoot with a 29" bow, but neither would be ideal. I'm new to bows after decades hunting and think I'd like to have one bow that allowed me to be reasonably competitive target shooting but also not dragging around a full target setup hunting. I'm shooting ab Axius (29" ATA) at 70lbs with a 28" draw. Am I imagining a bow that doesn't exist, or should I just shut up and get a 35" bow, trade stabilizers to fit the scenario, swap sights when needed, and just practice?
> 
> If this is a dumb question, apologies in advance.
> CP


Any bow can be a tournament bow. Just depends what you like


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