Crossbow Magazine

09/17/2026

With all the new features and technology, we had to see what all the fuss was about. We took it to the range and tested out a few of TenPoint’s major claims.

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies

Read our TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5 review, including speed and accuracy testing, key features, scope options, pros, cons, and buying advice.

09/14/2026

Something starts changing in mature bucks as October gets closer…

That summer pattern? It doesn’t last forever.

As daylight shortens and October approaches, mature bucks start shifting their priorities, becoming more territorial, more cautious, and a whole lot harder to pattern.

The big question is… when do YOU start changing your scounting strategies.

09/11/2026

Every hunter knows the importance of precision, but when you’re holding a crossbow at full draw with a whitetail in range, a steady shot can make or break your success

Select the best shooting rest, also known as crossbow tripods and shooting sticks for hunting. Boost accuracy, reduce fatigue, and hold steady in any position

09/10/2026

The obvious change in September is the shedding of velvet. But at the same time, a much less visible shift is occurring within a mature buck, involving changes in hormones, behavior, and ultimately, how he uses his environment. After several seasons of surviving hunting pressure, mature bucks become exceptionally efficient at avoiding risk. Whether that behavior is driven primarily by learned experience, physiological changes, instinct, or some combination of all three, the result is the same: as velvet comes off and the biological transition into the breeding season begins, a mature buck’s tolerance for exposure can change dramatically. His movement patterns can become more deliberate, his daylight activity more restricted, and his preference for secure cover even more pronounced.

09/09/2026

Whitetails are a creature of habit and it is never more apparent than in the late summer and early fall. Find an appealing food source such as a bean or cornfield and most likely you will find deer feeding in them at dusk and dawn. However, do not overlook mast crops such as beechnuts, oaks and fruit bearing trees. I specifically target these food sources above any crop fields or food plots planted by humans. Natural food sources are a whitetails favorite early season food source. Mature whitetails, both bucks and does, that normally only enter a crop field just at or before dark, commonly show up under acorn laden red and white oaks just about any time of the day. Falling acorns are a dinner bell for hungry whitetails seeking to put a layer of fat on before winter.

09/03/2026

A crossbow can look ready for deer season while hiding a loose scope ring, damaged center serving, cracked nock or cocking rope that is beginning to fray. Those problems are much easier to correct on a well-lit workbench than they are at the range—or in the dark on opening morning.

Use this 15-minute crossbow preseason checklist to inspect strings, limbs, scope, bolts, broadheads, and safety systems before deer season.

09/02/2026

That Velvet is Looking a Little Tight!!

09/01/2026

How Old Would You Guess?

08/30/2026

Crossbow Testing Reveals Why Choosing the Best Is Now Tougher Than Ever

Our guide to the best crossbows on the market, with detailed reviews, range-tested results, and expert hunting insights to help you choose the perfect crossbow

08/26/2026

The Summer-to-Fall Transition: Understanding How Whitetails Change
One of the most important transitions of the whitetail season happens long before a mature buck ever steps into range. As summer fades and the first signs of fall begin to take hold, whitetails start changing their daily routines, shifting food sources, adjusting core areas, and becoming increasingly influenced by the coming rut.

Understanding why these changes occur—and recognizing them before they become obvious—can help you build a more effective hunting strategy.

Watch the Summer Pattern Start to Break
Throughout summer, mature bucks often establish relatively predictable patterns between bedding areas and high-quality food sources. Agricultural fields, lush green browse, clover, soybeans, and other nutrient-rich foods can keep bucks on consistent routines.

As daylight decreases, temperatures cool, and the landscape begins changing, those patterns can gradually fall apart.

A buck that has spent weeks feeding in the same field may begin showing up later, appearing less frequently, or disappearing altogether. That doesn't necessarily mean he has left the area. Instead, he may be changing his preferred food source, shifting his bedding area, or expanding the areas he uses throughout the day.

This is where hunters can get ahead of the curve.

Rather than continuing to hunt the summer pattern after it has already begun changing, start asking:

Where is that buck likely going next?