- Follow your manufacturer: Ravin says no more than about 8 hours; TenPoint says one day of hunting, never past 24 hours.
- Uncock at the end of every hunting day, and never leave a crossbow cocked overnight or in its case.
- Long tension stretches strings and cables, which costs speed and accuracy.
- Uncock by shooting a field-point or discharge bolt into a target, or with a built-in de-cock crank, never by dry-firing.
Cocked at first light, still cocked at noon, and the evening sit is hours away. Is your crossbow okay? 🤔
It depends on the maker, so stay within your manufacturer’s limit: about 8 hours for Ravin, one hunting day for TenPoint, and always uncock before you leave the stand. That protects the string, the cables and the lifespan of your crossbow. 👌
How long can you leave a crossbow cocked? Manufacturer limits
There's no single number for every crossbow, so your owner's manual is the final word. The two brands with clear published limits agree on the main point: cocked for a hunt is fine, cocked overnight is not.
| Brand | How long it can stay cocked | Extra guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Ravin | No more than about 8 hours | Fine while you sit still; don't walk to or from your spot cocked; never store it cocked in the case |
| TenPoint | Through one full day of hunting | De-cock at the end of each day; never leave it cocked longer than 24 hours |
| Other brands | Check the manual | If it gives no number, uncock at the end of every hunt |
Death by Bunjie, a crossbow hunter who has sat in a stand cocked for a whole day, still sends you to the manuel first:
I would read up on your crossbow and make sure that your manufacturer does not have some kind of limitation on how long that crossbow can remain cocked. Different crossbows are designed differently, and they may actually have that sort of a consideration, that sort of limitation.
That's the right order. His long sits worked for his crossbows; your manual sets the limit for yours, and with Ravin that limit is about 8 hours, not 12.
// Free printable
Get the range log I actually use.
Seventeen printable pages: session log, score tracker, a 30-day drill challenge, a bow maintenance card, a first-season checklist and more. Join the monthly email and it lands right away.
What happens when a crossbow stays cocked too long
A cocked crossbow holds the full draw force on its string, cables, limbs and cams. Over hours, that load wears the parts that decide where your bolt lands.
- Stretched strings and cables: they lose length and tension, so you lose speed and your point of impact shifts.
- Limb and cam stress: long loads add wear to the limbs, cams and trigger parts.
- Shorter lifespan: parts need replacing sooner, and you'll pay for strings and service more often.
When he tested two crossbows left cocked for four hours one hit a little high and one a little low. He has a suspect for the one with the fresh string:
Bunjie Junior also has a new string on it, so that might affect the accuracy as well. We might have suffered a little bit of string creep by leaving it cocked for four hours.
That's the first item on the list above, caught on target. A new string still settling in is the one most likely to stretch, so keep cocked time short for the first weeks after a string change and re-check your zero.
If you think yours stayed cocked too long shoot a few groups before you hunt and have a shop check the string if they've opened up.
His verdict on that test is careful, and worth reading closely:
To the extent that this test is helpful, these two crossbows at least maintain your accuracy very well after being cocked for four hours.
Note the limits he puts on it: two crossbows, four hours, one test. It tells you a hunt-length sit is fine, not that overnight is. After any long sit, shoot a group before you trust the next shot.
Death by Bunjie, a crossbow hunter with hundreds of videos on the subject, ran exactly that check: two crossbows left cocked in the shade for four hours, then shot. Watch where both of them hit.
How to uncock a crossbow safely without dry-firing it
- Point it in a safe direction, finger off the trigger.
- Load a field-point or discharge bolt, never a broadhead.
- Shoot it into a target or soft ground you know is clear.
- Or use the crank: some models, like the Ravin R500, have a cocking system that also de-cocks.
I learned what a dry fire means the embarrassing way: I released my bow with no arrow on the string at the range, and everyone around me reacted.
I actually did a dry fire and the whole range was like whoa.
For step 3, use a target rated for your crossbow’s speed. Morrell’s Double Duty 450 bag target is rated for field points up to 450 fps; a faster crossbow needs a target rated higher:
Morrell Double Duty 450
Morrell Double Duty 450 FPS Cube Field Point Archery Bag Target, Yellow | Portable Backyard Hunting Practice with Traditional Bullseyes, Nine-ball, Dartboard Game, and Deer Vitals
by Morrell
Affiliate link: I may earn a commission, at no cost to you.
Key features
- Cube bag target that stops field points up to 450 fps
- Faces with bullseyes, nine-ball, a dartboard and deer vitals
- Replaceable cover, so a worn face doesn’t mean a new target
- Carry handles for moving it around the yard
Specs
- Brand
- Morrell
- Model
- 131
- Size
- 450 FPS
- Color
- Yellow
- Length
- 0 inches
- Weight
- 0.05 pounds
Crossbow speed today: why 500 fps crossbows store so much energy
The fastest crossbows are rated around 500 to 515 feet per second (fps). Ravin rates its R500 at 500 fps with a 400-grain arrow, about 222 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, and TenPoint rates its TRX Ultra at 515 fps, or 242 foot-pounds with a 410-grain arrow.
That energy sits in the limbs while the crossbow is cocked. The faster the crossbow, the more load its string carries, which is one more reason to respect the limit.
- Reverse-draw: limbs sit toward the shooter, giving a longer power stroke in a balanced package.
- Compound (cams): cams and cables store energy efficiently but add parts that can stretch.
- Recurve: no cams, fewer parts, but a heavier draw weight to cock.
Cocked crossbow habits for a safe, ready hunt
- Cock at the stand, after you're settled, not at the truck.
- Load a bolt only when you're ready to hunt, and keep the safety on.
- Uncock before you climb down or walk out.
- Never travel cocked; some states, such as Wisconsin, require a crossbow in a vehicle to be uncocked, or unloaded and cased. See how to transport a crossbow safely.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Check local regulations before hunting | Ignore bag limits and seasons |
| Use the right broadheads | Take rushed or uncertain shots |
| Practice good scent control | Ignore weather and wind |
| Stay within ethical shooting distances | Overestimate distance and shoot too far |
| Follow the safety rules for your crossbow | Leave your crossbow cocked overnight |
Crossbow hunting pros and cons
Knowing the trade-offs helps you plan your sits around the cocked-time limit instead of fighting it.
Pros
- Often legal in long archery seasons
- Quieter than a firearm
- Accurate from a rest at reasonable distances
- Usable by hunters of different strengths
- Familiar if you've hunted with a rifle
Cons
- Shorter effective range than a rifle
- Slow to reload
- More moving parts than a traditional bow
- Heavier to carry
- High-end models are a big investment
Before your next sit, check the scope and bolts too. A tuned setup means one good shot is all you need.
Here are the cocked-time limits and the uncocking routine on one page, to check before your next long sit.
// FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most.
Can you leave a crossbow cocked overnight?
No. TenPoint and Ravin both say to uncock at the end of the hunt, and Ravin also says never to store it cocked in the case.
Can I stay cocked between a morning and an evening sit?
Only within your brand's limit. A TenPoint can stay cocked through one hunting day, but a Ravin's limit of about 8 hours usually means uncocking at midday.
How do you uncock a crossbow without shooting it?
Use a crank that de-cocks, if your model has one. Otherwise, shoot a field-point or discharge bolt into a target or clear soft ground.
Does leaving a crossbow cocked damage the limbs?
Within the manufacturer's limit, no. Past it, the strings and cables stretch first, and the limbs and cams take extra wear.
Can you walk with a cocked crossbow?
Ravin says not to walk to or from your hunting spot with it cocked, for safety. Cock it once you're set up and uncock before you leave.
Final thoughts
How long you can leave your crossbow cocked comes down to your manufacturer's limit: about 8 hours for Ravin, one hunting day for TenPoint, never overnight.
Cock at the stand, uncock before you walk out and never dry-fire. Your crossbow will shoot straighter for many more seasons, and the free range log helps you spot any change in your groups.
