This blog mainly concerns people whose country or state allows hunting, and more importantly hunting with a crossbow or bow. This post is not legal advice. Nor any kind of advice beyond sharing what Steambow feels on the topic of hunting with its products.
So, assuming you can hunt with these tools, let’s look at each product range in turn.
#1 seller: the AR-6 Stinger II
The biggest seller from the Steambow lineup is the AR-6 Stinger II. With a 55 lb draw out of the box it packs a significant punch. When you consider that Steambow also sells 90 lb limbs with 120 lb and 150 lb versions to follow, it’s clearly a capable platform power-wise and shouldn’t be treated lightly. It is very light and can be upgraded with parts that make stowing it in a backpack child’s play and needing little more than a minute to get it into ready-to-shoot configuration.
With that said, Steambow has always taken the position of making pest control the limit of its scope in standard trim. It’s worth pointing out that its potential in the field has been proven though. The Stinger I version (no buttstock) with the 80 lb upgrade limbs sold for that model was used by a hunter to bring down two hogs, and he featured the hunt on his YouTube channel. Both animals succumbed very quickly.
The key point here, though, is that this hunter is extremely experienced and skilled. He knew his limitations, those of the Stinger and hunted accordingly. Failing to take those things into account could result in an animal suffering unnecessarily and any hunter will tell you that hunting should be done as humanely as possible.
For this reason, pest control is the only reasonable use we recommend for the Stinger II crossbows in standard trim.
Fastest magazine bow on the market
Another option is the Steambow FENRIS mounted to a compound bow. With this you have the requisite power needed to hunt larger game, given most bowhunting states insisting on a minimum of 45 lb draw weight. The next advantage is that the FENRIS, by its design, makes it impossible to over draw the bow. This means that your velocity is all but set in stone and this makes your trajectory far easier to control. With different aiming options from lasers to red dots (one YouTuber mounted a pin sight and rear ghost ring sight to his), the FENRIS is a viable option.
Its defining feature is that it holds up to 5 arrows for quick follow-up shots. The major consideration, though, is that operation of it can cause some noise if done quickly and this could give your position away to the animal you’re targeting. Again, experience and allowing for these factors is key to using it successfully.
Power at your fingertips
If you want to hunt with a Steambow product, your current best choice (pending the release of the 150 lb Stinger limbs) is an Excalibur hunting crossbow fitted with the Steambow PowerUnit. The PowerUnit was Steambow’s first archery innovation and allows the user to use compressed air, such as the technology used in air rifles, to power pistons which apply or release tension in the limbs. This means that cocking crossbows up to a back-breaking 440 lb can be done with only the push of a valve release and a couple of fingers. The modified risers mean the bows can also be transported folded down for added convenience and space saving.
Steambow is a legitimate supplier of your hunting needs, in each case bringing unique advantages to the table that you won’t find elsewhere: it all depends on what hunting you have in mind. Why not take a look at the lineup before the archery season kicks off?
