Parker Tomahawk Review

Model	Draw Weight	Stroke	Velocity	Suggested Arrow Length	Crossbow Length / Weight
Parker Tomahawk Check price on Amazon.com	160 lbs.	10.75"	320 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning	20"	34.25" / 6.5 lbs.

Package Contents

Welcome to my review of the Parker Tomahawk crossbow. The Tomahawk is a lightweight, compact crossbow perfect for hunting from a deer stand our ground blind. Each package delivered by Parker Bows includes the following items: 

• The Parker Tomahawk Crossbow, including stock and bow assembly
• Assembly hardware and Allen wrench
• Quick-detach 4-arrow quiver
• 4 x 32mm Multi-Reticle Scope
• Instruction Manual
• Warranty Card

Assembling The Crossbow

The Parker Tomahawk comes almost fully assembled, right out of the box. Unlike most crossbows, even the scope is already mounted for you, cutting out one step of the assembly process.

Assembling the crossbow is as easy as you would expect. You simply attach the bow assembly to the stock and barrel using the included bolts and Allen wrench. The quiver attaches quickly, and then you’re ready to shoot.

The only thing I would recommend checking that isn’t detailed in the instruction manual are the screws that secure the action to the stock and barrel. There are two of these, one at the front of the trigger and one behind the grip. My Tomahawk had these two screws both loose, which affected my accuracy when I was trying to sight in the bow.

Ballistic Data For The Parker Tomahawk

Your actual results will vary slightly depending on weather, and significantly with arrow weight change. See our Crossbow Ballistics Guides section for a complete understanding of how we conducted our tests and why this data matters.

Accuracy And Power

Once the crossbow is sighted in, it is a deadly accurate deer slaying machine. The trick is getting it sighted in. The scope is perfectly fine, but my Tomahawk had loose action screws that resulted in my bolts going all over the place. For the first dozen shots, I chased the scope, thinking the scope wasn’t holding zero. Once I figured out these screws were loose, though, I was able to start seriously testing the accuracy of the crossbow.

Once sighted in, I was able to hold a half-inch grouping from 25 yards. Seeing how accurate the crossbow was up close, I backed up to about 60 yards from the target and tested the long-range accuracy. I was very pleased with the results, getting 1.5-inch groupings from 60 yards! I’ve never shot a crossbow this accurate, so it’s definitely a hunting crossbow.

The Parker Tomahawk flings arrows off the rail at a blistering 320 fps, and the arrows hit the target with 93 ft. lbs. of force. This is enough force to drive the arrows deep into the most sturdy crossbow target, even pushing the target block back if it isn’t secured properly.

Hunting: What To Expect

Since the Parker Tomahawk fires arrows with 93 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy, the crossbow is powerful enough for any legal game in North America. The accuracy makes it readily usable for everything from small game, like rabbits and squirrels, to larger game like grizzlies or Cape buffalo.

Weight in 6.5 lbs., the Tomahawk is easy to carry through the bush. At a short 34.25” long, the Tomahawk is compact enough for small spaces like deer stands or ground blinds. With as small as the crossbow is, you’d think Parker would make a blackout version of the crossbow, but they don’t (yet.) This means if you do hunt from a ground blind, you have to be careful not to let light reflect off the surfaces of the bow.

On one hunting trip with the Parker Tomahawk, I spotted a large buck about 55 yards away from my deer stand. Normally, I err on the side of caution and try to hold out on shots that far out, but with the amazing accuracy I have with this crossbow, I decided to go for it. I took careful aim just above the buck’s shoulder, and waited to make sure he wasn’t going to bolt. As he lowered his head to eat some mast, I took the shot and hit him directly where I wanted—in the heart. He stumbled less than 10 yards before he fell to the ground, dead and ready butcher block.

Kinetic Energy Of The Parker Tomahawk

When you’re hunting with a crossbow, there are two characteristics that are important for selecting the right crossbow for the hunt: accuracy and kinetic energy. From point blank range, the Parker Tomahawk’s shots blast into the target at 320 fps, with 93 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy. Of course, most shots won’t be at point blank range, so it’s important to know that you’ll lose a few percent ft. lbs. for every yard beyond point blank range. A 30-yard shot, therefore, would have approximately 85 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy behind it. This is still plenty powerful enough to take on even the sturdiest North American game, like the Cape buffalo or the grizzly bear.

Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.

Cocking The Parker Tomahawk

The Parker Tomahawk has a draw weight 160 lbs. While this isn’t a terrible draw, it’s still advisable to use a rope-cocking device. These devices help ease the strength required to draw the bow, and ensure a consistent, even draw. Unfortunately, Parker doesn’t include a rope-cocking device in its stock packages, so you will need to purchase one on your own.

The draw is smooth and easy, especially with the rope-cocking device. I’ve cocked the Tomahawk at least 100 times, and haven’t noticed any wear on the serving or the string.

The Crossbow Scope

The base package of the Parker Tomahawk comes with 4 x 32mm Multi-Reticle Scope already mounted. The scope might have been sighted in out of the box, but I can’t be certain because of the problems I mentioned before about the action retaining screws. Once sighted in, though, the scope has held zero for months, even between hunting seasons.

The scope is very clear and accurate, with the target and reticle clearly visible even out as far as 75 yards. The scope isn’t illuminated, unfortunately, but Parker does sell a package that comes with an illuminated reticle scope. In normal daylight conditions, and even some low-light conditions, I found the multi-reticle scope very useful and suited for hunting.

See our detailed guide on how to sight-in your crossbow

Bolts

The Parker Tomahawk comes with 4 400-gr bolts with field tips. These bolts are acceptable, but I prefer my Excalibur Firebolt arrows. The included bolts are carbon, so you don’t need to worry about them breaking or bending as easily as aluminum bolts would. The only tip I can give you if you stick with the included bolts is to mark each one, and make note of the shooting characteristics of the bolts. Parker’s bolts are a bit inconsistent, and some will shoot a bit lower than others from a distance.

You can also learn more about crossbow arrows and take a look at our broadhead recommendations

Safety and Design

The Parker Tomahawk is well built, with excellent safety features. The G2 Bull-Pup Trigger is very smooth and light to pull, and the safety and anti dry-fire mechanisms work flawlessly every time. The vented forearm with safety finger flanges makes it easy to ensure your fingers are out of the way of the string when you fire.

Warranty

Parker provides a lifetime warranty on the Tomahawk, and they stand by the warranty. When I called to let them know about the loose action screws (almost a year after I purchased the crossbow, mind you), they offered to repair or replace the crossbow at no cost. Their customer service representatives are awesome people, knowledgeable, and eager to help the customer.

What Crossbow Case Fits the Parker Tomahawk?

For only about $66 the Carbon Express Deluxe Case is a soft case steal; however, it might not accommodate your crossbow, if you have a large scope. The Allen Company case is also a decent soft case choice at only a fraction of the cost.

Crossbow Review – Summary

Thanks for reading my crossbow review of the Parker Tomahawk. This is an excellent crossbow, especially considering its bargain price. I’ve come to rely on the Tomahawk to put meat on the table, and I’m sure it will suit you well as a hunting crossbow, too. Take a look at today's amazon.com price on this crossbow and check out our top 10 crossbows rankings for more.