| Model | Draw Weight | Stroke | Velocity | Suggested Arrow Length | Crossbow Length / Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Excalibur Vixen 2 Check price on Amazon.com | 150 lbs. | 13.5" | 285 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning | 20" | 35.5" / 5.9 lbs. |
| Pros: - Good hunting recurve crossbow - Includes rope-cocking device - Available in pink camo for female hunters Cons: - Packaged scope does not have illuminated reticles - No anti-dry fire mechanism | Small Game Hunting? |  |
| Deer, Elk Hunting? | |
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| Moose, Bear Hunting? |  |
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| Target Shooting? | |
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| Also Recommended: | Best Excalibur Crossbows |
Package Contents
Welcome to this Crossbow Review of the Excalibur Vixen II Varizone Crossbow Package. The Excalibur Vixen II, with its short, light draw weight of 150 lbs., and its reduced pull length, was designed with smaller framed hunters in mind. The crossbow is finished in either Realtree Hardwoods HD or Realtree APC Pink. Each package delivered by Excalibur includes the following items:
The Excalibur Vixen II Crossbow, including stock and prod
- Assembly hardware and tools
- Varizone Scope with mounting rings
- 4 Firebolt 20” Carbon arrows
- Detachable quiver
- Rope-cocking device
- Instructional manual
- Warranty card
Assembling The Excalibur Vixen II Crossbow
The Vixen II is astonishingly easy to assemble, and I had it up and running for sight-in within 15 minutes. The first step is to mount the prod assembly onto the stock and riser using the Allen screws and Allen wrench Excalibur includes in the box. After that, I installed the foot stirrup and the quiver. Finally, I installed the sights and mounted the Vari-Zone scope.
One of the nicest things about recurve crossbows is that you can restring them in the field if you need to. I also carry a bow stringer and an extra bowstring just in case. Yes, I know that my grandfather probably used the “step-through” method of stringing his bow, but that method has been proven unsafe for all archers. So, use the bow stringer for your safety as well as your crossbow’s.
Accuracy And Power
The Excalibur Vixen II shoots 325-gr arrows at up to 285 fps, with 59 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy. This crossbow isn’t the most powerful on the market, but it will get the job done. The arrows have enough kinetic energy to knock my target into a tree hard enough to leave an imprint.
Once I had sighted in the crossbow, I started doing accuracy tests. I was delighted with how well this crossbow shot, giving me 1” groupings from 25 yards and 2” groupings from 50 yards. I even moved back to 80 yards and kept my groupings within a 4” circle.
Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.Ballistic Data For The Excalibur Vixen 2
- Speed Reduction
- Kinetic Energy
- Hunting Requirements
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.
Hunting: What To Expect
The Excalibur Vixen II packs enough of a punch to take down most small- to medium-sized game and some large game. Deer, wild turkeys, antelope, elk, and wild boar are all good targets for the Vixen II.
When I took the Vixen II out into the bush, I saw an elk cow wander past my stand. I took careful aim and fired, hitting her square in the shoulder and puncturing her lungs and heart. The arrow went all the way through her body and rattled down on the ground. She trotted off about 10 yards before she expired, from either blood loss or her punctured heart and lung.
Cocking The Excalibur Vixen II
The Excalibur Vixen II has a draw weight of 150 lbs., something most men can handle. Even so, you should still use the rope-cocking device to draw the crossbow, since the rope-cocking device will help ensure you get an even draw back on both sides of the string.
Drawing the Vixen II is like cutting through butter with a hot knife: smooth and silky.
The Crossbow Scope
The Vari-Zone scope is on the low end of the high quality scopes Excalibur makes. It is a very nice scope, with multiple reticles and adjustable settings for different speeds of crossbows. This scope allows you to compensate for different arrow speeds between 250 and 350 fps in 10-yard increments.
My Vari-Zone scope was mostly sighted in straight out of the box, and it only took three shots to make the necessary windage and elevation adjustments. Once I had the scope sighted in, it held zero into the woods and back. In fact, months later, I still have not had to sight in the crossbow again.
The only drawback to the Varizone scope is the fact that it does not have illuminated crosshairs. In foggy, low-light conditions, the reticles are almost impossible to read, which means that a shot that might have been clean and perfect will be missed because you can’t be sure of your target and beyond without reticles to aid your range.
See our detailed guide on how to sight-in your crossbowArrows
The Vixen II ships with 4 20” Firebolt carbon arrows, which are some of the nicest crossbow arrows I have ever seen prepackaged with a bow. In fact, they may be some of the nicest arrows I’ve seen, period, and I have pretty much stopped using any of my other crossbow arrows unless I need to use another brand for testing purposes.
If you do purchase after-market arrows for use with your Excalibur Vixen II, make sure you purchase 20” carbon arrows weighing at least 325 grain. You can use heavier arrows, but never use lighter arrows with this crossbow.
You can also learn more about crossbow arrows and take a look at our broadhead recommendationsSafety and Design
Like all of Excalibur’s crossbows, the Vixen II is a very safe and reliable crossbow. The safety is solid, engaging when it should and disengaging with ease when I’m ready to shoot. The trigger pull is quite nice, with just a bit of play before it starts to break over. The only problem I have with this crossbow, from a safety standpoint, is its lack of an anti-dry fire mechanism. I would strongly recommend buying the Guardian Anti-Dry Fire accessory, also made by Excalibur, to ensure you do not have any accidental dry fires.
Warranty
The Vixen II, like other Excalibur crossbows, carries a five-year unconditional warranty against manufacturer’s defects. After the five years is up, Excalibur will extend warranty coverage at its discretion for the lifetime of the original owner.
What Crossbow Case Fits the Excalibur Vixen 2?
The Excalibur Vixen 2 is a rather wide crossbow, but it fits quite nicely into the Plano 1133-00 Manta Crossbow Case. It is designed with an extremely durable, hard poly shell. The interior is cushioned with foam padding and it features an adjustable tall-stock. The Plano 1133-00 Manta Crossbow Case may be purchased for right at $120.
Crossbow Review – Summary
Thanks for reading this review of the Excalibur Vixen II crossbow. This crossbow is well made, reliable, accurate, and deadly out to at least 75 yards. If you are a smaller framed hunter, a woman, or a youth, this crossbow is made just for you, so try one out. Take a look at today's amazon.com price on this crossbow and check out our top 10 crossbows rankings for more.
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