The Best Hunting Crossbows for Gifts & Getting Started

A crossbow is one of the most exciting gifts on this whole site — and one of the few worth a moment of caution before you buy. It's a big-ticket item, and which crossbow someone wants can come down to fit, draw weight, brand loyalty, and even what's legal in their state's seasons. The happiest version of this gift is the one you give when you already know they want to get into crossbow hunting.

The good news: the packages below are built exactly for gifting and for getting started. Each is sold ready to hunt, so the essentials to start shooting come in the box rather than as a pile of separate purchases. And if a whole crossbow feels like too big a swing, we've included the smarter, cheaper companion gifts — broadheads and a target — that any bow or crossbow hunter will genuinely use. Every price is live from Amazon.

A quick word on how to read this list. The two crossbows are here as the complete-packagegifts — the ones to give when you already know someone wants in. The broadheads and the target are here as the lower-stakesgifts — the ones to give when you're not sure, when the budget is tighter, or when the hunter already owns a bow and just needs the things that get used up and worn out. Read from the top if you're buying the big present; skip to the bottom two if you want a sure thing.

Be honest with yourself here, because it saves everyone the awkward return. A crossbow is a personal, big-ticket buy. The right one depends on how they hunt, what fits their frame and draw preference, whether they already lean toward a brand, and even the local rules — crossbow legality and seasons vary by state, so it's worth a quick check that a crossbow is legal for the seasons they hunt before you commit.

It's also worth knowing that the crossbow world doesn't start and end on one retailer. Brands like Ravin and CenterPointalso sell crossbows, packages, and parts direct through their own channels, so a recipient who's picky has options beyond any single package. All of which is a long way of saying: if youpick the crossbow, pick it because you already know they want to get into it. If there's any doubt, the add-ons below are the safer play.

We don't run a test lab and we don't pretend to. These picks are compiled from each product's published specifications, its reputation among hunters, and the things that matter for a gift: a complete ready-to-hunt package for the crossbows, trusted brands, and a sensible price for the tier — plus companion gifts that are useful, affordable, and impossible to get wrong. You can read the full method on our how we choose page. Prices come from a live data feed, so the number you see is current, not a stale figure typed in months ago.

A "ready-to-hunt" crossbow package is a real head start, but it's worth knowing what it generally does and doesn't include so the gift feels complete. A package like these typically covers the essentials to start shooting — the crossbow, an optic to aim with, and arrows — which is exactly what makes them good gifts and good starter setups. What most new owners still end up buying are the things that turn practice into hunting: a target to shoot into all summer, and hunting broadheadsfor the arrows once the season arrives, since the arrows in a package are usually set up for practice. That's the whole logic behind including the Rage broadheads and the Morrell target on this list — whether you give the crossbow or not, those two turn a bow into a season.

If you know they want a crossbow and want the standout gift, the Barnett Whitetail Hunter is the complete, trusted package. If you want that same ready-to-hunt experience on a smaller budget, the CenterPoint Hellion 400 is the value swing. If a whole crossbow is more than you want to spend, or they already own one, the Rage Hypodermic broadheads are a practical, restock-able gift they'll use every season. And the Morrell target is the universal add-on— cheap, useful, and welcome for anyone who shoots a bow or crossbow at all.

If you do give a crossbow, a couple of honest notes make you look thoughtful and keep the new owner safe. Modern crossbows are cocked with a rope cockeror a built-in crank — not by hand — which makes the draw manageable and, just as important, keeps it even so the bow shoots straight. The cardinal rule is simple: never dry-fire a crossbow (fire it without an arrow), which can damage the bow and hurt the shooter. And like any bow, it rewards practice, which is exactly why a target belongs in this guide — a few afternoons in the backyard turn a new crossbow into real confidence before opening day. None of this is complicated, but a friendly heads-up tucked in the box is the mark of a gift chosen with care.

Shopping for an archer or bowhunter? Browse all gifts for bowhunters, find the perfect present for the person who already has everything, add an easy extra from gifts under $50, or see every gear guide in one place.