Parker BushWacker 150 Crossbow Review

ModelDraw WeightStrokeVelocitySuggested Arrow LengthCrossbow Length / Weight
Parker Bushwacker 150

Parker BushWacker 150
Check price on Amazon.com
150 lbs.11"285 FPS


Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning
20"33.5" / 7 lbs.
Pros:
- Textured Pistol-Grip
- Ambidextrous safety
- Great for hunting small and medium sized game
- Well-balanced design as far as compound crossbows go
- Very light-weight for a compound
- Relatively quiet shooting
- Easy-to-hold, vented forearm
- Scope holds zero very well; easy to sight
- Lifetime Warranty from Parker
- Safety finger flange

Cons:
- No bolts included in the package
- May not be powerful enough to take down an elk from more than 20 yards away; will take down deer effortlessly though.
Small Game Hunting?yes2
Deer, Elk Hunting?yes2
Moose, Bear Hunting?No3
Target Shooting?yes2
Also Recommended:Best Parker Crossbows
Bushwacker Manual: Download PDF (start at page 10)

Parker BushWacker 150 Package Contents

Welcome to our Parker BushWacker Crossbow Review. Each package delivered by Parker includes the following items:

  •  The Parker Bushwacker 150 Crossbow (stock, prod, cams, string and cables)
  • Foot stirrup
  • Multi-reticle scope with 3x magnification
  • 3-bolt quiver
  • Assembly and maintenance booklet
  • Parker’s Warranty card (lifetime)
  • Assembly hardware (bolts, keys)

Unfortunately no bolts are included. (More on bolts further below.)

Assembling The Crossbow

Parker BushWacker 150The BushWacker 150 comes with cams, cable and string already installed. All you have to do is attach the prod to the stock, screw in the quiver and foot stirrup, and mount the scope. Included installation instructions make the process very simple for a beginner, thanks to detailed color-images. Expect assembly to take around 15 minutes if you’ve never owned a compound crossbow.

Accuracy And Power

The Parker BushWacker 150 is a crossbow designed for beginners and intermediate shooters, and as such is not meant to be exceptionally powerful. The scope is very easy to sight and you’ll be able to achieve tight, 2-3 inch bolt groups from 30-35 yards, pretty much out of the box. Expect the bolt to dig in a good 6 inches into a solid compressed foam target when shooting from as far as 30 yards.

Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.

Ballistic Data For The Parker BushWacker 150

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

Being a 285 FPS crossbow, the Parker BushWacker 150 is perfect for hunting small- to medium-sized game. When aiming at the shoulder of big fat buck, I easily achieved a full bolt pass-through from ~35 yards away. The deer only managed to run approximately 70 yards before it collapsed. The crossbow is also fast enough that your target won’t have enough reaction time to duck and possibly avoid the bolt.

If you want to hunt for larger game such as elk, the BushWacker 150 is not the ideal choice. While it’s definitely powerful enough to take down elk from 20 yards, I have reservations about whether it would be able to do the same from 30 or more yards away. I haven’t personally tried it, but the power output is somewhat lower than on a 305+ FPS crossbow. So if your goal is to hunt all game in North America regardless of size, see our comparison charts and find a crossbow with 305 FPS or more.

Cocking The BushWacker

As mentioned earlier in our Parker BushWacker 150 review, the crossbow does not include a rope cocking aid in the package. I recommend purchasing one to make the cocking procedure smoother, simpler, and more accurate. You can buy a rope cocking aid for $18.

The Parker BushWacker Crossbow Scope

Parker BushWacker 1502The package comes with a 3x magnification multi-reticle scope. It’s pretty much sighted right out of the box, and will require only minor adjustment for perfect accuracy. The scope will hold zero (remain properly sighted) reliably. Optics quality is not breathtaking, but it’s more than acceptable. If you plan to hunt in low-light or foggy conditions often though, I recommend buying a separate illuminated multi-reticle scope.

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

Bolts

As mentioned earlier in the review, the only real downside to the BushWacker 150 is that no bolts are included with the package. The crossbow is best suited for use with 20″, 400 grain carbon arrows. The grain weight includes broad-head/field point, so for example you’ll want a 300 grain shaft and a 100 grain field point. Slightly heavier arrows will do fine as well, but never use lighter arrows. Parker’s bolts come in packs of 6 and are very durable and straight – similar to those made by Barnett. Choose between either regular or Red Hot High Velocity bolts (amazon.com link). Don’t forget to get some field points and/or broad-heads as well (listed under the link above).

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

Safety And Design

The Parker BushWacker 150 crossbow is exceptionally safe to shoot. The anti dry-fire mechanism will automatically engage safety as soon as the crossbow is cocked. Safety can be disengaged using either a left or a right hand, as it has an ambidextrous design.

The textured pistol-style grip makes the BushWacker as comfortable to grip as a regular pistol. For extra safety and comfort, the forearm has been vented so that you can pass all your fingers through it when preparing to shoot your crossbow. A finger flange covers the fingers. All of the above make it all but impossible for your fingers to get caught in the way of the accelerating string, and make for extremely comfortable holding and shooting.

Parker’s Warranty

As mentioned earlier in this BushWacker 150 review, the crossbow comes with Parker’s lifetime warranty. Upon receiving the package, you will need fill out and mail a warranty card within 15 days to activate the warranty. The process can also be completed online (details are provided with the package). The crossbow is covered by a warranty for the life of the original owner, with the exception of:

  • The string
  • Cables

In the case of abuse or a dry fire, the warranty will be voided.

What Crossbow Case Fits the Parker Bushwacker 150?

The Carbon Express Deluxe Case may be purchased for a decent price and provides easy access to accessories, but does not do well with large scopes. The Allen Company case is a very affordable second choice which is in no way second rate.

Parker BushWacker 150 Crossbow Review – Summary

Thanks for reading our BushWacker crossbow review. This is a great weapon for hunters and target shooters alike. Beginners will appreciate it the most due to the modest price tag and great performance. 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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