Who Barnett Whitetail Hunter II is for
The most forgiving package in this group: it ships sighted-in close enough to shoot the same evening, and the multi-reticle scope takes the guesswork out of the first forty yards.
It is also our top choice in the best crossbow for deer hunting guide, where we explain why 350 fps is already well past the energy a whitetail needs and what to weigh beyond the speed number.
Once you outgrow that stock 4x32's fixed forty-yard reticle, our best crossbow scopes guide covers the illuminated and rangefinding options worth considering as an upgrade.
What the maker claims
Straight from the manufacturer's own listing, unedited. We have not independently measured these figures - they come from the maker's own listing.
BARNETT WHITETAIL HUNTER II CROSSBOW: High-performance compound crossbow in RealTree Extra with complete hunting accessory package. The lightweight crossbow is ultra-compact, shooting 350 feet per second
EFFICIENT: Crossbow is equipped with an axle-to-axle length of 16.125" overall weight of just 6.4 lbs., creating an easily controllable profile that hunters of all skills and sizes can manage
SAFETY FEATURES : Soft Lok Floating Bristle Arrow Retainer, Anti-Dry Fire (ADF) Trigger System, TriggerTech 3lb zero creep Frictionless Release Technology
READY TO HUNT PACKAGE: Bow dimensions are 34.25"L x 18.25"W. Package includes two Headhunter 20" Arrows, Multi-Reticle Scope 4X32mm, Rope Cocking Device, Lightweight Side Mount Quiver, Lubrication Wax. Ships mostly assembled
BARNETT: The most trusted name in crossbows since 1962
How it compares
If you are cross-shopping the Whitetail Hunter II against a faster Killer Instinct package, our Whitetail Hunter II vs Burner 415 comparison sets the two side by side on speed, package and price.
Like any compound crossbow, the Whitetail Hunter II runs a string and cables that wear as consumables. Before your first service, it is worth knowing the cost to restring a crossbow and how often a compound actually needs it.
Barnett also sells the Recruit XP a rung down in speed and price - our Whitetail Hunter II vs Recruit XP comparison lays out whether the extra fps is worth the jump.
Killer Instinct's Lethal 405HD undercuts the Whitetail Hunter II on speed math while advertising 405 fps to its 350 - our Whitetail Hunter II vs Lethal 405HD comparison weighs that fps gap against the Whitetail Hunter II's higher 8.6 score.
Barnett is the brand with the widest lineup in our ranking - four bows in total. Our crossbows by brand guide lines up all four Barnett models, plus every other manufacturer we test, side by side.
The cheapest complete setup in the top five is CenterPoint's Dagger 405, a full price tier below the Whitetail Hunter II - our Whitetail Hunter II vs Dagger 405 comparison explains what the extra spend on the Barnett actually buys.
This score, like every rank on the site, is set and periodically re-checked by our editorial team from published specs and owner reports before any affiliate link is added.