RE: looking for some advice
The Excalibur is a great place to start, but rest assured if it is on your lap when a deer steps in at 10 yards you may as well be holding a bowling ball with a strobe light on it. There is no weapon than can gracefully come off your lap at 10 yards in the presence of a deer, matter of fact, you would likely be more apt to raise a compound than a crossbow, they aren't small.
Good deals are known to happen, but you have to keep an eye out, there are others that are looking for the same good deal.
So far the only benefit I have found for the crossbow is when I am wearing bulky clothes, I am fortunate enough to still be able to use my compound with ease, at least for now. Truth be told, I still like the crossbow the most, all the challenge of archery as far as hunting is concerned, and they require less maintenance, that I simply don't know how to do to my compound