I bought a new bowsight yesterday. It has only 3 pins. For hunting elk should I have the pins set at 20, 30, 40 or 15, 25, 35? I do not think I would take a shot past 40 yards so am leaning toward 15, 25, 35. Bruin.

Assuming that you are using one of the faster compounds, what I would do is toss two of the pins and just set one dead-on at 35yds to keep it simple. actually, that is what I do, except I never shoot over 30yds. That will put you a few inches high in close and at mid-range, and slightly low at 40yds, but still well within your 11" vital zone. Practice, and it's just a simple hold under at closer ranges.

well said Bruin, too many pins makes for too many mistakes.or so I'm told. I shoot instinctive, but the 3d'ers around here use one pin only quite a bit.

the chef

If you're using that Martin Lynx with aluminum arrows, you're going to need to set more than one pin. I would put one at 20 yds. and another at your max range.

I use a Keller pendulum sight for trre stand hunting and when on the ground, you lock the sight in place and use 1 pin. I've killed from 5 to 35 yds with a 30 yd zero. I practice to 45-50 yds some times, but would NEVER take a shot over 40 yds....I'm not that good....or at least I don't trust my luck beyond that and I've never lost an animal!!

quote:

Originally posted by Bruin:
I bought a new bowsight yesterday. It has only 3 pins. For hunting elk should I have the pins set at 20, 30, 40 or 15, 25, 35? I do not think I would take a shot past 40 yards so am leaning toward 15, 25, 35. Bruin.

#1, we need to know how fast your arrows are.

If you will not take a 40 yard shot, then you only need 2 pins. Keep that sight window open! I would use a 20 and 30 yard pin. If you are shooting pretty fast, you can set your second pin in the top third of the kill region and you will collect you animal if the shot is 35 yards.

I'm only shooting about 270fps, and I can use my top pin from 20 to 28 yards with only raising the bow about 3 inches on the target for the furthest of the 2. So, even a 30 yard pin on my bow was a waste.

Ultimately, that is why I only use one pin. Set to 20 yards. I aim at the back at 40 and I'm dead on, with an elk target.

I hunted elk last Sept. with a 1 pin sight. My bow was not real fast, 253 fps with a 400 grain arrow. I practiced out to 60 yards with it and learned the hold over needed. Considering elk have almost an 18" vital zone, there is some room for error. I finally killed my 6x6 bull at 50 yards. My pin was zeroed at 30 yards. If I do it again, I may run 2 pins, 30 and 50 yards, which gives 40 yards between the pins.

I am shooting a 534 grain arrow at 218 fps with the Martin Lynx Magnum set at 75# draw weight. a 475 grain arrow was only going 227 fps. I think I will stick with the 534 grain setup. I cannot remove any of the pins with this type of sight (at least it does not seem as if I can). I really do not think I would take a shot past 40 yards. So I think I will set the pins at 15, 25, and 35. Bruin.

Well it looks like I'm the only speed shooter around here, so here is my input. My bow is set at 62 lbs and at just over 5 grains per pound on arrow weight. I am shooting 320 + fps. one pin is nice especially when speed makes it hard to get the pins close together. I have found that a 25 yrd pin works nicely, it makes me about 2 inches high at 15 yds and 2 inches low at 40 yds. I have also used a 15yd and 40yd pins it gives enough room between pins to make sure of your target. when deciding how fast you want to shoot there are two schools of thought. to hit the animal with a heavy arrow to add shock to the animal or light and fast to go through sometimes without the animal even realizing what has happened. cutting a very deadly path, leaving a nice blood trail and keeping the animal close. I have acutally shot animals that never ran they flinched looked around and fell over. I shoot speed and I have never had an anamial go more than 78 yds (Hog or Deer) from point of impact but there are many stories from heavy arrow hunters also. just your preference.

Well, here's my two cents worth after 40 years of bowhunting. For Elk from the ground, get a sight with one pin. Takes all the confusion out of the mix. For deer from treestands, get a pendulum. Easy is best.