Guys,

Am only in my second season of bow hunting so my experience with a compound bow is not large.

My bow is a 2000 model Martin Phantom with Z cams. It has a Bushnell Holosight mounted on it. Earlier this year I've taken two deer with it at similar ranges. Both were perfect hits.

Mid day yesterday I checked the sight-in of the bow and it was hitting just where I wanted it to go. At dusk last night I missed a very nice 8 point at 24 yards. Complete miss. Was excited, but was not panicky and the release was good.

(Last year I experienced problems on the third deer too. Sight on the bow had moved coming down from a tree and I had not caught it.)

So, today I checked the sight-in. First two shots were perfect. Third, 4th, and 5th were a foot to the right and 3 inches high at the same 24 yard distance. 6th shot was back to what I thought was the sight-in point.

I have checked for a sticky rest, loose bolts, and a loose sight mount. Nothing seems wrong.

I have noticed that the bow's impact point has changed since last year ... seems to reguire more raising of the arrow tip relative to the sight to get to the same elevation at distance.

I have probably shot the bow a 1000 to 1200 rounds in the last year ... and never seen this kind of thing.

Seems to me it could be the laser sight ... will check that by mounting a set of pins and seeing if it has a consistent impact point.

Could it be string or cable wear? How do you know when a string has had it?

Anything else I should look for?

Thanks,

I have noticed that the bow has

[ 11-03-2002, 04:23: Message edited by: mstarling ]

Sounds to me as if your form isn't 100% consistant in particular your setup and anchor.
Are you shooting a release? If so what are you using for your anchor points. Also are you twisting your bow hand and the bow?

Let us know
Thanks

Amos,

The Holosight is designed to project three images at apparently different depths. When the dot and the two circles are concentric ... you have the bow in alignment. Has been working pretty well until the bow started to act up. Had to learn to shoot each arrow at a different target to prevent piling them up.

Yes, I shoot a release. Obviously has to be squeezed not jerked. Yes, I mark the corner of my mouth as the hold reference point with the tip of my right thumb.

Had lots of experience with recurves many years ago and that helped getting back to a consistent form ... at least so I thought.

Have a different holosight mounted on an IPSC racegun that has taken 10's of thousands of rounds of shock and survived so far ... but this problem makes me suspicious of the internals of the sight.

Mike,

I'm not sure if this is your problem but it was one of mine. My rest was an issue. Seems if the fletching on my carbons had a little extra glue it would throw that arrow off every time. I hate prong rests. That little bit of odd glue would hit the rest prongs. Also, as the prong covers wear the arrow POI changes too. I hated tuning all the time. So.....

I tried the Whisker Bisquet and I have NO regrets. It sure has made for much better consistancy for me.

Yours could be a combination of things too. Strings do stretch. You should check to see if your bow is still "square" when the arrow is on the rest. Over time this can change.

Now all I need is some close up deer to shoot!

Mike,

I'll be very interested as to how this turns out as I have a friend who is having similar problems.
He has normally shot his Matthews with Holosight very well but also has shot under a buck at his normal killing range. Buck fever? Maybe. Maybe not. If you are shooting right or left the answer would simply be where the string is when you release. The Holosight simply tells you that the bow's riser is in alignment and not torqued. If the string is right of where it should be the arrow will go left and vice versa.
Another good thing to do is to number your arows to see if one has certain characteristics ( always hi,low,right ,left.)I will read with interest other replies.Russ

mstarling

I hate to admit it but I have had this problem too and it has lost some deer.
I would look at Three things to start.
1) Anchor point: This was one thing I screw up on even as much as I shoot. I find that when I get tired I tent to throw arrows high. I can rest a bit and then "the bow shoots great again". This does not fit your problem though.
2) Arrow condition: I shoot all kinds of arrows but hunt with Easton 3315s. I find that an arrow can sometimes by "out of tune". This happens when I am not careful putting them together. A few grains of hot melt or epoxy can make things tricky. Flex placement is another area as well as You broad head tuning. Carbon arrows can setup more finicky then 3315s.
3) Shoot threw rests: This is the place I have found causes me to miss most often and it can be high , low ,left or right. I'll shoot until I get my rest set just right and then Locktite it into place. I hear everyone going "WHAT!? ". It Works for me.

The sight you have is a great one and although it could be it I would look at other areas. If it does turn out to be the sight I hope you can let us know what the problem is.
Thanks and good luck. Too bad about the buck but there is more in the woods.
DOA

mstarling,
Well how goes it?
Have you figured it out yet?

It sure sounds like an anchor point issue. I have had similiar problems occasionally. You might also try numbering the arrows to see if it is consistantly grouping certain ones differently.

MFH

Lady and Gentlemen,

I took the bow into the shop and had it fitted with new cables, a new string. a whisker biscuit rest, a peep and a kisser.

Get it sort of sorted out ... but the peep was mounted too low on the string. Tried to hunt with it, but in the light of dusk I could not see the maker on the string I was using for reference.

So, today I moved the peep up myself.

There has been an additional problem that it's simply time to fix ... there is not enough adjustment side to side to get a center hold impact ... still about 6" left ... without canting the sight in the mount.

This is not a good thing, so am going to have to whack an adapter out of aluminum on the milling machine. I think the riser on my bow is abpout an 1/8" thicker than the the maker of the mount expected.

The bow does seem to be grouping however ... and the 8 point is back. May take a run at him in the next few days. Really would like to put this guy in the freezer! Would restore my confidence a little, and tag me out for the bow season.

Thanks for all of the good ideas.

I am glad you got it figured out! Now make sure you take a picture of that 8 point

Mstarling, I'm sorry that you threw in the towel on the holosight. I was hoping you would come up with a solution.Did your archery shop have any ideas about what was happening?

Russ,

Didn't throw in the towel on the Holosight. Like it too much to do that.

What I did was to add a peep in the string and a kisser to improve the consistency of anchor.

Did find that the riser of my bow is thicker than the mount manufacturer had counted on ... need to make a new piece that allows the holosight to be mounted further away from the inside of the riser. Haven't found a piece of material to mill that piece out of yet.

So ... for the rest of the bow season I'll have to take my chances on finding the distance that yields the coincidence of impact and aiming windage.

The phase of the mood and heavy weather have conspired to keep the big buck out of the hunting area. He seems to run a pattern that would put him back here tomorrow or Wednesday. I'd sure like to get another shot at him before the gun season opens ... I fear he hasn't got the good sense to avoid being shot opening day. Have sat and watched a number or doe, a 4 point and a spike but haven't taken a shot.

Even if I don't see him again, I've already taken two for the freezer with the bow this year (max allowed in WV is 3) ... and I shouldn't complain about that ... some very good eating in the future is already assured.

Will keep you fine folks informed of how it is going.