question about pins and yard estimation

SWOSUMike · 10-18-2004, 11:37 PM

I have been shooting for several years now. I have always been most comfortable hunting with a pendulum sight becuase I don't think I have the best judgement of distance. Yes...I could put out markers around my stand at several yard intervals, but I have a pendulum, so I use it. However, it shoots high from the ground, but pretty good in a tree. However, using aluminum arrows and 100 grain tips, bow set at 56 pounds, I am only accurate to approx 28 yards. At 28 yards, clean bullseyes from a stand, but at 30 yards, the arrows hit the ground, about 8-10 inches below the bottom of my bullseye on the target. This means I have to use a marker at 28 yards no matter what, since 2 yards drops the arrow so much with my pendulum. I was wondering, for you guys who use pins with a setup similar to mine (PSE Nova at 56 pounds, Easton Aluminum Superlites XX75 2213), what distances do you set your pins at and how much do they drop with each setting? I know carbon guys who can practically use one pin with fast bows, but these are the arrows that I have and will just be happy with until I have some more money. I feel limited with my pendulum in that I can't take a 30 yard shot, but I like that it compensates the distance for me since I am not confident in my distance judgement. I am still thinking of putting the pins on though and just adjusting and using markers, but I only have three pins and if I have a 10, 20, and 30 yard pin, I don't know what the difference will be when I get a 15 or 25 or even 27 yard shot.

mjqood0 · 10-19-2004, 03:12 AM

Doesn't sound like a sight problem to me unless you're nearing where the sight is level and thus, the pendulum action isn't working.

I'd be tempted to raise the tree stand about 5 feet and try a 30 yard shot. This should make the angle to the target great enough that it would be equivilent to a 28 yard shot at your current stand height. THis should tell you if it's the pendulum or not.

Other than that, it sounds kinda like a bow problem... Are you really loosing that much energy in 2 yards?

C-WOODS-SHOOT · 10-19-2004, 07:22 PM

Mike , I shoot 58 lbs. with a 440 grain carbon arrow. I use two sight pins , one set at 20 and the other at 30. Anything less than 20 yards I just aim a couple inches low. It sounds like your biggest concern is judging distance. Here's what works for me. When setting up your tree stand take a note card and something to write with. After clearing your shooting lanes use a rangefinder or step off the yardages to trees and such in your shooting lanes. Map all of this on your note card and bring it with you when you hunt from that stand. Take a look at it each time you settle in to your stand until it is memorized. If you're constantly moving your stands this may be a hassle though.

mjqood0 · 10-20-2004, 02:49 AM

Along these same lines, they do sell reflective trail markers that look like clothes pins. I know someone who puts them in his shooting lane. He uses colors for yardages which correspond to his sight pins. Green for 15, red for 20, etc... seems like a smart idea!

ijimmy · 10-20-2004, 06:04 AM

It sounds like a sight problem to me , your drop from 28 yards to 30 yards should be about an inch to an inch and 1/2 . Six to eight inches is way wrong for 2 yards , maybe the sight is not pivoting corectly when you change the angle of the bow . My setup is very similar to C-WOODS , and has served me well for many years .

djoliva · 10-21-2004, 08:58 PM

I shoot a 370 gr. carbon arrow at 70 lbs. I have two pins set at 25 and 35 yards. 25 yard pin, for hunting purposes, is in the kill zone up to 30 yards. The 35 yard pin is in the kill zone from 30 to 40 yards. This way I only have to guest if my shot is over or under 30 yards. I have never tried a shot beyond 40 yards. This has worked fine for me for 12 years.