[Deleted by Admins]

That is a good start. Once you are feeling good about your bow, you will determine what will work best for you in your shooting situations. I have 20, 30 and 40 set up on mine, but would never shoot 40 afield. Fact of the matter is I have to think long and hard if I have to use my 30 pin.
B

Depending on the speed of your arrow/trajectory, you may consider a 15, 25,35 pin. Most shots are right around 15 yards. On a slower bow (I' ve owned some) You could realistically have a 10, 20 and 30 pin. So the 15 yard pin would be a good compramise.

Plus trying to remember to aim lower on a sub 10 yard shot while using a 20 yard pin might be forgotten at the moment of truth.
The last arrow I sailed over an 8 points back becasue I aimed with the 30 pin while he was at 10 yards (I was UP there +25' ) caused me to switch to a pendulum.

Joseph

For skilled shooters and skilled bowhunters with their gear and themselves fined-tuned, a 30 to 40-yard shot can be difficult under " field" conditions. For most novice bowhunters, a 30 to 40-yard shot at a live deer under field conditions is nothing short of " I shot an arrow into the air, where it landed I know not where."

Until you acquire consistent proficiency, I would drop (raise) the 30-yard and 40-yard pin and set your (3) pins for 10, 20, and 25. If your bow is to be a soft or hard cam bow made in the last 10 years, these range setting should do you well and cover all the ranges in between and past the 25-yard pin which you will have to determine with your setup.

Why the 10-yard pin, you ask? Because you can miss a close shot as easily as you can a 20+ yard shot? Many bowhunters have and do, especially novice hunters. It is not uncommon to find shooters that tweak to the ultimate to hit the spot and group well at 20, 30, 40, 50-yard, but seldom, if ever, practice shooting at ranges of 10-yards and under and at steep angles.

Until you determine the trajectory performance of your shafts at particular distances and angles, and the actual kill zone that is available at certain distances and angles; for you, trying to " Kentucky" a 20-yard pin on the available spot of a deer that is 10-yards and closer -a deer that most likely is going to drop several inches when you fire, can easily be misjudged and often ends in a miss. You will still have to " Kentucky" that 10-yard pin for a very close shot, but it will be much easier than trying to do so with a 20-yard pin.

http://www.gcomag.com/112k2/atkinsonweb.htm

Do not allow yourself to acquire false confidence beyond your consistent level of proficiency; especially proficiency in the field which (proficiency) involves much more than hitting a spot on a range at known distances.

Shooting (range) targets at ground level at known distances does not fully prepare you for actual hunting conditions in the field. Typical range shooting is mainly for the purpose of tuning your bow, your equipment, and your form. How you and your gear perform on a range does not always and exactly transfer to the field.

You have plenty of time to learn to shoot greater distances, but until you become consistently proficient with a bow, why exceed your present limitations? Anyhow, regardless of the kills that are made, or professed to have been made, at 30, 35, 40, 50+ yards, most kills are still made at less than 25 yards, and many are made at yardage under 20-yards.

Once you become proficient IN THE FIELD, you can stick a pin on your bottom bow-limb and make some of those 80-yard shots some shooters claim that they have made.

Use two PINS!!!! 25 yard and 40 yard. Practice,Practice Practice.If the animal is 30 yards or less use the 25,if it' s over 30 yards use the 40. this works out to 45 yards.Buy a rangefinder and Practice,Practice,Practice.

When setting your pins (at whatever range), I put a pin at the bottom of the sight, aim at the target, and shoot a three arrow group (regardless of where the arrow goes) the main thing is consistent grouping. When you have a good group, you hold your pin on the spot your were aiming before, then loosen it and move it to where the arrows actually hit. After moving the pin, shoot a couple more groups. You should now be in the area you are aiming at. Again if the groups are consitent, you make the adjustment to where the arrows are hitting. This is just like siting in a rifle scope. After you have the first one sited, its easy. But when you start out you may not want to site in all your pins in one shooting. Do to fatigue, your pins can sometimes jump around. Anyway, now move back to your next range. Aim with the pin you just shot with until you have good groups, be sure you aim at the same place everytime. When you have good groups, hold that pin where you were aiming, and adjust your second pin to piont where your arrows went, with your first pin still aiming at the target. Again, make any final adjustments, and repeat for the other pins that you desire.

Being a begginer, I would prob start at 15yrds and go to 30yrds, at five yard increments....35yrds at the most with 10yrd increments.

I having been shooting bows since I was about 12 or 13, and only shoot 2 pins with my current bow, one does my from 15-25yrds. And the other out to about 35yrds. I' ve killed my last three deer with this setup at different ranges.

Bowhunting is extremely frustrating, can be at times dificult to get a handle on. I' ve seen many bowhunters come and go because they couldnt hack it. You get all set up, practice hard, you just keep going out, and going out till you get so mad and frustrated you want to throw your bow from a tree. I' ve been so pissed off at the sport that I' ve cried at missing big bucks, or having one walk just out of range(and I' m not ashamed to admit it!) But the fact of the matter is, your day will come!! I always thought I would never kill a deer when I first started....but I was determined, and after 4 long years, it happened...and that was the most memorable day of my life (next to my wedding day)!! It seems like once you get the first, it becomes somewhat easier, because of the stress factor. But regardless you will have good years and bad years, but you always have the memories.

Sorry to ramble on, but when I see new bowhunters, I do as much as I can to help out. Just remember to stick with it.

Man I wish I had a career doing this stuff !! I Love It!!!

Good Hunting All [8D]

10...20...30

C-903 summed it up pretty darn good

Keep the shots short for now