Number of site pins?

[Sitkaspruce]

I am just getting back into archery and am wondering what sight pins to use, more specifiaclly the numbers of pins? I shoot a Hoyt Vtec 58#, 29", 255 fps. I have a 5 pin Fuse sight but alot of the time I find it confusing on what pin to look at and it takes me a second or more to find the right pin. A good friend of mine says he had the same problem and went to a single pin. He says that his bow shoots flat enough, that all he has to do is site in at 20 tards and then move up or down as distance dictates, out to 30 yards. My questions are what type of pin set up do you like and why. Is my bow flat shooting enough to go with one pin? or maybe just three pins?
Thanks

[oldtimer]

Sitka. I use 5 pins set at 20, 30, 40, 50, & 60. I need these for 3D as targets can be out to 55 yards.
1 pin for a 10 yard gap may be alright for some but my bows are shooting close to 300 FPS and I would choose multiple pins any day.
Are your pins colored ?? I know that top red is 20, yellow is 40 etc. find it comes naturally after a while
My 2 cents Mike

[Bow Walker]

I agree with oldtimer - for the most part - on the use of multiple pins for hunting.

I differ a bit when it comes to the numbers though. Sitkaspruce, if you are just hunting then you can get away with just 3 or 4 pins maximum. Set your first pin at something like 12 - 15 yards. How to come to this number is relatively easy.

Start with shooting at the target from about 10 yards. Zero in on the bullseye and then pace back to 12 or 15 yards. Shoot the same pin at the same bullseye. With your setup you should be still hitting the bull from 12 to 15 yards.

Pace back a bit more (a yard or two) shoot the same pin at the same bullseye. If the arrow is starting to miss on the low side then pace forward to where you can hit the bullseye. This is your farthest distance for your first pin. Now you know that anything from 8 - 15 yards is dead if you shoot your first pin.

Repeat for the rest of your pins.

Sorry if I am giving a simplistic "lesson" to someone who doesn't need nor want it, but since I don't know where you are starting from I just thought to mention the sighting process from the beginning.

If you are going to be shooting strictly 3D then you will most likely need 5 or 6 pins. Oldtimer is right, some targets at 3D shoots are set out at 55 or 60 yards. Seems like a mile when you are at the stake getting ready to give it a try!

Good luck in your come-back.

dan.

[bwhnter]

I use 7 pis (20,30,40,50,60,70 and 80) but the last three are for target only. I find that when you shoot 80yrds it improves your form and when you step up to the 50 yrd target it seemd close and adds to your confidence.

[huntwriter]

My self imposed maximum shooting range is 30 yars. Use two pins, one set at 10 yards, (for 0 to 18 yards dead on) the other pin set at 25 yards, (for 18 to 30 yards dead on).

Never needed more for hunting. I use my bow strictly for hunting and do no target archery shooting.

[sealevel]

If you only hunt a 3 pin would be all you need i like 15 30 45. I don`t like more than 3 for hunting cause i`am easly cofussed and i like a big enough gap between the pins that i can see clearly between them. I use 5pins for 3d.

[Fred]

I was set up with only 2 pins and it seemed to work well for me. Then I went to the first 3D in Penticton this spring. 2 pins did not work, not atall! I set up with 4 pins for the next 3D up there and improved a fair bit. Next time I might have to sneak my rangefinder onto the course though to get much better! Fred

[cowboy-up69]

I find it confusing on what pin to look at and it takes me a second or more to find the right pin.

Im the exact same way! I got 3 and thats bad enough! But when I get more confident with my bow, and arnt gettin consufesd any more, I'll get maybe one more for 5o yards, but we'll see.

[Bow Walker]

Cowboy , Sitka........
I started out the same way. I had a single movable pin on my first bow. It did me fine until I took that bow out for a walk in the woods - wasn't long before I changed to a 3 pin sight.

Shortly after that I went to a four pin and now I am settled at a 5 pin sight. It doesn't take very long at all before you get used to finding the correct pin for the yardage that you estimate.

The trick is in the estimation. Still working on that after all these years.

[huntwriter]

Cowboy , Sitka........
I started out the same way. I had a single movable pin on my first bow. It did me fine until I took that bow out for a walk in the woods - wasn't long before I changed to a 3 pin sight.

Shortly after that I went to a four pin and now I am settled at a 5 pin sight. It doesn't take very long at all before you get used to finding the correct pin for the yardage that you estimate.

The trick is in the estimation. Still working on that after all these years.

I mark the trees for the shooting distances with a small tack. One tack is up to 18 yards, two tacks for 18 to 30 yards. I put the markers on the trees when I scout for the stand location. I also take a range finder with me on every scouting and hunting trip. All this eliminates a lot of the guess work and gives me confidence to shoot and not worry.

I tried three pins and it is to much clutter in the sight picture. Again I do not want to think about what pin to chose or worry about anything when I pull the string back.