Single Pin "Holdover"

[GhillieBow]

Curious about how other single pin bow hunters take their shots. So far I've been getting skunked all season and haven't gotten a shot on a deer.
Besides that point, I moved somewhere I can shoot out to around 40 yards and all my neighbors are fine with it, which has given me a lot of time to practice.

I've found that I can shoot very tight groups anywhere from 15-35 yards with my slider set to 25 yards. The question I'm getting at is do you all usually have time to range a deer, dial your pin, and get drawn back when presented with a shot? Or is most everyone keeping their pin set at around 20 yards and holding slightly high or low depending on the range you estimate the deer to be?

I'm just thinking keeping my pin set at 25 yards will give me less to fumble with when I got a deer in range. I'd appreciate any feedback!

 

[TnKen]

I set mine at 20 and anything farther I move it. I have time on longer shots typically to range first and then set the pin. I can't think of a time that strategy has cost me a deer.

 

[JN]

I leave mine set at 20 and just adjust my aim according to the yardage. Also on my sight there is another dot under the single pin and it has a separate marker on the dial showing the yardage of it. So I use the 20 yard pin from 10-25 then I use the bottom dot for 30+

 

[GhillieBow]

I leave mine set at 20 and just adjust my aim according to the yardage. Also on my sight there is another dot under the single pin and it has a separate marker on the dial showing the yardage of it. So I use the 20 yard pin from 10-25 then I use the bottom dot for 30+

Yeah I'm looking to upgrade to a double stack single pin. I have the axcel accuhunter right now.

 

[Specializedjon]

I have mine set at 30 and hold slightly under or over.

Missed 4 times last year. Don't listen to any bow hunting advice from me

 

[Ski]

I had a Fast Eddie for a time and didn't like it for hunting. Love it for practice but too many times I had good clear shots at bucks I couldn't range and adjust before the moment was gone. For hunting it is really hard to beat fixed pin.

I rarely even need to range a deer. I sit in tree and range everything around me so when a deer comes through I already know which pin to use. No ranging and no adjusting. I can keep my eye focused on the point of aim while I draw the bow and settle the appropriate pin and release all in one fluid motion. Nothing to fumble with and I get the shot off quick.

 

[bowhunter163]

I leave mine set at 25. If I decide to shoot past 35 it's going to be in s situation where I can set my pin. I won't rush a shot that far.

 

[East TN Bowhunter]

I had a Fast Eddie for a time and didn't like it for hunting. Love it for practice but too many times I had good clear shots at bucks I couldn't range and adjust before the moment was gone. For hunting it is really hard to beat fixed pin.

I rarely even need to range a deer. I sit in tree and range everything around me so when a deer comes through I already know which pin to use. No ranging and no adjusting. I can keep my eye focused on the point of aim while I draw the bow and settle the appropriate pin and release all in one fluid motion. Nothing to fumble with and I get the shot off quick.

Yep I agree with Ski here, I get so shook up and don't need any additional BS to mess around with or try to remember to do in the moment of truth. I shoot a 5 pin fixed trophy ridge React H5 sight, like it because it is lighter than the react pro and I can hold much more steady the lighter it is. The first thing I do when I get in tree is range everything around me I can so I have landmarks to base my yardage off of and no need to range when the time comes. All I have to remember is use a certain pin for a certain yardage.

 

[JN]

I have a react H5 as well on an older bow I will use every now and then. Once I got use to the single pin the 5 pin now seems so crowded to me and blocking my view of the target that I don't think I could go back to a 5 pin sight on my main bow now.

 

[Ski]

I have a react H5 as well on an older bow I will use every now and then. Once I got use to the single pin the 5 pin now seems so crowded to me and blocking my view of the target that I don't think I could go back to a 5 pin sight on my main bow now.

I get that. I never cared for a 5pin either. But I do like a 3pin. What I've got now is a 3pin slider so I can practice with it at distance or hunt with it out to 40 without having to adjust. If the situation presented itself that I felt good about shooting past 40yds at a deer, I have the option of adjusting.

 

[GhillieBow]

I get that. I never cared for a 5pin either. But I do like a 3pin. What I've got now is a 3pin slider so I can practice with it at distance or hunt with it out to 40 without having to adjust. If the situation presented itself that I felt good about shooting past 40yds at a deer, I have the option of adjusting.

A 3 pin slider sounds like the best of both worlds. Not too crowded but plenty of options at range.

 

[Ski]

A 3 pin slider sounds like the best of both worlds. Not too crowded but plenty of options at range.

It works for me. I shoot regularly at 50-100yds and when season would roll around I'd switch out to a fixed pin sight. Now I don't have to switch. Only thing I don't like is the weight. Sliders are heavy.

 

[JN]

I get that. I never cared for a 5pin either. But I do like a 3pin. What I've got now is a 3pin slider so I can practice with it at distance or hunt with it out to 40 without having to adjust. If the situation presented itself that I felt good about shooting past 40yds at a deer, I have the option of adjusting.

I actually picked up a 3 pin slider from ultraview about a month ago that I have been waiting to try out after season and waiting till after season has been killing me but I didn't want to start changing things on my bow during season when it was already dialed in.

 

[Iglow]

The sight hole on the riser of my bow goes all the way through so I made a twisted piano wire pin with a loop on the end and mounted it on the inside of the sight window. It came in at about 18 yards.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

Here is a tip I picked up from 4-pin shooter at a 3D tournament years ago and I've done it ever since and it has never failed me even with my single pin.

for most guys shooting 28.5-29 draw length. Draw a 1/4" line on a target for and sight in at 26yds for a fixed pin shooter and for a adjustable pin shooter sight in at 20yd and move the pin to 26yds.

Now step up to 20yds and shoot at the 1/4" line and you'll notice the arrow will hit 1.5"-2" above that line. Walk back to 30yds and hold on the line and you'll notice the arrow will hit 1.5"-2" below the line. There is a 3"-4" gap from 20-30yds.

What this means is that between 10-30yds, where 97% of all archery shots are taken, you will not have to think much about pin holdover or which pin to use. Just a slightly low or high holdover will get it done.

 

[tellico4x4]

Back when I could pull a bow I used a single fixed pin for whitetails & elk. As TDG said above, I never worried about hold over/under. At 75# I could hold center mass behind shoulder and kill out to 35 yds. Anything further is too far anyway imo.

 

[Laserman1]

I set my single pin for 30 yards. I love to 20, use the 30 pin and we how high it hits. Then move to 40 and use 30 pin and see how low it hits. Usually 2 inches at 20 and 4 inches low at 40. That gives me a 6 inch circle for 0-40 yard with 1 pin. I can't stack the arrows against each other at different distances but it's a dead deer out to 40 yards by just putting the pin on kill zone and releasing. Don't need to know the exact distance as long as I know it's not further that 40 yards

 

[david k.]

I set mine at 25 and hold 1-2" low at anything under 20 and 1-2" high at anything from 30-35 yards and that'll give tight groups at any range from 0-35 yards...I never have shot opportunities much past 35 yards in the spots I like to bow hunt.

 

[Iglow]

I made this pin from twisted piano wire for my finger bow. It happens the threaded hole is just right for 18 yards.

 

[DWB]

I'm with TNDEERGUY.I zero in at 27yds. If the deer is real close hold a little low. And at 30-32yds I'm just a inch or so low. Which they are dropping anyways.