# Hypothetical: 25 yard shot with 20 and 30 yard sight pins



## TDBone (Sep 3, 2009)

Just curious to see how everyone approaches a situation like this. 

The situation is...you have a 25 yard shot but your sight has pins set at 20, 30, 40, 50. How do you aim and shoot the target?

Personally, I have found I shoot it better by placing the intended target between the 20 and 30 yard pins, then shoot. So, basically, my intended target spot is placed right between (In the middle of...) the 20 and 30 yard pins...essentially making it a 25 yard shot. 

However, I know many people who would just adjust by using the 20 yard pin and aiming a little high of the intended target spot...or use the 30 yard pin and aim a little low of the intended target spot.

What would you or what do you do in these situations?


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## BAMA HUNTER (Sep 3, 2009)

thats pretty much the same thing u are doing...right?


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## Huntinfool (Sep 3, 2009)

Essentially you're doing the same thing, but I see your point.  


I prefer to actually be aiming at a spot.  So, I would put the vitals in between the pins, then use my 20yd pin to pick a spot and let loose I suppose.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Sep 3, 2009)

I've done it both ways, using the pin and aiming high or low, and using the gap between the pins as my aiming point.

I think I shoot better when I have a pin to hold on my intended point of impact. 

That's why I switched to a single pin adjustable sight.  If I have my yardage right, the arrow is going to hit where I held my pin!


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## TDBone (Sep 3, 2009)

BAMA HUNTER said:


> thats pretty much the same thing u are doing...right?



Pretty much...but, my focus isn't on the same thing. I have much more confidence when I split the sights and use the "middle" as my mark rather than have my focus be on a set pin and aim it accordingly at a spot that just doesn't feel right because I am aiming at a spot that isn't the best kill shot (Figuring that the arrow will rise/fall accordingly and hit the proper kill spot.)...basically, a confidence thing...see what I'm sayin?


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## bladerunner55 (Sep 3, 2009)

pin gapping is usually the best technique when your hunting.depending on the your speed the pins should be real close together anyhow.even if i had a shot at 25 in the woods i would never think about gappin and i would just use the 20 or 30 yard pin because with my x force its pretty much no drop between 20 and thirty


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## BAMA HUNTER (Sep 3, 2009)

TDBone said:


> Pretty much...but, my focus isn't on the same thing. I have much more confidence when I split the sights and use the "middle" as my mark rather than have my focus be on a set pin and aim it accordingly at a spot that just doesn't feel right because I am aiming at a spot that isn't the best kill shot (Figuring that the arrow will rise/fall accordingly and hit the proper kill spot.)...basically, a confidence thing...see what I'm sayin?




gotcha...this sounds like exactly what i do.


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## rjcruiser (Sep 3, 2009)

DaddyPaul brought this up in the little pre-season challenge that Huntinfool put on.

I normally gapped it, but then tried a few with aiming about 3 inches high with my 20 yard pin.  Felt funny, although the results were pretty good.  Just couldn't get used to it, so I'll continue to gap it for the in between yardages.


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## Buckhead (Sep 3, 2009)

I think it depends on the velocity of your bow.  I am getting 280+ fps out of my Bowtech and use a single pin fiber optic sight.  The sight has a thumb screw that allows for yardage adjustment and I generally leave my pin set on 20 yds.  Since the bow shoots fairly flat, I don't have to adjust much either way unless the deer is over 30 yds.  Most of my shots are under 25 yds.  

I hunted for years with a round wheel compound bow that was much slower.   It chronoed just over 200 fps with heavier aluminum arrows.   On that bow, I had multiple sight pins and arrows had a much more arched trajectory.   On that bow, I had pins in 10 yd increments from 20 out to 50 yds.  On an in between shot, I would always use the next higher pin and would hold slightly under.  For me, that was a more reliable adjustment.  If I miscalculated, I always felt a shot that was slightly high was better than a shot slightly low.


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## dusty80 (Sep 3, 2009)

If I were shooting multiple pins I'd gap shoot. With my one pin I'd hold dead on. But with most of today hunting bows shooting in the 300 FPS range you would be about to hold dead on with the 20 or 30. 20 may be 3 inches low and 30 3 inches high at most.


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## wack em (Sep 3, 2009)

Im a gaper


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## riskyb (Sep 3, 2009)

i like to shoot pin gap, bc my pins are so close together its easy and leaves a little room for error


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## GREG66 (Sep 3, 2009)

pick a spot


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## Booner Killa (Sep 3, 2009)

I actually would aim below my POI about an inch with my top pin. I have one pin out to 30. I'd rather put my pin on something though personally. If it was a 35 yd shot, I'd put my 30yd pin a hair high, and dirll him.


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## Country835 (Sep 3, 2009)

Never had that problem. I put my corn at exactly 20 yards. Ha ha just joking (kinda). I would gap them but I have not had an in between shot yet.


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## BowanaLee (Sep 3, 2009)

I pin gap to the exact distance. Say its 33 yds. Even aiming with my 30 yd pin at a spot, I can still tell when its 1/3 of the way between 30 & 40 yds.


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## hound dog (Sep 3, 2009)

bladerunner55 said:


> pin gapping is usually the best technique when your hunting.depending on the your speed the pins should be real close together anyhow.even if i had a shot at 25 in the woods i would never think about gappin and i would just use the 20 or 30 yard pin because with my x force its pretty much no drop between 20 and thirty



Just put a 25 yard pin then you only have one pin to deal with if there no drop 20 to 30 yard.


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## BowHunter89 (Sep 3, 2009)

I only shoot one pin so I have learned how to compensate for different yardages at 25 I am zeroed so I would hold dead on.


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## bowbuck (Sep 3, 2009)

wack em said:


> Im a gaper



Hi my name is bowbuck and I'm a gaper too.   If I make my little brain work and don't get buck fever


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## kcausey (Sep 4, 2009)

I shoot one pin, zeroed at 30 yards....it's dead on the vitals from 0-35 yards (a tick high at 18-20, a tick low at 35, but in the vitals either way)....i aim at the top of the back at 40 and she drops mid-vitals.  About a pin's width above the back is deadly at 50 yards.


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## AJG516 (Sep 4, 2009)

I have the same pin setup as you and I too am alot more comfortable and accurate shooting gaps. Good luck this season!


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## whitworth (Sep 4, 2009)

*Depends on the bow*

It depends how fast your bow is?   How fast does your arrow drop, every five yards and every ten yards.  
I remember one, now ancient bow, that had to have pins every five yards.  The newer faster bows are much greater, on adjusting for distance.

If you don't know how your arrow drops from your bow, you're not really an archer.  And you particularly haven't done much independent practice.


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## BIGBUCK9 (Sep 4, 2009)

kcausey said:


> I shoot one pin, zeroed at 30 yards....it's dead on the vitals from 0-35 yards (a tick high at 18-20, a tick low at 35, but in the vitals either way)....i aim at the top of the back at 40 and she drops mid-vitals.  About a pin's width above the back is deadly at 50 yards.



Same here. One pin 0-30 no problems. Hold in the middle and let it eat.


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## irocz2u (Sep 4, 2009)

center hem up  and let  it fly


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## declemen (Sep 4, 2009)

I shoot a Bowtech 82nd Airborne at 30.5 inches.I got it maxed out.Shoots 352 fps.I have a out to 30 pin and a 40 pin.I just hold the 40 a little high if i shoot out to 50.I dont usually gap shoot.i put a pin on the animal, if it falls in between my pins, I just hold over or under, I also use a rangefinder, it is a must to me


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## alligood729 (Sep 4, 2009)

kcausey said:


> I shoot one pin, zeroed at 30 yards....it's dead on the vitals from 0-35 yards (a tick high at 18-20, a tick low at 35, but in the vitals either way)....i aim at the top of the back at 40 and she drops mid-vitals.  About a pin's width above the back is deadly at 50 yards.



Das' what I'm sayin'...............


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