When the sport of archery began, archers aimed as best they could at the target. The development of archery technology bought bow-mounted sights to help the aiming process. Bow sights feature one or more pins used to aim at the target. As more features are added to the sight, the price will typically go up.
Step 1
Purchase a fixed-pin sight for hunting to indicate distance, or a moveable-pin sight to use one pin for multiple distances. Use a pendulum sight--commonly called a treestand sight---for aiming from treestands, because it automatically compensates for elevation on downhill shots.
Step 2
Attach each sight to the bow and shoot several arrows. Look at the sight pins during each shot to determine how easy it is to recognize the target. Select a .019-inch fiber optic sight pin for fine shot placement. Select a .029-in. or .040-in. pin for use in low-light conditions.
Step 3
Move the sight and make small adjustments to the fiber optic pins, checking for durability of the frame and fiber optics. Adjust the sight for windage, or left and right alignment, and elevation: up and down. Use gang adjustments to move all of the pins at once or individual pin adjustments.
Step 4
Review the features of the sight, which may include a built-in bubble level, vibration dampeners, graduated windage and elevation scales, lightweight materials, pin lights and third-axis adjustments.
Step 5
Make your purchase based on obtaining the most features for your money. Entry-level basic sights can cost $50, while advanced sights with lightweight designs can cost more than $200.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult a local archery pro shop for advice on a bow sight that meets your shooting requirements. Sights are available that combine fixed-pin and moveable-pin designs.
Things You'll Need
- Release aid
- Arrows
- Target
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