Do I need a 20yd pin ?

[Norteno]

I currently shoot a 4-pin slider set up for 20,30,40,50-100

 

I got a new bow and am getting a new site for it so I can keep my current set-up as a back-up. I'm considering getting a 5-pin fixed sight and going 30,40,50,60,70.

 

I want to limit my shots on my elk hunt to 50yds, so the 60 and 70 yard pins would be just for practice. My thought is that if I am 20 yards from elk I think I could hit the sweet spot without even looking at my sight. The drop between my 20-30 yard pin is only 2-3 inches at most.

 

Anyone else skip their 20 yard pin?

 

 

[yotebuster]

I've killed more stuff at 20 yards or less then all other yardages combined so I keep it. It's not much difference in drop but a few inches on a string jumping coues deer is a lot.

[IA Born]

Back when I had a 4-pin sight (fixed) and was shooting a lower poundage (<70 lbs), I had 20-50 yard pins and it was great. When I upgraded to a new bow and had my poundage cranked up, I went with a 5-pin sight and, eventually, added a 6th pin. I quickly learned with a faster bow that my 20- and 30-yard pins were stacked with no room to move/adjust after setting my 20-yd pin, but I kept it. The last couple of years, I've wrestled with your exact question. I have no problem taking a 70 yard shot with plenty of practice, but I decided to keep my 20 yard pin just to keep me from being tempted by 80 yard shots. I ended up re-zeroing my sight so that my 30 yard pin is my primary pin and my 20-yard pin is "close enough" and not sitting right on top of my 30 yard pin. When I ever decide to go back to a family farm in Iowa, I'll readjust everything because most shots there are 30 yards or less.

[CouesPursuit]

I may not explain this well as I don't want to write a novel but I'll give it a shot.

 

After a significant bow upgrade late last fall (velocity went from ~250fps to ~300 fps), I moved to shoot a 5 pin slider and I tried skipping a 20 yard pin and going straight to 30. My shots using a 30 pin at 20 yards impacted 1.5" high, and all was well until I shot at a pig that was called into ~10 yards and the arrow went straight over its back. I couldn't believe it. I held my second shot at the bottom of the belly and.. dead pig. When I took a coues out of a tree stand that was standing not 6 yards from the tree, I again held that first pin at the bottom of the belly and.. dead deer. In my opinion from experience, close range and elevated shots in the 5-15 yardage are overlooked as being far easier than they really are. They have impacted much higher than I ever anticipated or read online.

 

Based on what happened in January, I was just extensively going through what I wanted to do with my pins at the range in the last few weeks and here is my solution (I anticipate many other's bows and hunting style/needs do not compare) -

 

I set my second pin at 30 yards, and took shots at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 yards. Using the 30 yard pin, the highest point of impact on any target was at 15 yards. I went back to 15 yards and set it as my first pin.

 

I found for whatever reason, the 15 yard mark is the top of my arrow's flight curve.

 

Pins are now:

1 - 15 yards

2 - 30 yards

3 - 40 yards

4 - 50 yards

5 - 60 + slider

 

After plenty of practice, I'm 100% certain and confident that none of my close range shots will ever contact the target higher than that first pin of 15 yards. I use the 30 pin as my goto, and can instantly gauge the worst case scenario if the target is at 15 yards.

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I really like a 5 pin slider. they are set at 20,40,50,60,70...... Skipping 30, pretty easy to shoot a 30 yard animal with a 20 yard pin. (this is for me a spot and stalk hunter, in a blind or stand it would be different I'm sure)

[IA Born]

I may not explain this well as I don't want to write a novel but I'll give it a shot.

 

After a significant bow upgrade late last fall (velocity went from ~250fps to ~300 fps), I moved to shoot a 5 pin slider and I tried skipping a 20 yard pin and going straight to 30. My shots using a 30 pin at 20 yards impacted 1.5" high, and all was well until I shot at a pig that was called into ~10 yards and the arrow went straight over its back. I couldn't believe it. I held my second shot at the bottom of the belly and.. dead pig. When I took a coues out of a tree stand that was standing not 6 yards from the tree, I again held that first pin at the bottom of the belly and.. dead deer. In my opinion from experience, close range and elevated shots in the 5-15 yardage are overlooked as being far easier than they really are. They have impacted much higher than I ever anticipated or read online.

 

Based on what happened in January, I was just extensively going through what I wanted to do with my pins at the range in the last few weeks and here is my solution (I anticipate many other's bows do not compare) -

 

I set my second pin at 30 yards, and took shots at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 yards. Using the 30 yard pin, the highest point of impact on any target was at 15 yards. I went back to 15 yards and set it as my first pin.

 

I found for whatever reason, the 15 yard mark is the top of my arrow's flight curve.

 

Pins are now:

1 - 15 yards

2 - 30 yards

3 - 40 yards

4 - 50 yards

5 - 60 + slider

 

After plenty of practice, I'm 100% certain and confident that none of my close range shots will ever contact the target higher than that first pin of 15 yards. I use the 30 pin as my goto, and can instantly gauge the worst case scenario if the target is at 15 yards.

 

Awesome! Your reasoning is why I can't bring myself to get rid of my 20-yard pin and I've just been motivated to make it a 15-yard pin. Abso-freaking-lutely awesome! Thanks!

[8OWHUNT247]

That's interesting... When I have to 12 ring a less than 5 yard shot... I use my 40 yard pin. Arrows land low as they have not gained the height yet. 40 yard pin puts them right there..

 

 

To get on the post (sorry).. I still keep a 20 yard pin even though it seems like a waste of a pin.

[mattys281]

I currently shoot a 4-pin slider set up for 20,30,40,50-100

 

I got a new bow and am getting a new site for it so I can keep my current set-up as a back-up. I'm considering getting a 5-pin fixed sight and going 30,40,50,60,70.

 

I want to limit my shots on my elk hunt to 50yds, so the 60 and 70 yard pins would be just for practice. My thought is that if I am 20 yards from elk I think I could hit the sweet spot without even looking at my sight. The drop between my 20-30 yard pin is only 2-3 inches at most.

 

Anyone else skip their 20 yard pin?

 

I currently have a 20 but have gone without in the past. If you sight in the first pin at 27 itll be good for anything from 30 and under, unless youre shooting incredibly slow. The 27 pin will be 1-2" low at 30 and about 2-3" high at 20. At least thats what ive gotten with it shooting 270ish fps.

[8OWHUNT247]

I do like the 15 yard pin idea....

[CouesPursuit]

That's interesting... When I have to 12 ring a less than 5 yard shot... I use my 40 yard pin. Arrows land low as they have not gained the height yet. 40 yard pin puts them right there..

 

With my current set up, 5 yards is a bullseye using my 30 yard pin so I think we are on the same page.

[Ohthatguy]

Whatever you decide, my suggestion is don't change it at the last minute. Practice with what you are going to take in the field. When your adrenaline is pumping, the last thing you need to worry about is what is that pin set for. My other tip is slider related. (Especially a multi pin slider. Like my 5 pin slider) If you prepare for a shot where you moved your slider and then move in closer to your fixed pin range, don't forget to move the slider back to "home". Sounds easy but when all your attention is focused on sneaking in on multiple deer, it's all too easy to forget about that. So yes, I know the dread and shock of sending an arrow over the back of a really nice deer. It sucks!!

[wildwoody]

My 20 &30 only shoot 1" difference so I use one pin for both..

[AZbowhntr]

I found that my 20 and 30 yard pins were so close that it made it difficult to determine which was which. So I did away with both and have a 25 yard pin. So I go 25, 40, 50 and 60. If I were hunting coues deer I might rethink it but on mule deer and elk it is good.

[standman]

My bow is too old and slow to not have a 20 yard pin. Lol.

 

Brian

[jeremiah lindsey]

So I have my 20 sighted in perfect totally flawless grouping when no go out to 40 I'm shooting low I'm at a 29in draw with 55lbs it's an older bow high country brute however u feel like its just me moving..