I've seen so many folks shooting a movable single pin sight over the last few years and honestly, its been a thing I have questions on, especially the folks who have shot them for a while and have lots of real world experience in the woods with one. I'm a fixed pin guy, but with my eyesight aging (thanks technology), wouldn't mind cleaning up the clutter a bit. But, I'm struggling to see what other advantages there are and have some real concerns. So, please entertain me a bit if you will. Other than a cleaner sight picture, what are the other advantages? How do you shoot with one? Do you adjust for every deer from 20 to 30 etc? Has it ever cost you an animal because you didn't adjust it? I'm more curious as to why in the world I'd want to have to worry about adjusting a sight when taking a shot at an animal. Please entertain me.
I'm using an adjustable multi-pin. I have the same reservations with a single pin that you outlined, but I also like the simplicity of fewer pins. With that said, after shooting 3D in open class for a long time I love the precision of being able to dial for exact yardage when I have time. I setup an adjustable with 3 pins so sight picture is really clean, and I don't have to dial until I'm out past 40 yards. My theory is that if I'm shooting past 40 yards, if there isn't enough time to range and dial I have no business shooting at an animal at those distances. I'd encourage you to consider a 2 or 3 pin adjustable sight based on your thoughts above.
This is the route I'm going this year (adjustable multi-pin) for those exact reasons. I know a lot of guys will just cover the "gap" with a single pin under 30yd (i.e, not adjusting it as the deer is coming in as long as the shot will occur under 30), but I prefer having more precision than that, even under 30yds. However, after shooting 5 pin setups for years, I want a little less cluttered sight picture. To me, an adjustable multi pin is the best of both worlds.
Every set-up I've shot in the last 10 years has been fast enough to eliminated the need for multiple pins at a distance of 30 yards or less. I simply set the single pin (HHA) for 20 yards when I hunt, and adjust my "hold" as needed. For example, I took a doe last week at 32 yards; I held my pin maybe an inch or two high. Also, it's worth noting that I haven't taken (nor would I take) a shot at anything over 40 yards. The only adjustment my pin sees is when I'm on a 3D course or range. Edit: It has never cost me an animal, and it eliminates a full step (pin selection) when taking the shot. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The movable multi pin setup makes no sense to me for hunting applications. What do you set the pins to yardage wise? Why would you want to move it after they're set? I shoot 3 pin in my Spot Hogg (20,30,40) It works well, but I'm debating on changing this to 2 pins to cover me out to 40 yards. I believe my bow is fast enough to reasonably accomplish this. I guess with todays bows shooting as fast as they are, the need for many pins, adjustable or non-adjustable just doesn't make much sense to me.
You're shooting two fixed and one floater (in the case of a 3 pin sight). Some float their top pin, some float their bottom. With a three pin as an example, you could have your standard 20, 30, 40yd pins. If you float your top, you can gap shoot 20-30 like you typically would with fixed pins, or you can dial it in specifically (if it's a 25yd shot, dial it to 25). If you float the bottom, your top two are fixed, and the bottom is floated for longer shots (40+). I don't personally shoot over 40 in our area, but out west, it's a different story. Not to mention, I shoot way past that in the summer on the ranges, so having the ability to shoot from 40-100+ on a single floating pin while keeping two fixed is the way I will set mine up. Not for everybody, but they really combine the best aspects of fixed and single pin setups.
I shoot a movable 3 pin. I actually love it. It allows out to 40 with no moving then for practice you can float that bottom pin out to around 80-85 with my set up anyway. The whole housing moves but the pointer usually only corresponds to 1 pin. You pick the pin. There are some dual pointer setups out there. Spot hog has one and you can finagle a Black Gold sight to have dual pointer pins as well Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I switched to a single pin adjustable three years ago. I won't look back. I leave mine set at 25 yards. I can kill anything from 0-35 yards without moving the pin. It is just a matter of practicing to know where to hold. With my set up my arrow only drops about three inches from 20 to 35. In my spot I won't have a further shot anyway. So I rarely have to adjust my hold. Furthest shot at a deer since switching has been 28 yards. The clearer sight picture is totally worth it. I shoot a Black Gold Ambush Ascent. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I am on year number 3 with a single movable pin. The cleaner sight picture allowed me to be more accurate and focus better on the target. So increased accuracy was a benefit of the cleaner sight picture for me. Year one I did get busted by what would have been the nicest buck yet but after that I started working on figuring out how to best compensate for 30 yards and in shots. I pretty much have settled with the approach that cantexian is using. It was certainly a learning curve but one that was totally worth it for me. I made the move for exactly the same reason you have now. I'm very glad I did. If you have the opportunity find a friend that has a single pin and see if they will let you shoot the bow or maybe even ask the pro shop. It definitely worth a try i think but people have different tastes so if you can try it before committing that would be better I imagine.
My hunting scenarios might be different out here. But I find myself in two very different situations hunting in IL. During the rut, you often find yourself spotting a deer that is moving in quick, with little time to do much of anything other than get the camera on them and shoot. With so little time to react, I won't shoot in those situations past about 30 yards, and certainly have no time to dial the sight. The other situation I find myself in is food plot hunting, specifically early and late season. Those situations often present longer shots at deer that are not moving or alert, with tons of time to dial, range, get coordinated, and get great quality footage with the camera. If I have the time, I prefer the precision of being able to dial but that doesn't happen much during the rut. I can do that plus get a sight picture with minimal pins with this setup. Your mileage may vary as I'm sure different parts of the country present very different situations. I setup a 20, 30, 40 yard pin. My 20 pin is setup to be physical center of the scope housing just like a single pin. When I dial, I'm using that top pin to aim as your eye may occasionally start to center the pin vs. the scope in your peep sight. This helps me to keep everything aligned when under pressure.
been shooting a single pin for well over 10 years now. I usually keep mine set at 20 and that will do the job from 0-30 yards. I rarely shoot much past 30 yards. If I do I normally have time to range and adjust my pin at that point. Most of my hunting is in the woods w/ very few shots much past 25 - 30 yards anyway. I use an HHA .. very durable, bright, easy to adjust, and simple.
Rick James, that is probably the best explanation I've seen. Thank you to all for chatting about this. My scenerios are similar to yours with the exception that I don't usually range any animal. Being mostly timber and brush where I hunt, I will always range for 30 yards around the stand. Then, as I deer approaches I have a good idea within a yard or two, from 20 to 40 yards, of its range. I use a spot hogg hunter hogg it sight that came as a 5 pin. I removed two pins to clean up my sight picture. However, last summer, I messed around shooting the gaps, etc., and discovered that I can shoot very well from 20-40 yards with two pins. One pin around 23 yards the other at 35. Holding dead center, I had approximately a 3" vertical difference between 20 and 30 yards and the same from 30 to 40 when setup this way. More than ample accuracy for anything I plan to hunt at those distances. This was from my bow that chronos at 270fps with a 450gr arrow.
