Watch the pin or watch the target?

[Bullnuts]

When you guys shoot your bow do you watch your pin and settle it over a blurry target or do you watch the target and settle a blurry pin over it? I've been shooting guns and bows for the better part of 40 years and have been a firearms instructor/coach for 20. With firearms, it's important to watch the front sight so that you make sure it stays centered in the rear sight through the shot. With archery equipment, though, most people tell me they watch the target. Having done it both ways, I find that I'm much more accurate watching the pin and settling it over a slightly blurred target instead of the other way around and that's how I shoot both targets and live animals. It just makes sense to me that unless you're watching the front pin, you won't have the pin centered in the peep. What do you guys do?

[ctdad]

Watch target. Your brain will tell your body where to put the pin. Also, the pin will not be held steady on the target like a gun on a bench can. It will float.

If you are the instructor type you may want to read Bernie pellerite books on archery form. His students compete in Vegas every year as well as kill many critters

[buglmin]

Agree to blur the pin and concretate on the target. Your brain will move the pin to the spot youre looking at. Just like shooting a recurve, you concretate on the spot you want to hit...aim small, miss small!!

[Bowhunter]

I watch the target. Everything else just falls into place. Practice makes it naturaly happen.

[ElkNut1]

I focus on the target!

ElKNut1

[>>>---WW---->]

Better part of 40 years huh! Sounds like you need some new specks Bill, LOL! Concentrate on the target. Not just the elk ,but a spot on that elk. Then let that pin float onto that spot. Honestly, I've never really noticed either the target or the pin being blurry. Guess I just never paid that much attention. Just let it happen!

[bowpackerrob]

Pick a spot, relax and let it fly, focus on the target thru the pin.

[Bullnuts]

Better part of 40 years huh! Sounds like you need some new specks Bill, LOL! Concentrate on the target. Not just the elk ,but a spot on that elk. Then let that pin float onto that spot. Honestly, I've never really noticed either the target or the pin being blurry. Guess I just never paid that much attention. Just let it happen!

I know Bill! Can't even believe it myself sometimes.

[one_elk]

I pick a very small spot on the target....

[WindedBowhunter]

Watch target. Your brain will tell your body where to put the pin. Also, the pin will not be held steady on the target like a gun on a bench can. It will float.

If you are the instructor type you may want to read Bernie pellerite books on archery form. His students compete in Vegas every year as well as kill many critters

Bingo! Spot On!!!

[Swede]

I'm with bullnuts. I focus on the pin and settle it on the spot I want to shoot. I make sure I am looking through my peep first and then ensure my pin is on target.

[Bullnuts]

It must be a product of all my firearms training. I can't get my eye off the pin! Besides, it's a hell of a lot closer to my eye than the target is and with my tri-focals, it's a whole lot easier to see!

[LckyTylr]

Bullnuts . . . Try This.

Set up a pin to shoot 100 yards or 120 yards. Try it both ways.

If you use the Focused Pin/Blurry Target method, your focused pin will likely completely cover your intended target.

If you use the Blurry Pin / Focused Target, the outer edges of your pupil should be able to "see around" the pin and provide you with a complete sight picture of your target. As was said before, your brain will compensate for the rest and put the pin where it should be.

Personally, I use a blurry pin approach, but rather than center my blurry pin on the exact spot that I want my impact, I use the top of my blurry dot for intended impact. I set up all of my pins like this. I Do NOT like the "blurry pin" obstructing the exact spot of my intended impact, so using the top of the blur is the best of both worlds for me.

Just a thought, it works for me.

[Swede]

Bullnuts: I am near sighted. Are you?

[Bullnuts]

Bullnuts . . . Try This.

Set up a pin to shoot 100 yards or 120 yards. Try it both ways.

If you use the Focused Pin/Blurry Target method, your focused pin will likely completely cover your intended target.

If you use the Blurry Pin / Focused Target, the outer edges of your pupil should be able to "see around" the pin and provide you with a complete sight picture of your target. As was said before, your brain will compensate for the rest and put the pin where it should be.

Personally, I use a blurry pin approach, but rather than center my blurry pin on the exact spot that I want my impact, I use the top of my blurry dot for intended impact. I set up all of my pins like this. I Do NOT like the "blurry pin" obstructing the exact spot of my intended impact, so using the top of the blur is the best of both worlds for me.

Just a thought, it works for me.

For me, I've been doing things this way for so long and have been successful with it, so I don't really see a need to change at this point. I was just wondering what other do. I've killed plenty of animals and shot lots of bull's eyes in my time so my sight picture seems to work pretty good. I just consider aiming the compound bow with sights to be just like shooting a slow rifle. Everything pretty much stays the same as far as sight picture goes, and I really can't argue with success.

Swede: Yep, but having been prescribed tri focal progressive lenses for the past year, I'm not so sure anymore! I still take my glasses off to tie flies, especially when I'm working with little stuff, so I guess my peepers are still working good at close range. My prescription lets me see my pins clearly and, if I adjust my focus, I can switch to the target, but that's how I've been shooting for years - prior to getting the glasses - so it's pretty much ingrained.

[buglmin]

Use a clarifiyar in your peep. It's not a power lenses, and really does help clear up your pins. most people wont ry it, but once they do, they cant believe what it does for them. Im near sighted, and use one all the time now. I take my glasses off also for close in work, tying flies on, painting...lol

[Swede]

buglmin: Thanks, but I don't think the clarifier would help my situation. I see my pins ok. It is the target that is fuzzy, and light changes are difficult. Cataracts (not bad enough for surgery), stigmatism, and corneal granular dystrophy all combine to make me a much better tree stand hunter than spot and stalk hunter.

[pointysticks]

Clarifiers are designed to sharpen your target image. Verifiers are designed to sharpen the pin image.

one goes in the sight ring..the other in the peep. (i think)

[buglmin]

Right, the clarifiars go into the peep housing, and you usually use them when you have a low powered lense in your scope housing. If you use a higher power lense, then you use a powered peep.
Sorry Swede, but in truth, we are all getting there my friend.

[SOIL Hunter]

I shoot with a TAS SABO Gen II sight. So for the first 4 "pins" being a red dot,I can focus on the target and a clear red dot is "projected" on to it. I have also added (can't remember the brand) "sticker" dots to extend the range of the SABO. These I have to focus on the dot and let the target get blurry. If I do the inverse, my groups are much worse. For example 6" group at 70 yards with target blurred, 12-14" group with pin blurred.

I am in no way saying this is correct, it is just what currently works best for me. That said, the more I shoot the more I evolve.