Determining Center Shot

[Swede]

How do you bow hunters choose to determine center shot? paper tune? ruler?, button on a wire tool? take it to a dealer? Other?

To be honest, I have problems with the modern short A2A bows. The riser is also narrow so the button on a wire is about as good as it gets for me.

[N&N Waterfowl]

I prefer a simple walk back tuning (modified French) to find true center shot. Simply set your rest to the manufacturer's recommended distance from riser and level to horizontal. hang a piece of paracord, string, or dental floss in center of target. From a distance of 10 feet or so adjust rest for left/right misses till u split string. Walk back 5 yards and repeat. Keep doing this till 30/40 yards. This may take longer than paper tuning or other methods, but it is full proof and easy to do.

[Brendan]

It depends if you have the ability to yoke tune your bow. I shoot a Hoyt, so I generally set the center shot at about 3/4" using a ruler from the riser and then yoke tune to get bullet holes through paper (I have a press that allows me to do that though, and like tinkering with my setup). Next up I switch to bare shaft shooting and fine-tune the yokes so I get perfect bare shaft flight (or as perfect as my form allows). After that I'll experiment with walk back tuning, but generally I'm dead on with fixed blades at that point.

If you can't yoke tune (Either because your bow doesn't have yokes, or you don't have a press) you have to move the rest (center shot) so that it gives you the arrow flight you need. Like above - start with manufacturers recommendations but then tweak through walk-back, comparing broadheads and field points until you're getting consistent arrow flight.

[redtop]

If you don't have perfect form paper tuning can be challenging. I prefer bare shaft and walkback tuning. Then at the end if I need it broadhead tuning. It's a long process and you shouldn't try to rush it.

[pointysticks]

If you don't have perfect form paper tuning can be challenging. I prefer bare shaft and walkback tuning. Then at the end if I need it broadhead tuning. It's a long process and you shouldn't try to rush it.

i think bareshaft is more susceptible to your shot form and by a long shot.

i paper tune only as a jumping off point. then i move to getting my broadheads to fly right. which is my end game anyways. it's pretty apparent if things are wrong early.

[Swede]

I have used different methods and also tuned so my broad-heads hit where my field points do. This year I could not get them to pattern the same. I have a short A2A bow and it is finicky.

N&N how do you know you are not to the left or right of the string because the sights are off some? If I knew my sights were perfectly on, your method would seem to be great, but on a new set up nothing is a done deal.

[N&N Waterfowl]

I noticed I left that out...first thing I do is get a few feet away from the target (doesn't need to be more than 3 ft) with the string already hanging and set the left/right of my sight. I like to have the target elevated to a height that allows me to not have to bend over at this close distance. Once you split the string, I then start walk back tuning. I do the procedure with field points first, and then repeat with broad heads. I find most of the time only slight adjustments are needed with the broad heads, and I mean slight, when you get to 30-40 yards. bareshaft tuning will also get your bow tuned for perfect arrow flight. But, as has already been mentioned, any form flaws or changes in form during your session can cause a lot of frustration. I don't shoot a bow with yokes. So, that is not an option for me. But if I did, I would paper tune using the yokes and then broad head tune with slight adjustments to the rest.

[Swede]

Thanks N&N. That make perfect sense.

[baddaddy]

Swede,

Sent you a PM

[Elkhntr08]

Most companies give a center measurement. Start there, paper tune than broadhead tune.