How to Sight in Your Bow : Top 7 Steps updated in 2022

You must be raring to take out your new bow the next season and bag some bucks. But, if you want a successful bowhunting season, be sure to sight-in your bow before the season starts. Many consider the process of sighting in the bow tedious. Sometimes it can also be fatiguing.

We, however, have refined this process after learning from the many mistakes we made earlier. Since then we have successfully sighted in many new bows. We have compiled some pointers from our experiences to make sight in easy for you. Here is a list of things we learned-

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1. Before you start

Attempting to sight in a badly tuned bow is futile, a waste of your time and effort. Good shooting relies on a well-tuned bow. Mount the sight to the bow by following the instructions in the manual. Ensure you get brand new arrows. Number them so that you will know if you have bad arrows.

Start with close range first and ensure that your sight in the target is not too small. Use a backstop always. A rangefinder will be very handy to measure distances accurately. Use a masking tape with a color contrasting to that of your target area.

To sight in a bow, you need to shoot many times over different distances. You must be a consistent archer if want to sight in your bow properly. If you are a newbie or an inconsistent shooter, it is better that you raise your skills before attempting to sight in the bow.

You need to shoot several arrows for properly sighting in your bows. Learn to take a break if fatigued. Tired limbs do not allow for steady shooting. You can continue the next day or finish the job over the next few days.

2. Sight in your bow easily

Set all adjustments in the sighting pins to mid-point. This will ensure that your shot will not go off flying wildly. This will also give you space for maneuvering the pin right or left while sighting in. You may require a wrench to do this for some models.

3. Set up the target and the range

Ensure that you use a very durable target. You will be shooting numerous arrows during the process. Set up the range at 10 yards up to 40 yards with increments of 10 yards each. A rangefinder will come in very handy for this purpose. Stick a brightly colored duct tape vertically on the target.

4. Start with 10 yards

Start from the 10-yard range that you have already measured and marked. Aim to hit the center of the tape stuck on the target. Shoot at least 4 arrows one below the other. Find out where they have landed. In an unsighted bow, the arrow will typically miss the target deviating slightly to either right or left.

5. Follow the arrow

Depending on which side your arrow has landed, move the sight box slightly to that direction. If the arrow has gone right, move the sight box slightly to the right. Once adjusted, shoot again. Keep following the arrow and adjusting the sight box until all the arrows land on the center of the tape one below the other.

6. Repeat

Repeat the directions in step 5 at the ranges of 20 yards, 30 yards and 40 respectively. You must realize that this step is to address the left or right deviation of the arrow. Vertical deviation will be dealt with in step 7. Once you shoot at all those ranges and have adjusted the sight, you can proceed to the next step.

7. For vertical sighting

Stick a tape horizontally on the target. Stating off at 10 yards, aim for the center of the tape and shoot at least 4 arrows side by side. Check for any vertical deviation. Follow the arrow as you did in step 5, only this time, up or down.

If the arrows have landed slightly on top, move the sight box slightly up. Repeat till the arrows hit the center at 10 yards. Do this at 20, 30 and 40 yards. Your bow sight-in is now complete!

Now that you have learned to sight in your bow, you must be eager to hit the range. But by now you must have learned that it takes time and a lot of effort to sight in a bow properly. Set aside 2 to 3 days for this process. It will be convenient if you have a backyard range in your house. This is a foolproof method. Be patient and follow the steps diligently. Your bow will have a pro-quality sighted in!

The use of bow and arrow is not uncommon for sports, fitness activity, recreational activities, and hunting games. Archery as a rule of thumb demands focus, precision, control, and accuracy. Accuracy is a very important aspect of archery irrespective of whether it is done the recreational activity or for sport. This makes bow sighting very important because it maximizes your chances of hitting your target.

Sighting and archery generally require a lot of practice. It is realistic for you as an archer to draw a bow in the general direction of the target and hope to hit it without proper practice. Even top athletes practice regularly to help maintain focus and control.

Therefore, practice is very important in bow sighting for you to achieve accuracy. Things you’ll need for a proper practice include bow, bow sight, arrows, target firing range, distance measuring tool, and Allen wrench.

The good news is that there are products that help to improve your sight and hit your target. These products are called ‘sights.’ Using a bow sight helps to improve your accuracy in hitting targets. They help the shooter to have a good view of where the arrow is pointed.

These are a few steps to help you sight your bow.

Get a sight

There are various types of sights available for you as a shooter to select from. The different types are available to suit your preference. In purchasing a bow sight, you need to consider certain factors such as type of shooting you will be doing (target archery, field archery, and bow hunting), how much time you have to practice and of course your budget.

The most popular sight used is the multi-pin sight. Multi-pins are usually between three to six pins depending on the preference of the shooter. These pins represent different ranges for shooting. It allows for easy range adjustments and can be customized to fit the situation. However, do not add too many pins to avoid your sight picture becoming cluttered.

Another type of bow sight is the single pin. This bow type is suitable for shooters who prefer to have a clear focus. The sight is clutter-free as you have just one pin mounted on the bow sight that is used for all yard ranges. The shooter has to adjust the sight to suit the shot.

A major advantage of the single pin is that it has the ability to shoot points every time. This can be attributed to the fact that it has no sight of clutter. The disadvantage of the single pin is the lack adaptability to changing circumstances.

When choosing your bow sight you are to pick what works best for you. If you’re a beginner and you can’t decide on which one to go with, it’s advisable to rent (especially if you’re on a budget) both as opposed to buying. Then you can try both and figure out which one is best for you.

It might also be difficult to pick a suitable brand of bow sight to buy. This is why renting at the initial stage is recommended.

Mount sight on the bow

The bow sight will come with a manual that will give you the instruction on how to mount the bow sight on the bow. In addition to that, a lot of bows come with already drilled holes in it for attaching the bow sight. With these things, fixing the bow should not be an issue. The bow should be fixed at the right angle to the bow. As an archer, you should also avoid fixing the sighting pin too tight. This could damage the bow. At this point, you will need an allen wrench to adjust the sighting pins.

Set up your target and mark your ranges

In setting up your target for practice, it is advisable that you use durable targets. This helps you to avoid moving back and forth to set a target every time to shoot your arrow.

Moving back and forth can be very repetitive and causes fatigue. You must note that fatigue can affect your accuracy so it is important for you to be alert. For practice, you should mark your ranges and the ideal range mark is every 10 yards. At this point, you’ll need your range finder for accuracy.

When all these things are put in place, start shooting. You need to shoot several times and repeat the process until you achieve a bit of accuracy and increase your distance. You’re not expected to achieve perfect accuracy as the perfection of accuracy takes time and practice.

Shooting your bow

If you’re new to archery, you can take lessons for basics. However, you can teach yourself archery. In shooting, a lot of matters from your posture to your stand to your anchor point.

Your stance – you are to stand perpendicular to the target (facing the target with your side) before drawing the bow. Your feet should be 90 degrees from the target.
Your grip – your grip on the bow handle should be a relaxed grip.
Hold the bow horizontally and place the bow on the arrow on the shelf of the arrow rest, bring the bow back vertically.
Finger position – position the crease of your index finger, middle finger and ring finger above the arrow.
The Draw – you are to pull back the string with your back muscles. You pull the string and ensure that your index finger is under your chin. The string should touch your nose and lips. Do not grip the arrow with your fingers.
Aiming – look down the arrow with your dominant eye and align it with the target. This is where your bow sight comes in very useful as it helps you to aim properly. If your arrow isn’t hitting target then you keep adjusting until you hit your target.
Release – you release your grip on the arrow by allowing your fingers to slip backward. After shooting, maintain your body position. Shoot several arrows to make sure you’re hitting your target.

Archery can be difficult to learn but this is only because of the fact that it requires a lot of practice for you to get close to perfection. When you’re willing to dedicate time to practice, archery and sighting will come easy to you.