Eliminate 20 yard pin?

[Read1t48]

On a 5-pin slider, I have 20/30/40/50/60. 60 being the slider pin. I could go 30/40/50/60/70 but I could end up with close frontal shots as a solo hunter and need to hit a softball size target from 20 yards in. I'lll need to see if my 30 yard pin would still hit a softball size target from 20 yards in. Maybe not. My bow speed is not fast at 252 FPS.

I've also considered the potential difficulty of shooting pin gaps between 60 and 70 because every yard at those differences can be so significant that one really needs to know the exact yardage. But at those distances, one should have time to range and move the slider to exact yardage. Or I'll just sneak closer which has always been my first preference. I did kill an elk at 64 yards as he stood perfectly broadside.

 

[cacklercrazy]

So after the season ends, I look back and try to improve/simplify my setup. Elk hunting especially, I have been thinking about why I need a 20 yard pin? My 30 hits just 1-2” high at 20. Not a deal breaker on elk. I am considering a 3 pin 30-40-50 setup with the 50 being a slider. Cleans up the sight picture and anything beyond 50 really should be dialing anyhow.
Im shooting 278 fps with 488 grain arrows, so plenty of speed.
Anybody do this or something similar?
If so, I like the idea of the spot Hogg triple stack vertical pin design, but wonder if the vertical pins block out too much target to make an accurate shot. Horizontal pins allow you to see between them, but I think the vertical pins may give another reference point for aim.
Thanks for the feedback.

I'm thinking about doing this also.

 

[WCB]

My "point blank" 5 yards and under is my 40 yard pin. I'm only shooting 285fps. I suppose a really slow bow would need a top pin for it.

 

[Kularrow]

My "point blank" 5 yards and under is my 40 yard pin. I'm only shooting 285fps. I suppose a really slow bow would need a top pin for it.

I’m shooting 390 grain at 312 and a inch below point blank hits center at 20 and a inch high hits center at 34 off one pin.

 

[Hunting_Oregon]

I stepped up to 30 being my first pin 5 years ago. I love it for hunting. I do several 3d shoots for fun and that is where the 30 yard first pin becomes a slight issue. Trying to hit the small close targets 12 ring is harder with not having a 20 yard pin. I do not shoot a slider.

 

[nphunter]

I'd personally rather hit low than high, especially on an elk, even with a good hit on an elk it can go a long way, and with a high hit, they bleed very little. I would rather have a 20/40/50, I've shot 3 bulls under 20 yards and for some reason, I tend to hit high more than low. However, I shoot a 5 pin slider and normally never dial from elk and even at 60 elk don't offer a ton of time to mess around when hunting in the timber. I normally have everything ranged prior to drawing the bow or seeing the elk and estimate the range based on known distances and which window the elk comes through.

I've seen a lot of missed opportunities because of dialing sliders. Just this year my son dialed on a nice buck one morning and forgot to move his 3 pin slider back and shot right over a nice 4 point buck at 20 yards that didn't even know he was there.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have a 20 because most shots from a tree stand or blind are <20yds. Also I tend to shoot high on string jumping whitetails, so a 30 would be way too high.

All depends on your hunting style and average opportunity

 

[MattB]

I have shot a 20 yard pin for too many years to get rid of it.

We need a functional definition for "point blank".

 

[WCB]

I’m shooting 390 grain at 312 and a inch below point blank hits center at 20 and a inch high hits center at 34 off one pin.

That makes sense to me since your arrow starts under your sight...just like a rifle barrel and scope. I guess peep location could do it I just don't see how a guy can be dead on at 20 yards and high at 5yards and under

 

[MattB]

That makes sense to me since your arrow starts under your sight...just like a rifle barrel and scope. I guess peep location could do it I just don't see how a guy can be dead on at 20 yards and high at 5yards and under

I don’t think a person could be high at 5 yards and under regardless. Since the arrow starts well below the sight, it won’t rise up to meet the 20 yard pin until 7-10 yards for most set-ups. My guess is most guys don’t shoot at 3-5 yards and just (wrongly) assume that the aiming point would be slightly above the 20 yard pin rather than the 40 or even 60 yard pin (depending on just how close the target is) because they don’t really understand the arrow’s trajectory versus the pins in close.

 

[Beendare]

My compound is 25,40,50,60,70

Tx Diver made an excellent post on the advantage to having a lesser pin AND the importance of learning how to use it on a hunt. Experienced hunters have a lesser pin for a reason.

 

[dtrkyman]

I shoot a single pin, while creeping around it is set at 30, I practice with the 30 out to fifty in case I get into a situation where I can’t adjust.


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[EnDoB]

I dropped the 20. 30-70y 5-pin slider, love it. Except when hunting brown bears…then I like a 20y pin as things get a little tense at close range.

 

[TheViking]

I have run 30-40-50 for years, until this year. I bought a new sight and went with 20-30-40-50, and now it throws me off. I shoot about 280 fps, and I don't think it's necessary.

That said, if you are shooting 3D all summer and have targets up close, it would be helpful and more precise. But if you are just elk hunting, I wouldn't sweat it. Less it better IMO.

 

[sasquatch]

Keep mine at 40. If they hair popping close shoot a tad lower than you want to hit.


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[dreamingWest]

At 280 fps, I like having a 20 yard pin. I've messed with various set-ups but keep coming back to a 3-pin slider with 20-30-40. High is bad for whitetails. And things can go bad quickly outside 40 with a bow, so I like keeping the reminder of having to dial if I want to take a longer shot.

Back when I was shooting 305 fps, I had a two pin 25-40 slider that was a great set-up.

 

[wesleyelee88]

I shoot a 20,40,50 3 pin Black Gold slider and love it.

 

[CMF]

Yes!
I've had it both ways, 25/40/50, and 20/30/40. I'm using BG mtn ascent 3 pin slider.
I previously did the 25/40/50(50 is slider) but went to 20/30/40 because I wanted a 20/30 pin for shooting grouse.
I'm going back to 25/40/50! I realized this year, that I can almost always position myself as needed within 20-30 yards of a grouse, and I miss having a 50-yard pin after shooting a bull at 48 yds with my 40 yd pin and hold over. I had time to range, but not to dial...
I also ordered a fourth pin that is .010 just try out 4 pins and the smaller one. I've never liked 5 pins and doubt I'll like 4, but figured I'd give it a try...

 

[Maverick1]

One slider pin set at 30 yards. Anything closer and it is only 1-2" high. At 35 yards it is 1-2" low. So basically one pin out to 35 yards. Anything further than 35 yards and I am using the range finder and moving the pin to the exact distance for elk. If an elk is moving and it is past 35 yards I do not shoot - too long of a stride distance and too much flight time. I do not take shots longer than 35 yards on deer, so the one pin stays at 30 yards during deer season. Over the years I've found that the K.I.S.S. approach works best for me. Multiple pins just clutters the sight picture - for me. YMMV.

 

[tkhuntsman]

I'd say keep the 20 and go 20, 35, 50 with the 50 for a slider. I've got a 2 pin vertical sight set up on a dual slider for next year 20 and 35 it's a pretty good set up. And it's pretty impressive to see that dual slider line up at longer yardages it comes out nice and clean with my particular set up. Plus when Im not on the ground hunting elk those 2 yardages and my gaps pretty much cover me for trees and hunting whitetails.