Single pin vs multi pin for whitetail/turkey — worth going single pin as a beginner?

[Rooney]

Getting into archery and trying to decide between a single pin vs multi pin sight. I’m mainly hunting whitetail and turkey—so think typical setups: treestand, ground blind, relatively tight ranges.

I’m leaning single pin because I like the idea of a clean sight picture and less distraction. That said, I’m trying to be realistic about hunting scenarios—not just range shooting.

 

[TX_hunter]

In my opinion, there's no reason to shoot a single pin.

Get a vertical 2 or 3 pin. Shoot it like a single pin 99% of the time. But it's very valuable to have a 2nd or 3rd reference when you're hunting.

On my 2 pin spot hogg, setting the top pin at 25 when I hunt puts the bottom pin at 40. This give a clean 1 post sight picture, and useful ranges without having to dial. If I had to, I could shoot 50 using the top of the level.

 

[Rooney]

Appreciate the insight. I will add back the two pins I removed earlier and start getting accustomed to a busier sight picture.

 

[Healthy Scratch]

I shoot a 3-pin slider. Mine is HHA but, really they are all pretty good. I hunt with 3-pins only (I don't use the slider). My pins are 20, 30 and 40 yards. I practice quit often and am pretty good at judging the in-between distances. (It was a 4-pin sight but, I removed the bottom pin. I have been hunting with 3-pins my whole life and I'm not going to change now!) I do use the slider when I practice and go to TAC (or other distance shoots). I also have a single pin pin housing that I sometimes swap out for shooting distance (practice) but, have never hunted with it. To be honest, I do have several friends that hunt with single pin sliders. They are successful but, in my mind, dialing your shot is just unneeded added motion (hunting is hard enough without added things to the mix). Good luck.

 

[Rooney]

Thanks. I was thinking that having one pin and knowing holdovers would be more efficient when time is short but I will give the three pin a go. Not experienced with sliders so will try that after getting used to the three pin sight picture.

 

[TX_hunter]

Appreciate the insight. I will add back the two pins I removed earlier and start getting accustomed to a busier sight picture.

which sight are you buying?

if you get vertical pins, you don't have to deal with a cluttered sight picture

 

[dreamingWest]

IMO, you don't want a single pin for whitetails. 90% of the time it would be fine, but the 10% it isn't will be that BOAL skipping ten yards further towards a hot doe. If you prefer vertical, go with one of the newer adjustable two pin sliders. If you want horizontal, go with a three pin (fixed or adjustable).

As a beginner, it's difficult know which accessories you will like best. The best thing to do is buy quality based on your research and then get some field time with them.

My convergence has been a three pin slider. I'm still more comfortable with the horizontal pins than vertical. That said, I plan to buy a two pin vertical from Black Gold soon and try again for a whitetail sight.

 

[chanson_roland]

I have hunted as far north as Maine. I started multi-pin, but have gone back to single-pin (never tried a vertical double pin yet).

I like the simplicity, especially in low light in NE forests.

Best single pin I have is Black Gold Whitetail.

One Pin To Shoot Them All - Bowhunter

It can be quite confusing to quickly select the right pin when you are staring at a wall of options during the moment of truth.

www.bowhunter.com

 

[LostArra]

Single pin slider here
I've dialed exactly zero times for deer. Where I deer hunt a clear 40 yard shot would be rare.
When I first tried a compound after years of traditional (no sights) I experienced an episode of pin panic with a horizontal 3 pin sight and a nice buck. Went to the single pin (vertical) and it just works for me.

I have dialed once on a cow elk.

 

[IAM_TONTO]

I’ve been hunting with a Spot Hogg fast Eddie double pin adjustable for 4 years and I highly recommend it. I just upgraded bows and now have the Spot Hogg Boonie double pin. Main pin at 20 yards. 2nd pin will land on the 35-40 yard range depending on your draw weight. Practice with both those pins 15 to 45 yards which covers 90% of my shots in the treestand. Anything further just twist the dial. Game changer.

 

[huntcookwrite]

I switched to a single pin and wouldn’t dream of going back. I hunt in New England and during whitetail season keep my pin at 27. I’m comfortable taking shots up to about 35 there without thinking (and have yet to take anything longer than 25 with the six deer I’ve killed since I switched). I do practice all summer with that set up at various distances.

Turkey season I dial down to 20. Not worth it shooter much further than that with archery hunting.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Boonie 3 pin sight here too. Could be a 5 pin but 20,30,40 covers most all my shots.
Anything over 40, I figure I’ll have time to dial it in.

 

[CMF]

In my opinion, there's no reason to shoot a single pin.

I agree. I've settled on 3 pin slider. ~25,40,50. I figure if it's further than 50, I have to range, and if I have time to range, I have time to adjust.

 

[fulldraw1972]

I shot a 5 pin fixed for a lot of years.
About 10 years ago I went to a single pin dial.
With the single pin I would set my pin at 30 yards. This would cover me from 1 yard to 40 yards. Practicing with the pin set that way helps a lot.
4 years ago I went to a two pin dial. On my Spot Hogg Fast Eddie double stack I could set the top pin to 30 yards and that put my bottom pin at 42 yards.
Now I am shooting an Axcel Driver Ranger two pin dial. Top pin is 20 yards which puts my bottom pin at 40 yards. For 30 I just gap shoot the two pins.
I agree with others. Having vertical pin(s) eliminates all the clutter of pins coming from the side and gives you a better sight picture.
I also can use the vertical post in reference to the front leg on a deer.
During the rut things can get chaotic with bucks moving. Trying to dial up the yardage takes time. I would learn to shoot with the in set in one spot.

 

[BooneHunter]

3 pin slider is the way to go imo. 20-30-40 yard pins and slider is the best combination I’ve used. HHA kingpin lite, I’ve had it for years now and love it. Get the small diameter fiber for bottom pin if you can.

 

[BigSky]

To the OP, in my opinion, you being a beginner has absolutely no bearing on which configuration to choose, other than your unfamiliarity with using all options. A single pin is just as good or just as useful or just as intuitive for a beginner as it is to some of us more experienced archers.

You can tell from reading the responses in this thread is that it comes down to one thing and one thing only, personal preference. There are those you couldn’t pay to use multiple pins. There are those you couldn’t pay to use a single pin. There are those you couldn’t pay to use vertical pins. There are those you couldn’t pay to use horizontal pins. As idiotic as there reasons may be to me, my reasons may be just as idiotic to them. One thing they/we have in common is that we’ve (presumably) tried them all or most and, for personal reasons, have landed on our preference(s). Enjoy the journey my friend.

Personally, I prefer a 3 pin verical. I recognize the benefits of all varieties. I find the vertical to be less cluttered. I can set my 3 pins to the yardages I desire and use it only as a “non-mover” most of the time. However, if I have time to dial and the need to dial, I can do so.

 

[jjordan355]

In my opinion, there's no reason to shoot a single pin.

Get a vertical 2 or 3 pin. Shoot it like a single pin 99% of the time. But it's very valuable to have a 2nd or 3rd reference when you're hunting.

On my 2 pin spot hogg, setting the top pin at 25 when I hunt puts the bottom pin at 40. This give a clean 1 post sight picture, and useful ranges without having to dial. If I had to, I could shoot 50 using the top of the level.

I second this. I run a black gold dual trac vertical 2 pin and this is exactly how I run mine.

 

[MN-bucksmash]

I’m a firm believer in more than 1 pin. 2 is ideal, but 3 is fine as well. Needs to be a slider.

Only having one pin makes me nervous with animal movement for various distances. Especially at full draw.