[Ms Grit]

So, I am getting ready for archery season. I am going to do it this year gentlemen. I am going to harvest a really nice buck with the bow, and I am confident I have been practicing and grouping really well, but the difference in only 2 yards is about a 4 inch drop in my arrows. I am shooting a light weight youth bow and still only drawing the required 35 lbs with my chicken arms At 18 yards, I am pretty much dead center with all of my arrows right there and nice and tight, but when I move back to 20 yards, my arrows drop by 4 inches and I am not comfortable with that. So, do I set my pins at 15 and 20 yards, cause setting the pins at 18 and 20 seems a little silly to me. Any suggestions?

 

[gobblergetter]

If you have two pins I would suggest 15 and 20.
But what is more important is knowing how far the deer is from you, If you don't have/ use a range finder. Then you should think about marking the yardages around your stand somehow so you know the distance when the moment comes.

 

[Ms Grit]

Mike, I do have a range finder, and 3 pins on my sight. Any more than 3 and I would just get too confused because I know that I absolutely can't shoot any farther than 25 yards at the max.

 

[younghunter94]

I shoot 37 pounds so not that much of a diffrence.....

i dont have that problem at all.? what knid of arrows do u shoot/

 

[rackmaster]

Man that sounds exteme. When I was recovering from my cancer treatment I had to use a 35# pull antique Bear bow and the drop off wasn't bad. Was it professionally set up? It almost seems like the nocking point height is not correct relative to the rest but that's only a wild guess.

 

[BowhunterNJ]

4" seems like a lot, but if you are shooting 35# with relatively heavy arrows, it's possible.

Regardless, accuracy is more important than speed. If you are grouping well at both distances with broadheads, then set your pins for 15 and 20, and go shoot a slammer!

 

[Ms Grit]

I am shooting Easton Axis Carbons with 100 grain field tips on them, and I am shooting veins, not feathers.

 

[BowhunterNJ]

What are your fixed broadhead groups like at 15 and 20 yards?

 

[SAMURAI]

My son used to shoot about the same poundage and I agree with gobblergetter, as long as you know the yardage you should be fine. Most of my set-ups have the deer walking within 20-25 yards from me and for NJ I really just have and use one pin even when I was shooting a lower poundage bow. Good luck this season, hope you get a nice one!

 

[Ms Grit]

Was it professionally set up?

I had it all set up last year at Ramsey's, and I shot a few small deer with it as it is, but I don't want anything to be off when I have an opportunity at a nice rack buck this year.

 

[Ms Grit]

What are your fixed broadhead groups like at 15 and 20 yards?

I am shooting now with field tips, but my groups are all real tight, usually 3 of my 5 arrows touching each other and the other 2 within about 3 inches, but when I move from 18 to 20 yards, the whole group moves down by about 4 inches.

 

[whitetailjunky]

I would set your top pin at 18 yards if that's where it starts to drop off. If you're dropping 4" at 20 yards, I'm assuming you're dropping about 16" at 25 yards. I would set my 2nd and 3rd pins at those marks. It seems to me that drop off is a bit excessive for such a short difference in yardage, might be worth a trip to the proshop to let a tech have a look. Good luck on a nice buck this season.[up]

 

[BowhunterNJ]

Broadheads will tell the tale...don't shoot them in the same group, shoot them at different spots...but determine if their relative grouping is accurate or not.

One can shoot a relatively poorly tuned bow with field tips and still group well at 20 yards and under. But once you put a fixed blade broadhead on there, it's a whole other story.

If they group well at both distances and they're only 4" low but grouped nearly equally well...then just set the pins and forget it.

Also, if your bow was tuned last year...a lot can change in a year. String/cable stretch is very possible and can change your bow's tune (cam/wheel alignment, nocking point, etc)...which influences arrow flight and therefore your point of impact.

Quickest way to know what's up is to shoot a fixed broadhead. You'll find that it too either shoots 4" low at 20 yards...or it will be much worse, in which case you have a tuning issue.

 

[Pathman]

How heavy are your arrows? You can probably gain some speed, along with cutting an inch or two of drop, with a weight adjustment. First off you probably don't need 100gr. heads as a start. You may be able to cut some length off your arrows also, as well as checking your arrow spine to be sure you're using the lightest arrows (within safety guidelines) possible.

 

[bloodtrails]

I would set the pins at 15 and 20, throw away the third pin and never shoot more than 20.

I would also check your arrows and see if they are spined right. You may want to go with a 85gr. broadhead. One of my kids has a similar setup, actually slightly less than 35lbs and doesn't experience that much drop.

 

[shootstraight]

Ms. Grit, I would head into a Archery Pro shop. I know that the Ramsey guys are nice but an archery pro shop would be able to solve your issue with one visit. I have never used the guys up our way but hear good things about Strictly Archery in Washington. I always go to Rob at Targetters who I know whould have you shooting like an ace in no time.

Good Luck[up][up]

Shoot Straight!

 

[Ms Grit]

Pathman, I apologize for maybe not using the right terminology as this will only be my second year hunting with a bow. My arrows are fairly short, only measure a total of 28 1/2 inch with the tip and the knock. I also just moved up to 100 grain, was shooting 85 grain thunderheads, but couldn't find 85 grain in the field tips and had to get 100 grain to fit the arrow shaft.

 

[SlickHunter]

I'd think about going back to the 85 gr T-heads for a flatter traj

100grain field tips will probably group close to the 85 T-heads.

 

[230grain hollowpoint]

What arrows are you shooting? Your arrows and points need to be pretty light for that bow. A bow with that light of a draw is going to shoot with quite an arc unless the arrows are real light.

I know a woman that is an excellent field archer. In field archery they shoot out as far as 80 yards. She shoots a light draw weight bow. The aluminium arrows she used look like knitting needles.

 

[buckrun]

there is many many many things that could be causing this. either go to a pro shop you trust or search the internet and do things on your own. it may seem tough at first but its not all that hard to figure out. the problem with asking on a forum like this is the that you will recieve 20 diff. ways to get to the same point. they all might be correct in their own right, but it will be a confusing journey for you.
http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/practical_bowhunter/broadheadflight/index.html

http://www.eastonarchery.com/products/selection

http://www.eastonarchery.com/company/faq

http://redhawk-archery.com/bh-tuning.html