One of the keys to accuracy with a bow and arrow is consistency. You need to be able to look in your front sight every time and hit the target right in the desired spot. How do you achieve this? With a peep sight.
Using a peep sight isn’t as difficult as most archers and hunters think it is.
Peep sights are the answers to the popular misconceptions that perfection cannot be attained when shooting arrows.
You can be perfect when aiming targets with a peep sight, mounted on your bow.
Tales from those who use their bow without a peep sight when hunting Bucks, Elks and other quick animals in the wild would convince you to speedily get a peep sight mounted on that bow of yours.
I want you to know that experience doesn’t ALWAYS guarantee accuracy.
When hunting without a peep sight, your head can be out of alignment and definitely, leading to inaccuracies.
Aiming at the same target each time you take a full draw brings satisfaction and a feel of professionalism and a peep sight is just the best you can count on.
Therefore, in this article, I’ll be exposing to you how you should use a peep sight on your bow.
Using a Peep Sight
Peep sights are the most important part of a bow and most hunters and target archers seem to ignore its numerous benefits.
They enhance notch-and-post open sights by improving your eye’s ability to see the front sight perfectly and on the target.
It isn’t quite as difficult to use this rear and helpful sight.
Peep sights come in different sizes and materials, depending on the preference of the shooter.
A pro tip, if you’re going for the rubber peep sight, you should get at least two of them when going out in the wild, because they wreck easily.
So, back to it, how do you use a peep sight?
Foremost, you’d have to determine the distance at which the pins of your peep sight are set, this is most crucial.
When you attempt a shot without knowing the distance at which your peep sight is set, inaccurate shots lurk.
Typically, the top pin of every peep sight is always set to 20 yards.
However, you should expect a 10-yard increment to the remaining part of the peep sight. These increments range 30, 40 and 50 yards respectively.
Additionally, when using a peep sight on your bow, you should ensure that your anchor point is not obstructing the view of your peep sight.
So, what should you do? Ensure that you periodically adjust either your face position or the anchor point when aiming.
Shooting further wide range, you would have to line up the corresponding pin to the target depending on its distance from you.
The overall and main aim is for the bubble to be at the centre.
When you have the bubble right at the centre of your fore-sight, with an aligned pin on your target, then you’re set to shoot your shot.
Step by Step Shooting with a Peep Sight
In this section, you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how you can shoot those big Bucks and Elks with utmost precision using a peep sight.
Without any further ado, let’s look at these important tips to note when shooting with a peep sight.
Prepare for your shot by stretching and warming up
A great and accurate shot is largely determined by the fitness of the hunter.
So, if you don’t want to end up blaming every part of your bow for your inaccuracies, you should undertake simple stretches and warmups.
Assume a strong shooting stance
As earlier established, you don’t expect your peep sight to guarantee precision out of nothing.
When using a prep sight on your bow, you should take on a position that would ensure that your shots are perfectly taken.
Your stance matters, so when standing, your feet should be shoulder-width apart and at 90° to your target.
Hold your bow in a natural position
As your stance and fitness matter when shooting, the grip of your bow also counts to attain accuracy.
Ensure that your bow is always in a natural position when shooting, to keep your eyes focused on the peep at every peep.
Nock the arrow and draw it back to your anchor points
After these pre-tips have been adhered to, now it is time to properly nock your arrows to your bowstring.
The nocking point is where you clip your arrow to the bowstring. It keeps it there when you draw and shoot.
In every bowstring, you find at least one nocking point. If you go with a single nocking point, your arrow nock will fit tightly underneath it.
Now it’s time to sight your shot
With all these done, you’re good to peep through your peep sight and take that perfect shot.
Sighting Your Shot
Most hunters find it frustrating trying to sight their shots and this leads to a bitter experience when hunting.
So, how do you sight your shot with a peep sight when aiming?
- Firstly, you would have to look through the peep sight with your dominant eye and get a clear sight of your target.
- After sighting with your dominant eye, you’d have your target right where you want it on the scope. Then you should sight the target with the forward scope.
- Close one of your eyes to make focusing easier. Also, ensure that the sight pin is measuring with the equivalent distance.
- Next, and importantly, the bubble at the middle MUST be aligned. Ensure that you adjust your bow position to the left or right if not aligned.
- Finally, and to be more professional, you shouldn’t stress trying to line up the pins perfectly. You should rather allow them to float around the target a little. Then you can release it when you are relaxed.