Tips on Using a Pendulum Sight
Q: I'm 14 years old and have been bowhunting for about two years. I have a PSE compound bow with a Keller treestand pendulum sight. Can this sight be used for hunting on the ground, and how should I adjust the sight to use it in this manner? -Coy Burnette, Jayess, Mississippi
A: I haven't used the Keller treestand pendulum sight but most pendulum sights are sighted in on the ground for a known distance, generally 20 yards, and then the hunter compensates automatically for the vertical angle of the shot from a treestand. On several of the pendulum sights I examined you could remove the pendulum part of the sight and simply replace it with one or more adjustable sight pins for ground shooting situations. I'm sure you could also use the Keller sight from the ground by sighting the pin for a known distance and then compensate for shorter or longer shots by holding over or under the target as you would with a single sight pin.
I recommend learning to shoot your bow instinctively and practicing at shorter ranges from 10 to 20 yards. Being able to shoot reasonably well and understanding how your bow performs when shot instinctively at short range is not that difficult. Plus, it might save your hunt when your high-tech equipment can't do its job. -Judd Cooney
A Need for Speed
Q: I shoot a Golden Eagle Hawk Carbine with twin cams and 80 percent let-off. My draw length is 29 inches and I have the bow set at 60 pounds. I shoot Easton 2413 XX75 arrows tipped with 100-grain Thunderhead broadheads. I recently shot the bow through a chronograph and was surprised that the best I could do was 203 fps. Is there any way to get more speed from my setup?
-Ralph Iacobelli, Fairfield, New Jersey
A: There are only two ways to boost arrow speed with your current bow. You can either increase your draw weight or reduce your arrow weight. You may want to try them both.
With most two-cam bows, a 1 pound increase in draw weight will increase arrow speed an additional 2 to 3 fps. If you increase your bow weight from 60 to 70 pounds you should increase your bow speed 20 to 30 fps.
If your bow won't adjust to a higher poundage, or if you prefer to leave it at 60 pounds, you'll have to try a lighter arrow. Try switching to a lighter overdraw arrow like the 2213 at 26 inches, or the 3-28 Easton A/C/C at 26 inches. Both should shoot well from your 60-pound bow. The 2213 would be 45 grains lighter than your current
2413 for a net gain of 9 fps. The A/C/C would be about 90 grains lighter for a net gain of about 18 fps. For the fastest overdraw setup, shoot an all-carbon shaft like the 26-inch 520 Easton Redline.At 115 grains less than your current 2413, the Redline should give you a net gain of about 23 fps. If you combine a draw weight increase to 70 pounds with a 26-inch overdraw arrow, you might get 255 or 260 fps out of your bow.
My best advice for white-tailed deer hunting would be to carry a laser rangefinder, leave the bow set at 60 pounds and either shoot your original arrows or switch to lighter shafts for a modest speed increase of 10 or 15 fps. You'll never need more speed than that for whitetails inside 30 yards, and your bow will perform better with less game-spooking noise.
-Chuck Adams
Let's Make a Deal
Q: I'm a beginning bowhunter and don't know much about equipment. I recently bought a used Indian Quest bow with an adjustable draw weight from 45 to 60 pounds. The bow has a 29-inch draw length with 65 percent let-off. It came with a stabilizer, a 4-pin sight, a 3-pin TruGlo sight, a release, a bow quiver, 11 new arrows, five new broadheads and a padded hard bow case. I paid $150 for everything. Is this a good deal for a used hunting bow? -D.S., Clendenin, West Virginia
A: At first glance, you got a screaming deal on a nice bow that should work well for you under a variety of bowhunting conditions. It sounds well suited for whitetail hunting near your home. However, I have many questions. Most important, does the bow fit you? Is the draw length exactly right for you? Is the bow comfortable for you to shoot? Is the weight range suitable for you and the game you wish to pursue?
Next, make sure the equipment matches the bow. Are the arrows spined properly for the bow weight, and has the bow been paper tuned to shoot accurately? With the sight and quiver attached, does it shoot quietly or do you need to add some padding between parts? Does it group the arrows accurately with broadheads attached?
If you enjoy shooting the bow and are able to place your broadhead-tipped shafts where you want them under field conditions, then the bow will work for you. The game we hunt deserves nothing less. If that were the case, then I'd check the bowstring and cable system for excessive wear and replace them if necessary. Finally, re-tune and re-sight the bow, then you're ready to go get 'em. -Bob Robb