Fixed Pin or Moveable, 1st Time Elk Hunter

[mattflipper]

2022 will be my first time elk hunting and I’ve read plenty of articles but wanted some advice from actual hunters who have experiences to share.

As a note, I bow hunt a lot and have for a long time. Just from Kansas eat with the exception of one antelope hunt.

Question: lots of folks are persistent that fixed pins are a must for elk but is this the case and can anyone here say that they either were successful ONLY because of having fixed pins or WERE NOT because they had a moveable sight if we are talking the importance of one sight over the other?

If it matters we will be hunting the middle of September.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TreeStandAthlete]

Multi pin moveable is the best of both worlds. I think it's mostly personal preference. Taking myself as an example I can't use a multi-pin sight, I constantly forget which is which when under stress, so for me a moveable single/double pin is the best.

 

[sndmn11]

If I were buying a sight today it would be a 3 or 5 pin Fast Eddie, or maybe a Mountain Lite

Sights - FAST EDDIE - SPOT-HOGG

spot-hogg.com

Ascent Mountain Lite – Black Gold Bowsights

blackgoldsights.com

 

[Ucsdryder]

Depends. A newbie….fixed. It can get pretty exciting that first go around. Fixed takes some of the guess work out of it.

 

[bird_nerd_60]

I use the spot hogg fast eddie XL 2-pin. It essentially has a single pin that also has another aiming point in the middle of it. On my Mathews NoCam if I set the main pin to 20 yards it puts my second at about 35. In the places I hunt, the vast majority of the calling setups have a maximum distance for shooting lanes of around 40 yards, so that range with the 2 pins is great.

The advantages for me are that it has a clearer sight picture, and in the event of taking long shots you don't have to pin gap. My personal preferences is to gear my setups on elk to have those relatively close shooting lanes. If it's going to be a shot much longer than 40 yards it's probably going to be either a spot-and-stalk situation or a follow up shot on a wounded elk, in which case there should be a little bit more time to dial in your range (it really doesn't take very long). The only disadvantage for me so far is once in a while when at the end of a practice session I'll forget to return to my norm of the top pin being at 20, and the next time I shoot I'll sail an arrow because I'm still dialed to a longer range. Just have to develop your habits around the different equipment.

 

[Powerman]

So I decided this year to play around with a moveable sight (spot Hogg fast Eddie xl double pin). My other sight is the hoggit 7 pin. I really like the sight picture with a single up pin which is way less clutter. The downfall to that is having to move the sight and on an animal that may me moving towards or away making those range adjustments on the fly is a nightmare in my head with the moveable fast Eddie. I really think the best thing for me is to get the 5 pin housing for the fast Eddie which will give me pins 20,30,40,50,and 60. I don’t foresee a shot on an elk over 60 but deer and goats it is possible. If needed I would then go to the dial on the fast Eddie and use my bottom pin as a moveable reference. My thought is that any target past 60 should be completely relaxed which gives me time to range and adjust. Just my .02

 

[cnelk]

One thing with a fixed 5 pin is you can determine if your arrow arc is clear on longer shots when hunting timber.

 

[Miflatlander91]

No elk experience but I have changed plenty of setups over the years. From a 3 pin then a single that turned In to a small panic when a buck made a move I didn't expect. Shot a 5 pin after that then a double pin fast eddie almost loved a 3 pin fast eddie but now shooting a 7 pin hoggit and have 0 complaints so far

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[MtnMuley]

Stick with a fixed 5 pin. 20-60 yard shots with nothing to worry about adjusting if the elk moves or catches you off guard. I've killed many bulls with a bow and my average shot has been well under 20 yards. Keep it simple.

 

[cnelk]

^^^^ Bingo

 

[Kbhillhunter]

2022 will be my first time elk hunting and I’ve read plenty of articles but wanted some advice from actual hunters who have experiences to share.

As a note, I bow hunt a lot and have for a long time. Just from Kansas eat with the exception of one antelope hunt.

Question: lots of folks are persistent that fixed pins are a must for elk but is this the case and can anyone here say that they either were successful ONLY because of having fixed pins or WERE NOT because they had a moveable sight if we are talking the importance of one sight over the other?

If it matters we will be hunting the middle of September.

Thanks in advance.

I have never used an adjustable sight. I considered switching but decided to stick with fixed for the sole reason that in an animal encounter it's one less thing I have to worry about tinkering with. Range finder and shot routine already occupy too much of my (limited) mental bandwidth when I get all worked up with an animal in front of me.

I'm sure the adjustables work great. I just figured the margin of error between pins/pin gaps is not material enough at the distances I will consider shooting an animal at.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Option Archery manufactures a fantastic sight that will check all of the boxes. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[Maverick1]

Kind of personal preference.
IME - multiple fixed pins clutters the view, covers too much of the animal at long distances, and caused me confusion in the heat of the moment. A single pin is good out to 35 yards. Beyond that, I’m rangefinding and prefer to just range it, dial, and shoot. If I don’t have time to do those things I probably don’t have enough time to be taking the shot, anyhow. Takes a little more time but works better for me. For these reasons, I use a moveable single pin.

 

[Marble]

Stick with a fixed 5 pin. 20-60 yard shots with nothing to worry about adjusting if the elk moves or catches you off guard. I've killed many bulls with a bow and my average shot has been well under 20 yards. Keep it simple.

I like this and I'll add the following...

5 pins is good for the great majority of people. While hunting I haven't needed anything past my 60 pin while hunting.

But when I shoot 3d from March to August, I need the slider. Some shots are 110 or so.. So I got the Fast Eddy. Wife has the XL. I don't need the XL.

I have recently picked up a target bow and will no longer shoot my Axius for 3d like I have been. The 7 pin spot hog I had before was a great sight and I would gladly shoot again.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[mattflipper]

Thanks for all of the quick responses everyone.

I’ve hunted with a two pin Fast Eddie XL and/or an HHA tetra the past several years and have settled on the two pin as my “go-to” so far so I think I’ll stick with that since mine is 20/36 and I can gap anything in between and out to 40 comfortably. Hopefully anything over 40 won’t be a quick shot and one I could range and adjust.

Thanks again.

 

[StillBald]

I've hunted with a 5 pin fixed for decades without issue. However, this past season I needed to make a follow up shot at ~85 yards (first shot hammered the shoulder blade). My fixed pins didn't stretch out past 70. I've now moved to a 3-pin moveable (and a heavier arrow). That gives me either 20/30/40 or about 30/40/50 without having to move a thing-- but if I have to reach out further on a Hail Mary, I actually have a chance now.

 

[Coveyleader]

Elk shots are normally close. Stop watching YouTube. When they’re 60-70 yds, get closer!

 

[MattB]

Almost 30 year bow hunter here. I started with fixed pins, listened to the good idea fairy and tried a single pin adjustable, and quickly went backto fixed pins. For spot and stalk a moveable sight can be handy, but for calling or hunting rutting animals you my find yourself with a shot opportunity that is way off the yardage you dialed because of animal movement. No bueno.

As stated above, a multi-pin adjustable is a reasonable compromise, but they come with extra cost, weight, and complexity.

Might ask this on the archery forum as well, or ask the mods to move it to the right forum.

 

[Maverick1]

Elk shots are normally close. Stop watching YouTube. When they’re 60-70 yds, get closer!

This is a good point! Many factors can come into play. In one OTC area I've hunted, it would be challenging to get a clear shot on anything past 40 yards - it's just too thick! Most of the elk that I've shot in this area have been at close range: 6 yards as the closest, probably 20 yards being the average, and one outlier of 37 yards. Of course, I've also been on other elk hunts with relatively open terrain, and a longer shot would have been possible, I just chose to move closer (or called the elk in, whatever works in a given situation).

 

[homebru.trout]

3 pin moveable is my ideal solution for year round shooting with a hunting bow. I use a Sword Jury Pro with custom pins 19/19/10. Pins are fixed to 40 where I have taken 99% of my real life shots and I float everything beyond that. While I can't ever imagine a scenario where I shoot at an animal beyond 50-60 yards, the 3 pin floater allows me to practice out well past any responsible yardage. To date, I have never dialed in the field...longest shot I've ever taken is 43 yards.