Has anyone missed a shot opportunity because of a slider sight?

[TauPhi111]

Hey guys, so I've always been a fixed pin sight guy while the single pin slider sights have gained popularity. For the past decade or more I've shot a Trophy Ridge vertical pin sight (which I love and can't understand why it isn't more mainstream). I've never bought into the single pin sliders because I could easily imagine a situation where you would be waiting for an animal to appear or present a shot at a certain distance and then something would happen where the shot is at another distance, possibly while you are at full draw. With a multi pin fixed sight, that's not a big deal, but with a single pin sight, if the distance is great enough, your only point of aim is now terribly off. If you are at full draw, you'd have to let down to adjust your sight.

Now that some slider sights are coming with 2 or 3 pins, I was finally convinced to try one. I have a Spot Hogg Fast Eddie on my new bow that has 2 aiming points. I'm gonna give it a whirl. My question is, for those of you that do shoot single pin slider sights or multi pin slider sights, has the nightmare that I've dreamed up actually ever happened to anyone with any regularity, or have I dreamed up a highly unlikely scenario? I'd like to know because I'm hesitant on this sight.

 

[Super 91]

I have not personally because I cannot bring myself to hunt with one due to the reasons you listed above. But I have several friends who use them, and not a single one has NOT had an issue when hunting game. They all have either missed due to yardage change, or missed due to the sight being set at the wrong yardage, or any combination of the above.

 

[Zspires94]

I hunt with a single pin Hogg Father and I haven’t had any real issues personally. The only thing that I did have happen was I drew on a deer and something scared it and it ran probably 15-20 further. I decided to let down, adjust sight and redraw; that being said I was way up in a tree and it was a whitetail that didn’t know I was there. I can see how that could be a real issue on the ground or if you’re blown. I’m planning on switching to a double pin scope.


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[TauPhi111]

I have not personally because I cannot bring myself to hunt with one due to the reasons you listed above. But I have several friends who use them, and not a single one has NOT had an issue when hunting game. They all have either missed due to yardage change, or missed due to the sight being set at the wrong yardage, or any combination of the above.

Man that is not very encouraging haha. The first animal this sight costs me, it's going on the classifieds and I'm getting the latest vertical pin from Trophy Ridge

 

[Jbehredt]

5 pin slider here. Can practice to 100 during the off season. Once Season rolls around I forget it’s adjustable and lock it in for 20-60.

 

[87TT]

Yep, 5 pin slider. Best of both options. And if you have the time and ability, dial it down so you don't have to gap shoot.

 

[Gunnar19]

I’m also a 5 pin slider guy, switched to the fast Eddie xl 5 pin slider this year. So far so good

 

[Beendare]

I had a buddy lose a shot opportunity on an Elk coming [I was calling] in because he reset his sight- the elk spooked.

Now if you ask him....he will never admit to that. I doubt anyone else will either /grin

 

[Planopurist]

I’m a 5-pin fixed sight guy now, but I’m seriously thinking about a 3-pin slider.


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[nphunter]

I had a buddy lose a shot opportunity on an Elk coming [I was calling] in because he reset his sight- the elk spooked.

Now if you ask him....he will never admit to that. I doubt anyone else will either /grin

I also have a friend from PA that comes out that has missed several opportunities because a single pin slider. Elk come in quick and cover a ton of ground very quickly when walking, I think having to range and adjust multiple times is just silly when run and gun elk hunting. They are fine for spot and stalk or stand hunting but that’s all I would recommend a single pin for.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I currently shoot a single pin slider and love the lack of clutter in my sight picture. You can utilize a single pin without moving it every time with practice which we should all be doing anyway. I leave my sight set at 40 yards. If something happens quick 20 yards is between my pin and top of sight housing. 50 yards is half way down my pin and 60 yards is top of my bubble.

I would say most guys that love a single pin slider practice to hold over and hold under so they don't have to let down and adjust sight every time.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have but I fairness it was user error not the sight.

I switched from a 5 pin fixed to a 3 pin slider and frankly wasn’t ready to shoot it. I couldn’t get it dialed fast enough on one deer and flubbed the dial on another. Arrow hit harmlessly below the deers feet and we went our separate ways. I went to a 5 pin slider for last season. Best of both worlds IMO. Fixed pins cover all my hunting distances and I can dial for longer range practice.

 

[NorthT]

I’ve shot a single for the last 4 seasons without any problems until this year. I do mainly hunt deer though. I didn’t start having problems until I went to up in weight on my arrow,475gr to 550. In the past I could leave at 30 and shoot 20-45 without a problem, this year I shot high on one and under the next due to how much arrow drop I have if that makes sense. Will be going back to 475 this year.

 

[Billy Goat]

5 pin slider. Can shoot to 25-65 with pins. I setup top of level to be 75 yards. I can slide the housing and use the bottom pin to shoot out to 140. Just need to learn to check your marks to make sure you haven't moved your sight and then forgotten about it. Hunting I don't plan on dialing. It's all for practice.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I’m currently using a single pin. I mostly treestand hunt for whitetails. I can shoot 0-30 yds with my setup. I’ve always had a fixed 3 pin sight before switching to the single pin. I’m wanting to go to a 3 pin slider. The 3 pin would be perfect for me. The 5 pin is way too busy and unnecessary for me.

 

[Super 91]

If you are mostly Eastern or tree stand whitetail hunting and know what your arrow is doing from 15-35, you can leave the single pin at 25 and make the shot most of the time. But out West for longer range shots and hunting elk on the ground, I feel the slider is a disadvantage. Elk cover so much ground with each step, it only takes a few steps and your where you sight pin is set is no longer valid. Guessing for me is not an option, so neither is this style of sight. I absolutely love the concept and the uncluttered sight picture, but I don't see that as an advantage when hunting certain types of game. Now the Garmin A1i.....that's a different story altogether

 

[Beendare]

POSITIVES; A slider is holdover from the target range. Incredibly accurate, not all mucked up with multiple pins [though many are running them that way] You can dial in tweener yardages instead of gapping fixed pins. And lets be honest here, I have a few buddies running these sights and the main reason is to shoot very long range shots.

NEGATIVES; It is one more thing you have to mess with at the moment of truth while hunting. More movement. It diverts your concentration. They can be bumped inadvertently.

Personally, I think its a target mentality applied to hunting. Is this better? in some cases yes...in others no.

No right or wrong answer. Pinpoint accuracy is great...but in some hunting situations a split second pie plate accurate shot rules. [ My pro shooter buddies would disagree I know! /grin] There are so many examples I can think of where I only had a short window to shoot.

A guy using a slider can overcome any disadvantages with some forethought and practice.
You can learn to gap off the pin when an animal moves closer/further....that kind of thing without being reliant on a perfect setting if you don't have time to adjust it.

..

 

[Muley15]

prefer the 3 pin slider. Im good 0-50 yds without touching it

 

[chasewild]

I shoot a 3 pin slider and I will never go back to a fixed sight. Here's why.

For elk, if your elk is coming in, keep it at normal (for me that means 20-40). If he's within 40 yards, you're not going to get away with much movement and you've got all you need.

But after 40 (50-70 --- and rarely will I shoot that far...if ever) I can get away with moving my pins if I need to. I probably have more time to move my pins as well.

For deer, I hit the green light at 50 yards so on my stalk in, I move my slider so the bottom pin is at 50, second is at 40, and first pin is at 30. Ulmer kills most of his bucks at 40, but if I can get closer, I'll take it. So as I get closer, I adjust my pins accordingly.

So, last year, my buck started out at 73. Then 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, then 5. I adjusted my sight when I hit 20 yards (back to normal). He jumped his bed and ran out to about 20-30. I put both pins inside him, and when the shot broke, the POI was between the pins (about 25 yards).


Antelope, same thing, adjust as you are stalking in. Water hole, you're covered up so you're good to go. I had to adjust my sight as one buck was walking away and I guessed how far he had walked before I set my sight -- it was only about 5 yards. That was a heart shot.

Sheep -- I had 25 ewes running through a gap and I headed them off at a saddle. They stopped, I ranged them at 48, quick adjustment, and arrow went where it was supposed to. That one was the closest I'd ever been to not getting a shot, but that was my fault because I blew a stalk and then had to make up for it by scrambling.

Practice is now awesome and I can focus on the target while I'm pulling through the shot, rather than shooting a gap.

 

[manitou1]

I have used single pin sliders for decades and have never lost an opportunity due to that, but I'm sure I will next season now that I jinxed myself!