I just got my first crossbow. It is the matrix 355 that came with a scope. Problem is its great during the day but I don't know how to use it when the deer are moving which is after sunset as there isn't enough light in the scope. If you can't use it during the best 15 minutes of the hunt is there a way to fire it as if it had open sites?
I can see the deer behind the blind at 2-3 yards without the scope. When I turn the dial to green it washes the view out. When I turn it slightly to red I can see the dots but the view is just as dark. Any advise would be appreciated.
I'd hate to use a shutgun the last 15 minutes of the hunt.
Don't know which scope you have, but my Tact-Zone has variable intensity. Using only enough brightness to be able see the marks will allow your eye to gather more of what little light is coming trough the scope. It doesn't take much, and the red will effect your night vision far less.
Open sights are ideal for late hunts. Red dots are also good because they can be setup to use both eyes, one eye picks up the dot and the other sees the target.
Reducing the intensity will help a lot too with the tac zone.
Phoenix Crossbow
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting
I have the Tact-Zone scope from Excalibur. I was thinking of hunting with both eyes open at night. One looking at the red dots and the secondary eye looking at the deer. It would be a good idea to practice on a target as I know when switching from eye to eye the target is way off so I cannot image how the target would line up with both eyes open. I went out with the lumination at minimum and if I stared into the scope I could pick out shapes but I have no time for that when they are just passing thru
I use a 1x single red dot and shoot with both eyes open, and it does take some practice. When I bought my bow, scopes with magnification were illegal on xbows in my state. That changed a few years ago but I shot well enough with what I had and just never did change. Best of luck whatever you go with.
Matrix 380
18" Zombies, 400 gr w/ 125 gr Magnus Stingers & Lumenoks
Exomag
20" Zombies, 380 gr w/ 100 gr Magnus Stingers
That's sort of unusual Phern, sounds like the exception to the rule.
But I do the same thing, I have to be careful that my left eye doesnt become the dominant eye when shooting or I lose sight of the dot and target with my right eye and I drift off target. For me it took a fair amount of practice to be able to do it.
Matrix 380
18" Zombies, 400 gr w/ 125 gr Magnus Stingers & Lumenoks
Exomag
20" Zombies, 380 gr w/ 100 gr Magnus Stingers
Here is one trick you can use. It is all in the mind. The eye see things differently when you close one eye (either left or the right eye) One eye will always be dominant.
Put a patch over your left eye. just like the ones pirates wear. This way you can keep both eye open and your brain will tell your right eye to focus more. The trick is to keep both eyes open using this. Try it during practice. After you have been use to shooting like that then take the patch off and you will see thru the scope much better. What you are doing in this case is training your brain and your eye(s) to focus thru the scope and on your target.
We were taught this for shooting competitions and for other sharp shooting. What actually happens when you close one eye to shoot is your putting a lot of strain on the one eye looking thru the scope (the other eye wants to open and your trying to control that at the same time. Keep both eyes open... this way you will see the target (thru the scope) as well as your other eye can pick up other movements that you might not be aware of or it will help you hone in on your Target.
This takes a lot of practice it is not learned over night. Once you get use to it the rest is easy as peanut butter and jam.
