Starting at 30yds?

[Taylmatr]

I've always started my vertical bow and crossbow scopes at 30 yds. Anyone else do this or am I the only one? Haven't got to see if the varizone will line up with the reticles out to 60. I usually spot and stalk so sneaking up on a deer under 30 yards its easier to just flop the crosshairs or first pin up for a fast shot than ranging.

[DaveShooter]

I've always started my vertical bow and crossbow scopes at 30 yds. Anyone else do this or am I the only one? Haven't got to see if the varizone will line up with the reticles out to 60. I usually spot and stalk so sneaking up on a deer under 30 yards its easier to just flop the crosshairs or first pin up for a fast shot than ranging.

I've always set or used my scope on my crossbow @ 10 yds,20yds then 30 yds. 35 yds is my top wood shot I would take and again that's just me. I like the Deer on the ground up close and personal- No tree stand but sit out on the woods floor in my 360 degree swivel seat. I do use brush as a natural blind and use fox scent in early season. Then move to buck lure in the pre-rut and the rut.

[Taylmatr]

I'm a big fan of the ground blind also but I've found if I put the feeders or acorn tree where I think my shot is gonna be at around 30-40 yds it's a lot easier. After studying my trail cams the last few yrs your alot more likely to get the big ones if you have a lot of other deer hanging out. I find it hard to go unnoticed for a couple hours with half doz deer inside of 20yds.

[yooper_man]

I use 25 yard crosshair zero, so I can use this single aiming point. Placing the crosshair intersection behind the front shoulder from 0 - 30 yards is a no brainer.

Andrew

[Fishous]

I doubt it will line up exactly. You would really need to shoot it to find out.

I had a crossbow I bought used that had a 4 dot reticle that was meant for 20, 30, 40, 50 and the guy had it sited at 30, and the rest lined up at 35, 40, and 45-ish.

[Cossack]

I zero mine for 20 because that's where most of my shots have been been, but the subtended aiming points are dialed in at 30,40 and 50 on my LumiZones. I can hit 60 yard targets but have to use Kentucky elevation (estimate) the distance beneath the 50 yard 'pin.' But that's ok as I never intend to shoot at game that far.

[Peacemaker]

I think that most are set up to start at 20 so that your three gradations can be, generally, accurate at 30, 40, and 50 respectively. I think that it is quite debatable whether an archery shot above 50 yards is an "ethical" shot.

Of course an ethical shot is, I suppose, a shot where the shooter is confident of a quick kill. Any shot other than not should not be made (misses happen, of course, but you don't want to make "hail mary" shots). Of course if you know that you are accurate at 60 yards, then a 60 yard shot might be ethical as long as your equipment will give you enough energy to penetrate.....

So.....to each their own regarding how they sight in there equipment.

[wabi]

I had a deer at 29 yards and used the 40 yard chevron - shot right over it's back!
Had another at 31 yards and used the 20 yard crosshair - shot right under it's belly!
Switched to a single crosshair (Leupold shotgun scope), sighted in at 25 yards, only shoot at deer from 0-30 yards and haven't missed one since!

[Kegbelly]

I shoot a single red dot, no magnification, zeroed at 30. Inside of 25 it's a little high, at 40 its a couple inches low but still very workable with a little hold over. 40 is pretty much the limit I place on shot distance. Anything beyond that, I just watch 'em. Longest shot I've had with it was 34 yds. Even with the speed and accuracy Excaliburs offer, bows are still close range weapons.

[Cossack]

Singe power and red dot scopes are fine for those who like em but one still has to guesstimate the amt of over/under with most shots. I find that using a variable scope with multiple aim points (and magnification) enables much closer approximation of where the arrow will hit. I still have to range the actual distance to the target to determine which aim point to use, but then I presume that those who are using a single aiming point reticule must do the same. Guessing at both target distance and hold-off amount sounds like a recipe for hit but almost killed the deer. I'll admit that shorter distances - and less trajectory (speed) - make accurate hits more possible under for most aiming devices.

[Kegbelly]

Agreed, you just have to find what works for you and stick with it, and *practice* with that setup so you know what it's gonna do when the big one walks by

[Ibex]

Most of my shots are at 30 yards so I sight in at 30 yards using the second crosshair. The first crosshair is very close at 20 yards, the third is very close at 40 yards and for some reason the 4th crosshair is 5" high at 50 yards. As mentioned earlier it is very important to use the correct crosshair or you will miss. A single crosshair is foolproof as long as you practice enough to know your hold over and under. For me I would sight a single crosshair scope at 30 yards.

Fran