# Weird pin yardage for hunter class?



## ar1220 (May 18, 2014)

When I shot hunter I did it got so use to it I still set my hunting bow sights up like I did then 20,27,34,41,48,55


----------



## stoz (Aug 23, 2002)

26/30/34 is what I used, won ibo hc world championship with it.


----------



## fz1 (Oct 15, 2011)

pins set to what i see with out tape ruler . 20-30-35-40.. got a range finder started playing around found out im 2ydr shy .. redun pins 20-32-37-42


----------



## sagecreek (Jul 15, 2003)

20 - 27 - 32 - 37 - 41


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

jtelarkin08 said:


> I've heard of guys sighting pins in for weird yardage for Hunter class. Anyone do this?
> Like 22 yards for first pin then 28 weird stuff like that.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That isn't weird. That is the right idea......

Start with your max yardage. It's 40 yards so your longest pin needs to cover 40 or 41 but no more. So the longest pin is something like 36 - 38 yards NOT 40! a 40 yard pin is a of very limited use and most of the time when it's used it will be held low. After the long pin is set you go to your first pin and through experience we know we don't shoot much of anything inside of 17 - 18 yards and quite a few at 22 - 25 yards so the short pin is some thing around 23 - 24 yards. I must be able to see clearly between all my pins so my middle pin ends up around 32 yards. That is why when I shot Hunter my 3 pins were approximately 24, 32 and 38 yards. However you set your pins it is VERY important to know the trajectory of each and how to utilize them for a variety of distances. By knowing the precise distance the top and bottom at which each pin hit meant each pin represented 3 exact distances. That is how you shoot 12+ up on the known distance half with fixed pins! I could and did aim hard at 12's on targets that were near the the 6 yardages represented by the first two pins. I remember shooting at a couple of 14's with my 38 yard pin and hitting them! At the time 14's were in play and I was shooting 58 - 60 X's indoors with BHFS gear. The 14 on the ram was large and if I could see and I was holding well I hit them.

The more pins you have in your sight the greater the chances of you accidentally using the wrong pin. That is why you see mostly 3 pins in ASA and when I shot IBO in AHC (40 yards) I saw many guys using only 2 pins because they were shooting 321+ fps but I couldn't go faster than 295 fps so I still used 3 pins. IBO HC and ASA Bow Novice are both 35 yards. Sooner or later you WILL use the wrong pin! 

After some time I learned to eye ball the pin gaps and THEN go to a bale at 38 yards. I'd do a gang adjustment to set the longest pin. I'd then walk up to find where the first two were hitting but I did not move them. I just noted where they were set and I knew from experience where the tops and bottoms of the pins hit. It did not bother me in the least if they were say 23.5 yards and 32.x yards or 24 and 33. Shooting the same speed and weight arrow many 100's of shots every week for years burns the trajectory into your brain.


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

sagecreek said:


> 20 - 27 - 32 - 37 - 41


Why have a 41 yard pin in a 40 yard max class? But then again the pin gap between a 27 and 32 yard pin is too narrow for my liking. I liked clearly seeing more of the target. I did not use a lens in Hunter so that would have a lot to do with it! You can't use in a lens in the IBO and at the time I was also shooting IBO AHC (Advanced Hunter Class).


----------



## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

Kstigall said:


> That isn't weird. That is the right idea......
> 
> Start with your max yardage. It's 40 yards so your longest pin needs to cover 40 or 41 but no more. So the longest pin is something like 36 - 38 yards NOT 40! a 40 yard pin is a of very limited use and most of the time when it's used it will be held low. After the long pin is set you go to your first pin and through experience we know we don't shoot much of anything inside of 17 - 18 yards and quite a few at 22 - 25 yards so the short pin is some thing around 23 - 24 yards. I must be able to see clearly between all my pins so my middle pin ends up around 32 yards. That is why when I shot Hunter my 3 pins were approximately 24, 32 and 38 yards. However you set your pins it is VERY important to know the trajectory of each and how to utilize them for a variety of distances. By knowing the precise distance the top and bottom at which each pin hit meant each pin represented 3 exact distances. That is how you shoot 12+ up on the known distance half with fixed pins! I could and did aim hard at 12's on targets that were near the the 6 yardages represented by the first two pins. I remember shooting at a couple of 14's with my 38 yard pin and hitting them! At the time 14's were in play and I was shooting 58 - 60 X's indoors with BHFS gear. The 14 on the ram was large and if I could see and I was holding well I hit them.
> 
> ...


Man you guys think this through way more than me. I shot 12 up on the known side last week (15 targets) just with a 20,30,40 yard pin and gap shooting. I guess it makes sense to do it the way you are saying but I am gonna have to make my self a cheat sheet ha 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## cbrunson (Oct 25, 2010)

Not at all uncommon. Targets are rarely set at 20, 25, 30, 35, etc. 

If you judge 20, it's more likely 18, or 23. 25 is more likely 23 or 27. 30 is more likely 27 or 33. So when you look at them, decide whether it is closer to 27 or 33, and hold the correct pin dead on. More often than not you will be more accurate with a 33 yard pin dead on, than trying to hold over with a 30 yard pin.


----------



## PFD42 (Mar 31, 2011)

I was running 25 ,32,37. But after Foley I changed to 20,27,34,40. We had several over 40y and the range averaged 36-37y. Was told their gonna stretch it out this year . I had a good clean release and shot at 43y , aimed at top of 10 and still fell out 1/2" low of the 12 for an 8 .


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

jtelarkin08 said:


> Man you guys think this through way more than me. I shot 12 up on the known side last week (15 targets) just with a 20,30,40 yard pin and gap shooting. I guess it makes sense to do it the way you are saying but I am gonna have to make my self a cheat sheet ha
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Or just stay with what worked for you!! It really depends on the range. My pins were set 4-5 years ago for the national ASA and IBO tournaments (40 yard ranges). At local shoots I often shot from the Open stakes since most "Hunter" stakes were much too short for good tournament practice.


----------



## Bucks (Jul 27, 2005)

it also depends on the speed of the bow for pin placement. i had pins for 27 and 33 for a 35 yard IBO hunting class with a 315fps bow. at the shoots, most of the targets were in the 25 to 33 range for hunter class. if less than 25, i would aim lower. for 25yds to 30 yards, hold the pin higher or lower on the center. if somewhat confused... the thought was if i was confused on the distance but thought it was less than 30 yards, to hold the 1st pin dead center and not give up the 10. same for the 33 pin and yardages greater than 30 yards. to do this, you need to study the flight of the arrow at oddball distances.

for guys who are dead nuts on guessing yardage, it doesnt matter what you do with your pins. that does not describe me.


----------



## Fire Archer (Jul 23, 2008)

Kstigall said:


> Why have a 41 yard pin in a 40 yard max class? But then again the pin gap between a 27 and 32 yard pin is too narrow for my liking. I liked clearly seeing more of the target. I did not use a lens in Hunter so that would have a lot to do with it! You can't use in a lens in the IBO and at the time I was also shooting IBO AHC (Advanced Hunter Class).


I had a 41 yard pin while shooting HC with a 35 yard max and had to use it 3 times that I remember. My other pins were a 25 and 33. I still hunt with them set at 25, 33, 41, 49, 57, and 65. Has worked great for me.


----------



## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

Kstigall said:


> Or just stay with what worked for you!! It really depends on the range. My pins were set 4-5 years ago for the national ASA and IBO tournaments (40 yard ranges). At local shoots I often shot from the Open stakes since most "Hunter" stakes were much too short for good tournament practice.


I'm shooting a state qualifier tomorrow. I am gonna tinker with the weird pins. I made a cheat sheet to take. [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tlknturky09 (Mar 1, 2015)

I've always been a big fan of a 3 pin sight @ 22-30-38

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk


----------



## petertom (Feb 12, 2007)

i shoot 27,35,40


----------



## Grnmtn (Feb 1, 2003)

Hummm... well I set up according to the shoot or season. My set up for Cleveland Indoor Worlds I ran a 18, 26, 32ish set up. Shot 22 11's with that structure. For outdoor IBO I just use 2 pins, 26... 32. I use a method like Kstigall knowing what the top center and bottom of the pin shoot for yardage. Which if practiced pretty much gives you a point of aim right on for most shots. I also if a bit confused, always aim pin high with a shorter pin to use the entire 10, rather then make a non confident shot. If it looks long I use the same method of aiming at the top of the 10 so even if it is two over max, I am still solid in the bottom of the 10.


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

Fire Archer said:


> I had a 41 yard pin while shooting HC with a 35 yard max and had to use it 3 times that I remember. My other pins were a 25 and 33. I still hunt with them set at 25, 33, 41, 49, 57, and 65. Has worked great for me.


Someone seriously screwed up if they set a target 6 yards over max unless it's for fun! Playing "games" with the max yardage in a real tournament is childish and/or a very sloppy mistake. Whomever, is responsible for the course should boot the person that set that target. The only variance over max yardage should be what a very good range finder might make. Which might be 1.5 yards. I wouldn't be a regular at a range that chose to set targets, for a real tournament, up to 20% over max.


----------



## Left I Dominant (Feb 2, 2016)

I used a 4 pin configuration 22, 28, 34, 40yds for ASA Hunter. I took the middle pin out of a 5 pin Hogg It housing


----------



## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

I tried the weird yardage thing out this week and I haven't decided if I like it or not. I shot +3 for the day with a miss and a 5 (judged two targets really bad). I still shot 10 12's on 30 targets and I only had 1 8! So maybe I like it? I am not sure yet 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 573mms (Jan 23, 2014)

sagecreek said:


> 20 - 27 - 32 - 37 - 41


I have used this before, when I go with the odd numbers like this I put a piece of tape on the back of my top limb with the numbers on it so I can see it and don't forget.


----------



## aocasek (Oct 27, 2008)

26 and 33


----------



## 3D Pinwheeler (Jan 29, 2007)

Biggest thing is to put the pin you use the most dead center of your housing.
For IBO HC mine was 27
AHC 32
MBR 38
The pin used the most middle of housing for IBO'S is usually 7 ish yards short of max.
I used all green .10's only use as many as needed usually two - 4 pins is plenty.


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

jtelarkin08 said:


> I tried the weird yardage thing out this week and I haven't decided if I like it or not. I shot +3 for the day with a miss and a 5 (judged two targets really bad). I still shot 10 12's on 30 targets and I only had 1 8! So maybe I like it? I am not sure yet
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I "liked" whatever gave me the highest score. By far and away the best thing you can do is learn exactly where the top and bottom of each pin hit. This will give you three points for each pin to use for aiming rather than one. 



3D Pinwheeler said:


> Biggest thing is to put the pin you use the most dead center of your housing.
> For IBO HC mine was 27
> AHC 32
> MBR 38
> ...


Agreed. The fixed pin classes I shot were both 40 yards, ASA Hunter and IBO AHC. The middle of three pins is used more than the others by a very large margin. My middle pin was 32 yards and also all green .010's.......... I think I could have scored fairly well in IBO AHC with a single pin set on 32-33 but ASA would have been a different story.


----------



## BROX (Sep 29, 2005)

HC pin set up 2 pins 27,33 didn't need anything else it got me kicked out of IBO HC my first full year shooting the NTC I won Erie and finished 2nd in the Triple crown. Now I run 27.33,38 in AHC


----------



## Fire Archer (Jul 23, 2008)

Kstigall said:


> Someone seriously screwed up if they set a target 6 yards over max unless it's for fun! Playing "games" with the max yardage in a real tournament is childish and/or a very sloppy mistake. Whomever, is responsible for the course should boot the person that set that target. The only variance over max yardage should be what a very good range finder might make. Which might be 1.5 yards. I wouldn't be a regular at a range that chose to set targets, for a real tournament, up to 20% over max.


They were all at IBO sanctioned shoots. One of them was at the IBO Worlds. It was on a turkey. It wasn't 41 yards but I guessed it at 39 so I held the 41 low. Got a 11 on it so it all worked out. Other guys shot it for 36 and 37 yards and got low 8's. Another one I remember was at a National and I shot a caribou for 41 yards and was barely out of the top of the 11, so it was probably 40 yards. The other one was a ram but I cant remember where it was at. They do set them long sometimes. I'm not complaining about it at all. I enjoyed it and as long as everybody has to shoot it that way I am content with it. Makes it more challenging.


----------



## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

Kstigall just gave one of the best descriptions of how to set up your pins so I hope you are listening. 

Then the next step is to learn how to use them on the course and you do that by working in your yard, so lets say you use 24 32 38 as your three pins like he suggested. Then you go to 24 and shoot and make sure it is dead on and then you step up to 23 22 21 20 19 18 and you still aim dead on and you learn how your arrow flight is acting and hitting on the target. Then you continue aiming with 24 yard pin dead on and you shoot at 25 26 27 28 29 30 and you watch your arrow and what it is doing. 

Now you can start to formulate a game plan for the distances and start aiming at the top edge of the 12 ring or the bottom edge of the 12 ring or aiming dead on at the 12 ring. You will learn what distances you can use certain strategies to give yourself a chance to get the 12 and stay safe without dropping out the bottom for a 8. 

Beyond that I would make a inch drop card so that I knew exactly how high to aim above the 12 ring at the between yardages that are far enough from my sight pin to aim at the top of the 12 ring and stay safe so I can then aim at a specific location and hit dead on.


----------



## Fire Archer (Jul 23, 2008)

Kstigall said:


> Someone seriously screwed up if they set a target 6 yards over max unless it's for fun! Playing "games" with the max yardage in a real tournament is childish and/or a very sloppy mistake. Whomever, is responsible for the course should boot the person that set that target. The only variance over max yardage should be what a very good range finder might make. Which might be 1.5 yards. I wouldn't be a regular at a range that chose to set targets, for a real tournament, up to 20% over max.


They were all at IBO sanctioned events. One being at the World. I guessed a turkey for 39 yards so I held the 41 low.  Got a 11 on it. Other guys shot it for 36 and 37 yards and got 8's. Another one was a caribou at a National. I shot it for 41 yards and was barely out of the top of the 11 so it was probably 39.5 to 40. Another one was on a ram that was around 40 yards and it was at a National. Its not often but they will try to sneak one in there every now and then. Makes it more challenging to me and as long as everyone has to shoot it, I am content with it.


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

Fire Archer said:


> They were all at IBO sanctioned events. One being at the World. I guessed a turkey for 39 yards so I held the 41 low. Got a 11 on it. Other guys shot it for 36 and 37 yards and got 8's. Another one was a caribou at a National. I shot it for 41 yards and was barely out of the top of the 11 so it was probably 39.5 to 40. Another one was on a ram that was around 40 yards and it was at a National. Its not often but they will try to sneak one in there every now and then. Makes it more challenging to me and as long as everyone has to shoot it, I am content with it.


There is a perfect example of how the IBO is seriously flawed, petty and basically a joke! There are rules that as archers we must all follow but the organization itself makes a mockery of the game. The very people that are supposedly making and keeping the game legit think it's amusing to screw with the game itself. Sounds like back yard fun but when people drive and fly from all over the country for what they believe to be a legitimate sporting event it's cheapen the value. 

A few years back I started traveling much further for an ASA event rather than an IBO event. In a few weeks I'm traveling 1,200 miles to an ASA shoot rather than 500 miles to an IBO event. It was the right choice. Last year I shot 6 ASA tournaments and the closest was an 8 hour drive. It would be so much "easier" and less expensive to shoot IBO but I'd rather not...............


----------



## ondavirg (May 15, 2004)

The average shot distance at the foley ASA on the hunter class unknown range was over 35 yards. I used my 41 yard pin 5 times, including a shot on a 44 yard wolf. Don't think they won't stretch you out just because it's a pin class.

I should say the wolf looked over max yardage, but I didn't step him off. Based on my arrow I believe he was further than he should have been!


----------



## Fire Archer (Jul 23, 2008)

Kstigall said:


> There is a perfect example of how the IBO is seriously flawed, petty and basically a joke! There are rules that as archers we must all follow but the organization itself makes a mockery of the game. The very people that are supposedly making and keeping the game legit think it's amusing to screw with the game itself. Sounds like back yard fun but when people drive and fly from all over the country for what they believe to be a legitimate sporting event it's cheapen the value.
> 
> A few years back I started traveling much further for an ASA event rather than an IBO event. In a few weeks I'm traveling 1,200 miles to an ASA shoot rather than 500 miles to an IBO event. It was the right choice. Last year I shot 6 ASA tournaments and the closest was an 8 hour drive. It would be so much "easier" and less expensive to shoot IBO but I'd rather not...............


Sorry about the double post. After responding the first time I looked the next day and didn't see it so I just thought I forgot to submit it. I agree that they should follow the rules too but max yardage is the least of the IBO's worries IMO. The whole buddy system that they allow is beyond ridiculous. It's beating a dead horse but until they assign shoot times for all of their major events, I probably won't shoot in the IBO anymore. I haven't shot for a couple years anyway but if I would start back, I would probably shoot ASA as well.


----------



## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

ondavirg said:


> The average shot distance at the foley ASA on the hunter class unknown range was over 35 yards. I used my 41 yard pin 5 times, including a shot on a 44 yard wolf. Don't think they won't stretch you out just because it's a pin class.
> 
> I should say the wolf looked over max yardage, but I didn't step him off. Based on my arrow I believe he was further than he should have been!


I shot fixed pins for many years. I started out in the ASA shooting Hunter class and never saw a single target over max and I know the average distance was never over 35 yards. Honestly this is the first I've ever heard of an ASA target being 4+ yards over max especially in a 40 yard class! 4+ yards over on a 40 yard max course in my opinion is a serious mistake. I hope somebody pointed it out to the range official and Mike T. They are not perfect and mistakes do happen but I hope a 4+ yard is NOT acceptable to the ASA.



Fire Archer said:


> Sorry about the double post. After responding the first time I looked the next day and didn't see it so I just thought I forgot to submit it. I agree that they should follow the rules too but max yardage is the least of the IBO's worries IMO. The whole buddy system that they allow is beyond ridiculous. It's beating a dead horse but until they assign shoot times for all of their major events, I probably won't shoot in the IBO anymore. I haven't shot for a couple years anyway but if I would start back, I would probably shoot ASA as well.


You are exactly right. 

The IBO leadership is beyond stuck in the mud. They have made very poor business decisions based on ignorance and have _chosen _to be left behind. It isn't particularly unusual. Many very successful businesses have ended up failing because of basic poor decisions and people (leaders) being incapable of adapting and/or choosing to stand still. History is full of auto makers, technology companies, transport/shipping companies and many others that simply chose to let their "business" age out right along with themselves...... Think Little Big Horn.

If someone started something like a regional "ASA North" or something with IBO equipment rules with an ASA structure it would put a bullet in the IBO. If the ASA made a serious run at the NFAA's market the NFAA would collapse fairly quickly UNLESS Easton continued to bail them out.


----------



## Fire Archer (Jul 23, 2008)

I have thought that for a while as well. Im not real familiar with Regions rules but I think that if they would've used an IBO type scoring, then they could have put the dagger in the IBO. I have said this before, but I believe if you were really worthless and willing to cheat, that you could go to an IBO National shoot, shoot less than half of the targets, if any and still win with the way they run business. It's pretty pitiful.


----------



## legacy_hunter02 (Aug 5, 2004)

Used to run mine like this also. Would set my first pin at like 18. Then just kept an even pin gap between pins that I liked and just set my pins by what yardage they fell on. My first one was normally 18 next was about 26 then 32 and so on. Once you get used to doing it it's pretty easy really and helped me a lot 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## TRUE HUNT (Nov 8, 2006)

Less is best and know the limits of your bow. Test test test. Have fun with it.


----------



## cjschll (Mar 23, 2016)

I just use a one pin Spot-Hogg. Problem solved. lol 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk


----------



## Bo Bob (Feb 12, 2004)

I shoot Unlimited which is and Open set up but with pins.
I run mine 25, 33, 37, 42, 50

Most of the time I using my 33 pin an gunning for the 12 or shooting center 10 for a target I guess at 35 yards.
If I guess a target at 36 I use my 37 on the 12.
39 yards I use my 37 pin hot
40 yards I put my 42 on the 12 and hope for center 10--if I miss the yardage a bit I have 2 yards of forgiveness built in.


----------



## MXandSXracer21 (Jan 19, 2015)

I need to try this sometime. I currently just have my pins set at 20-25-30-35-40.


----------

