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Crossbow Maintenance for 2008 Season
2008-05-05
"Crossbow Aiming Solutions"
The success of your next crossbow hunt may hinge more on your choice of sights to adorn it than the crossbow itself.
A system that works great for your hunting partner, may work terribly for you. A system that is effective in the West, could prove to be a hinderance in the Eastern swamps.
Over the next few months, we will examine the different sighting options available for your crossbow and how to determine the best choice to fit your hunting and shooting needs. This month’s topic is electronic “dot type” sights.
Electronic Dot Type Sights
“Red Dot” sights are extremely popular with many crossbow hunters today. They provide rapid target acquisition for quick accurate shots at close range. In no magnification, they are versatile in mounting as there are no eye relief issues. They are available in one dot configuration as well as three for two additional yardage references.
To determine if a “dot sight” is the wisest choice for you, ask yourself these simple questions:
Is my eyesight (with correction) generally good?
Because there is no focus adjustment built into a dot sight, the ability to generally see well will allow not only the dot, but the intended target to appear clear. If you wear bi or trifocal lenses in your glasses, you may experience difficulty in focusing on different planes.
Am I comfortable shooting with both eyes open?
In order to work effectively, especially in low light conditions, a “red dot” must be shot keeping two eyes open. If shot with one eye closed, the lense tint will cause the aiming dot to appear bright, but the target will disappear! Shot properly, using your natural peripheral vision, the target will remain clear and the aiming dot or dots will seem to be magically super imposed on the target.
Can I remember to carry a spare battery and can I remember to turn my sight off at the end of my hunt?
Although the electronic sights of today will provide many hours of use, a battery will burn out eventually. I have observed that the only time that they do expire is when you have forgotten a spare and are fifty miles from the closest store where a replacement can be found and it happens to be the peak of the rut! Military and law enforcement overcome this shortcoming by using dot sights that are powered with nuclear tritium inserts. These stay lit for 100 years without a battery and are available to civilian hunters and shooters as well. The problem for most of us is their retail price is well into four digits.
What is my hunting style?
If your big game hunting with a crossbow is normally limited to tree stand or blind hunting in heavily wooded areas, that is typical in many parts of the country, and your shots are taken at short ranges, a dot sight may be perfect for you. These sights really shine when a quick, accurate shot is needed. If you hunt more open terrain or like to hunt field edges in the evening, a more traditional, rifle type scope with a little magnification may be more effective.
Some other dot sight facts to consider.
- To be effective, the brightness of the dot must be tailored to the available shooting light. Use bright settings for sunny conditions and lower settings for dusk and dawn.
- Because of the lack of magnification in a 3-dot crossbow sight, the dots will appear close together. If the rheostat setting is set too high for the available light, the dots will blend together, forming a slit rather than three individual dots.
- If your choice is a single dot sight, make sure your crossbow is equipped with an adjustable dovetail such as Horton’s “Dial-a-Range”. Otherwise, you will be limited to sighting in at a single yardage.
I hope this helps in making a decision if a dot sight is right for you. Next month we will explore magnified scopes and their applications. Until then, here’s to safe and straight shooting.
About the author: Mark Bower, COO of Horton brings 40 years of archery hunting, shooting and manufacturing experience to the company. A former National Archery Champion, Mark has hunted worldwide harvesting 19 species of big game and over 100 Whitetails with archery gear. Mark’s passion is helping others to achieve success and to enhance their outdoor experiences. When not working with crossbows and bows, Mark enjoys fly fishing and bird dog training with his family.
