Aging Eyes and Accuracy
Equipment
Good day.
For many years, my hunting sight setup has been a 3/16" peep and a relatively long extension for the sight housing. It appears that isn't going to work for me going forward.
Turned 60 this year and over the past few months have noticed my non-dominant eye taking control of my aim...especially in low light conditions. Easy fix was to close the non-dominant eye, but I absolutely hate shooting with one eye closed. Switched to a 1/4"peep late October, and that seems to have solved the dominant eye problem, but created a new problem.
The bigger peep created a sizeable gap around my 2" sight ring, which allows for float in the peep...reducing accuracy. I've pulled the sight back as close to the riser as possible with the current mount...but still have some gap remaining. Discovered I can order a dovetail my sight that will allow the housing to move even closer to the riser.
Thinking this dovetail is my best course of action at this point, but wanted to bounce this issue off other Bowsiters before making the commitment. FYI, I've shot without a peep before and did pretty well on the target range...but not so well when my body is torqued shooting out of a treestand, uphill or downhill.
All responses are appreciated! Sucks getting old...but better than the alternative! Thanks, Paul
Paul,
62 here and same challenge as you. Age does suck!
I also went with a bigger peep opening, and my accuracy suffers as well. I am good out to 25 yards, and that is now my self imposed limit. Being a whitetail hunter in the woods I have zero need to shoot further than that.
Was planning an elk trip for retirement but recently decided my chances are probably slim to get one that close so no longer thinking about going. You young guys, don’t wait, do it while you can.
Good luck Paul!
Habitat, don’t give up on the elk dream!! In the heavy timber I like to hunt the majority of bulls I’ve shot have been 25 yds and under! And 4 have been under 15. As for age and eyes, I’m all ears since age is catching up to me also. :)
Paul, perhaps a sight with a bigger ring?
Also, I once met a guy who was struggling with your same problem. His dominant and non-dominant eye were competing against each other while aiming. He didn't like shooting with one eye closed, either. The solution that worked for him was wearing a patch over his non-dominant eye. He did it for target archery, and he wasn't a hunter, so I don't know how that solution would work for you.
Frank, the vast majority of elk I've killed have been 25 yards or under, so I wouldn't let that concern dictate your elk hunting plans.
Matt
You could get a sight with a larger housing? Or possible sight your bow/set your peep so that instead of your sight housing floating in middle of peep you have the site housing sitting in bottom of peep. If the sight housing is always rested in bottom of peep that would elimate the float.
I'm in my late 40's and my near vision has now started to get worse. My distance vision was already not good. Progressive lenses really mess me up so I shoot with my single vision lenses for best results. My problems seem to be multiple focal points: peep, sights, target. My eyes and brain can't deal with it all as well anymore.
What color are your pins? I’ve found the older I get, green I see the best
Not a joke…. Try just squinting non dominant eye a little bit… works for me
Thanks guys.
Heat same as you sir, I usually wear progressives but for hunting use a pair that is for distance only. Green pin is also best for me so maybe that is worth trying?
Keep the 1/4" peep but bring the sight back closer to the riser.
This is what Bowsite is all about.
Great advice above.
I agree, the color of the pin and moving the hosing closet helped me tremendously.
The target panic doctor says your pin should not be in focus, it should be fuzzy. Yup - no problem there EVERYTHING is fuzzy. Sucks getting old.
Plzz don’t turn
Plzz don’t turn
I also always wear yellow shooting glasses it brightens up last light and makes lines crisper
I put sea deck adhesive foam strip around the outside of my round sight guard to close the gap when looking thru my peep.
Have you ever looked into the little glass lens that goes into your peep sight? It is supposed to take the place of your eye glasses once you are at full draw. My brother just had it installed last year after nixing a "slam dunk" shot on a buck. He shoots like he did at age 30 now. Ask your local bowshop about it and I'll get more info from my brother and post it up.
He said his is called a "verifier peep". They have different magnifications so you try different lenses until you find the one that works best for you. Give that a try guys....
I tried a verifier but it brought the pins into bright view but blurred the target with or without both eyes open, went back to standard 1/4 inch peep
Getting cataracts removed next month, been wearing glasses since 8 yrs old and now 70 be strange with out them; went to a EZV sight which help out, if you just want to hit the 10 ring with it not recommend it but it does put the blade in where it needs to go.
A verifier is used to sharpen your pins. A clarifier is used with a scope to sharpen the target. I'm not sure either one will help with a dominant/non-dominate eye aiming problem, but it may be worth a shot.
Matt
If the search function worked you could search this issue --- there are a few posts on this.
I've been using a verifier for several years now. Had to make adjustments over the years to get better sight pic of the target and the pins. I've hunted in all kinds of weather from snow - rain - fog and a combination of all, never had any issues with fogging or plugging.
As was stated, go to your local archery shop and try different magnifications till you find the one that works --- you will be amazed how much better it will get.
However, as Matt said, most likely won't make any difference with the dominant eye issues.
+ on the verifier. I've heard many times that a smaller peep helps with clarifying the pins. I don't know why, but I've heard that more than once. Larger peeps help with low light conditions. My target bow has a 1/4"peep, but I have a 5/16" peep in my hunting bow. Both use verifier. As mentioned above everything is a compromise. For example, although my pins are sharp, targets at 50-60 yards are a little out of focus.
Appreciate all the feedback...knew I could count on you guys!!!
I had not thought about modifying the OD of the housing, but received that input from multiple sources...including PMs. Definitely something to consider.
Concerned about the verifier (or glasses) due to the fact I hunt all types of weather. Still working on caribou in Alaska next year...but the Kodiak hunt in November is on!
I have the largest housing available for my sight (2" ring). I tried a different sight this season and didn't make it through the entire season before switching back. Really like my current MBG sight...not making this easy I know.
Green pins are definitely my favorite! Still recall when the top pin was red on most sights...not any more!
So, I measured riser to front of sight housing. My old setup was 7-1/4"....and I was only able to move it back to 6-1/4" with my current mount. Again, I have the option of purchasing a dovetail to get it closer. Moving the 1" made a noticeable difference, so I'm thinking moving another 1/2" - 1" would get me there. I like to practice out to 60 yards, but most of my shots at game are under 25 yards. No idea how much losing that 1-1/2" - 2" distance between peep and housing might affect accuracy?
Frank, I agree with the others...don't give up on elk! Prior to my first elk hunt, it was suggested to me that 50 yards would be an average shot distance. Five bulls later, my longest shot was 40 yards. The other four were 17, 22, 28, 22 in that order. Much bigger kill zone than a whitetail...you can do this!!!
I lost my dominant eye when I hit about 42. I have shot one eyed for years with no problem. Then cataracts started screwing with my eyes. I had cataract surgery in the Spring and I can now shoot as good as I did in my 20's. My pins are pretty crisp too although I got the long distance lens put in my eyes. Remember years ago those insane commercials years ago that said Ah 60, the best years of your life.. baloney- give me 35.
Geez....buncha' old farts on here. ;-)
As Rosanna Rosanna Dana would say concerning aging issues, "It's always something."
Just a different thought, try a 7/32 peep. Tough to find but thy are out there. Used along with some of the other suggestions might help
X2 on the green pins. Even when I was young with good eyes......seeing with anything red didn't appeal to my eyes. Might be something to do with that specific color and my eye's ability to focus in it????
I did notice when my pins are bright (new batteries), the glare seemed to washout anything in the background. So....for me, a dimmer pin made it easier to see beyond the pin.....ie...the target.
Verifier with a 1/4 inch peep and just centre your sight housing. I believe the dominant eye switching is just due to old eyes trying to see through a peep with a fuzzy view, happened to me at 50+ and needing cataract surgery. Yes the verifier can be a pain in the butt when hunting. Put a small ziplock sandwich bag over it in the rain or snow. Remember to take it off before drawing your bow, but it comes off quick.
I'm also 60 & no dominate eye issues & eyes are Fairley good only needing 1.5 readers for up close small stuff. I do have issues with being able to focus on two different things at the same time at a distance. For instance the iron sights on a .22 or a squirrel @ 50 yards or the bow sight pins & small target at distance. Up close I'm ok
I just put a 4x lens and #1 clarifier in on my target bow. I don't need my bifocals to shoot it well. I'm thinking for hunting I may just run a verifier to clean up the pins and ditch the glasses also. Sure my eyesight isn't crystal clear, but if a lens in peep is all I need to clean that up, it be better than glasses/bigger peep/closer scope.
Spot hogg sights come with different size rings that screw on the sight ring to accommodate just that problem.
I bought a Spott Hogg Fast Eddie XL for that very reason. This is going to sound odd...but I could never get the windage adjustment dialed in using the large three stripe sight ring. Shot the smaller sight ring much better even with the gap in the peep. I don't understand it, just know it was super frustrating. Eventually, I gave up and switched back to my MBG sight.
A few years ago, I was having that same problem. Then, I went with a single pin slider sight. It has the smallest sight pin in it. But, it lights up. That green dot lights up and I can see the target and sight with no problems. But, I do like the post single pin. And a slider sight is not that bad to use.
68, near-sighted and shoot recurves with no sight. Even with glasses, 'pick a spot' at 20 yards is tough.
Thinking 'sight' but I suspect that's going to be expensive for my needs.
Yep green pins an a 1/4 inch peep.
For those of you whose eye docs can no longer correct you to 20/20, I urge you to seek another opinion. I've needed corrective lenses for distance since I was a teenager. In my mid-40s my eyes suddenly started getting much worse, to the point regular corrective lenses would barely give me enough acuity to legally drive. I had 3 different docs tell me it was from too much astigmatism, and that there was nothing that could be done. I wasn't even a candidate for Lasik. I honestly thought I was going blind, and it was starting to cause me emotional issues. I lost interest in virtually everything that I enjoy, including hunting.
Finally, I found a doc who was able to diagnose my condition called Keratoconus. It's a genetic condition that causes your cornea to form in a cone shape instead of spherical. Thru the magic of modern medical science, there are contact lenses manufactured for my specific condition. Overnight, I went from legally blind and suffering from depression to perfect vision and on top of the world, again. It was truly one of the most life changing events I've ever had.
Fortunately, my eyes have stabilized and my prescription hasn't changed for over a decade. At some point, I'll probably have to have cornea replacement surgery, but I'll deal with that when the time comes.
Don't take your vision for granted, gentlemen. It's a bitch when you no longer have it.
Matt
What Shug said ! Several years ago I had some retina damage and my right eye had a spot in the middle of my vision that severely screwed with my use of bow sights as well as handgun sights. I’ve since had some of that corrected but at the time my left eye was trying to take over as Shug said. Every time I would go out to shoot, the arrows would make a nice little group about eight inches to the left of where I was aiming. I finally figured it out and started squinting my left eye a little to shoot, and opening it as soon as the arrow left. It worked for me.
Regardless of eyesight, Ive discovered that elk arent hard to kill - they are just easy to miss! Haha!
I’ve used MBG bowsights for 16 seasons. I always set them up as close to the riser as possible, whether 1-3/4” housing or 2”. Don’t like them catching brush or being more vulnerable to damage. Set inside the side profile of the bow riser/limb junction you can set the bow down and the sight doesn’t hit first.
Accuracy doesn’t seem to be impacted noticeably with the larger gap around the sight ring to the peep. I use a 1/4” peep for all hunting and shooting.
Green pins are great and yellow aren’t bad. Got rid of red pins years ago.
I use 0.019” pins. When you get older (69 now) dang 0.010” pins are too small at least under most light conditions. Took them off years ago too.
Great advice from others for ya Paul.
I've added a daily supplement to my other vitamins, and I am having better clarity.
Good luck, Robb
