Shooting a Bow With Red Dot Sight

Red dot, or reflex, sights reflect a small image on a glass that appears superimposed on the target. When attached to a compound bow, these sights can improve accuracy in target shooting and hunting. These electrical sights run on batteries, which add weight to the bow, and they operate by projecting a series of pins in the sight's glass, which requires the archer to adjust shooting technique by distance and elevation.

Instructions

    • 1

      Turn on your red dot sight by pressing the power button.

    • 2

      Calibrate the different pin settings of your sight. Archery red dot sights use a pin system for different shooting conditions, and you must calibrate each setting before initial use so that you can shoot accurately.

    • 3

      Adjust the light-emitting diode for lighting conditions. Some red dot sights, such as the Zeiss Z-Point, automatically adjust for ambient lighting to provide a clear image on the sight's glass. Others, such as the Ebsco Hot Dot Plus and the Pollington Red Dot, provide a number of lighting options. Adjust the lighting until the red dot or series of pins appear clearly in the center of the sight.

    • 4

      Enter single dot targeting to shoot at a target less than 35 yards away. Red dot sights include two settings, single dot and pendulum. To shoot at a target on the same level and within 35 yards, select single dot targeting.

    • 5

      Fire an arrow in single dot targeting. Draw back an arrow and align your view through the peep sight with the single dot in the sight. Release the arrow to fire. (The peep sight is the small oval notched into the bow string that you pull back toward your eye before firing.)

    • 6

      Select pendulum or multidot targeting when firing at targets greater than 35 yards away. Arrows fired from a compound bow begin to drop after 30 to 35 yards. The pendulum or multidot settings in a red dot sight compensate for this dipping trajectory by offering a number of dots within the sight.

    • 7

      Fire an arrow in pendulum or multidot targeting. Draw an arrow and aim at the target. In multidot targeting, align the peep sight with the dot in the sight that conforms to the target's distance. Release the arrow to fire. In pendulum targeting, aim straight at the target and then arc the bow upward until the lower tip of the pendulum rests on the center of the target. Then draw back an arrow and align your view through the peep sight with the tip of the pendulum. Release the arrow to fire.