am I cheating?

[tnhornhter1099]

For years I have shot bare bow, recently I started playing around with a single sight pin (I modified a paper clip and taped it to my bow) my groups are 100% tighter!  seriously, at 25 yards I am shooting better than I ever have.  I know bare bow shooting is  the "traditional" way, but if a single pin can improve my accuarcy this much I feel the local critters are in serious trouble this fall.  Cheating or not in my book its about putting game on the ground. Just saying

[kevsuperg]

naw, i dont think youre cheating until you put wheels on your bow.  keep on shootin'

[wingnut]

Actually there were far more sight shooters back in the day then barebow.  This whole bare bow thing is pretty recent.

Good luck with the sight and put them on the ground.

Mike

[Terry Green]

Howard Hill shot barebow...long ago, as did many other pioneers....but sight pins have been around longer than the compound, and many other pioneers used them.

So there...now question answered....its all up to you.

[smokin joe]

You may also find that, now that you have shot with a sight for a while, that your bare bow technique has improved from your work with sights and you may now shoot better without sights too.

No matter what, sights, especially simple ones, have been around for a long time.

[Paul/KS]

If you were truly old school your "pin" would be a match stick...  

[2bird]

Whatever floats your boat. I use my point as a pin, have you tried that?

[ChuckC]

you're not cheating.  Just do what you feel needs to be done.
CHuckc

[Kris]

It may not be as helpful as you think, when it comes to shooting an animal.  You likely (or maybe not)  will look right past the pin and shoot where you are looking.  That was the genesis of this all anyway.  

I would find a sight pin distracting.

Anyway...best of luck!

Kris

[Steven E Milbocker]

As smokinjoe said. Shooting with the pin will help you develop a sight picture.The elliptical DAS sight worked on the same principal, perhaps better than a pin.You won't be able to focus on a pin because it is an aperture.After shooting like this a while the sight picture should become ingrained.then take it off and see how you do. If it doesn't work as well as you like, put it back on.

[ron w]

Only you can decide if your cheating or not. Did you check the rules......oh wait......there are no rules.     Do what you feel comfortable with! Just remember to have fun........

[Sam McMichael]

No. Shoot what makes you a better hunter. However, at the 3D competitions, you will have a problem, but in the woods you are o.k.

[ron w]

Not even a problem at a local 3/D, just don't turn your score in.

[katman]

Nope, not cheating, you owe it to the game to make a quickly lethal shot, whatever that takes.

[Matty]

I remember as a child 30some odd years ago.. Seeing my uncles recurves with sights in them.  And having bought lots of vintage stuff over the years. Many have been tapped for sights.  Whatever works for you!

When I shot target bows, the sight seemed natural for me, until I took two shots at a steep up hill buck and put both arrows under him.  On the steep uphill stance, I could not get that stretched almost falling over backwards form to work. When I saw a picture of myself and my stretched leaning back form it made more sense. With my hunting bows, I used four pins, then three and then two and it seemed like all my game shots always came between the pins. While a sight may improve your target shooting right away, make certain that your form will allow you to take shots at various uphill and down hill angles.
When I switched to left hand, to keep from confusing my eyes, I used a tape on sight for a time. Even though I am ambidextrous and my old bowhunter/eye doctor confirmed that I have no dominant eye, I still needed temporary aiming help. I would suggest shooting with both eyes open, avoid shooting your bow and aiming like you are shooting a rifle. Keep all options open, perhaps down the road your natural ability to point the arrow will kick in. There are advantages to being able to shoot a bow fluidly and at varied cants and the bow sight will prevent that option.

[mnbwhtr]

Like Kris said, when the time comes to shoot at an animal you won't even see your pin or if you do your probably going to use it wrong. I shot sights for 4 years back in the late sixties, got pretty good, won a lot of tournaments including a state championship in August 1970. The first night bowhunting in Oct I missed the same 8pt 4 times! I looked at my sights and moved them off(up) the deer instead of using my instinct. The next night I did it again so I went home took off my sights, put away my tab and picked up my glove and bow and went out and shot 3 hogs and 3 merino sheep the next hunt I went on, never looked back, still shooting instinctive 45 years later.

[awbowman]

No such thing as cheating in hunting if you aren't breaking a game law.  Shoot on and good luck.

[DaveT1963]

I would think under actual hunting conditions a paper match or taped paperclip could easily be bumped/moved.... I'd be leary of this... at least if you are as accident prone (fall/stumble, snag bow on every thorn bush in sight) as I am walking to my stand in the dark.

[Bowwild]

If the sight tightens your groups, go for it.

The beauty of archery and bowhunting, except in a competition, you are your own judge, jury, and referee.  Of course we are often far tougher on ourselves than any of those folks would be.

The only thing untraditional about traditional archery is criticizing another's personal choices.

If I were going to use a sight(and I have experimented for a short while but my groups expanded)it would be a light, simple, and extremely durable model. I would prefer a single, moveable pin.