Short or long sight windows on bows?

[jonsimoneau]

Hey guys. Which one do you prefer and why? I tend to gravitate towards bows with a larger sight window. Probably one of the reasons I love Habu and Black Widow bows. Always a tinkerer, I'm getting that urge to try a new bow. I've noticed many bows have short sight windows and many companies offer both.

[Blackhawk]

I just look at it this way.  If one shoots with the bow canted, then a short sight window would be ok.  However, an archer shooting a bow in the straight up vertical position may prefer the longer sight window.

[bigbadjon]

I prefer a moderate to long sight window and try to shoot mostly with the bow vertical. I just don't see a downside to more visibility in the sight picture.

[Chuck from Texas]

I have a fairly low anchor point and shoot with a vertical bow. I can't see the target if the window is too small.
Chuck

[FerretWYO]

This is with out a doubt an individual idea here. Your style dictates the outcome. I have not found many that I cannot shoot because of the sight window. I have a stalker with a medium sight window and it is more that sufficient. Then I have pronghorns that have nearly no sight window. With that said I do prefer the style of the stalker on recurve style risers as opposed to very short cut outs.

[Hermon]

Only bow that I have shot that the sight window was a problem was a Black Widow KB.  I don't shoot with my bow vertical,  but I don't cant enough for that bow.  If I had a higher anchor point it probably wouldn't be an issue.  Part of the problem is not only the short sight window, but how wide the top of the riser is too.

[Mike Mecredy]

I'm blessed enough to be right handed/left eye dominate, so it doesn't really matter to me.

[Sixby]

I'm one of the few that likes both. I do build most of my bows with a long parallel sight window cut 3/16 past center.
God bless, Steve

[BRITTMAN]

I like longer but can shoot both

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I can understand why some archers prefer a tall sight window. These guys typically have a low anchor point and shoot longer distances.

Personally i like about 2.5" of vertical, then a radius back out to full bow width, with an 1/8th - 3/16" past center...... Why?  because i use the whole site window in my view of the target much like a peep site for my aiming method. I adjust the spot i'm concentrating on up or down in the whole site window to adjust from 15 to 45 yards.

With a really tall sight window it throws off my peep site system BIG time, and i have to use a gap method.

Like Kirk said in his post, I have a very low anchor, but I am no long distance shooter! I prefer my hunting shots 15yds and under!

I prefer a longer sight window. My favorite bow that I have shot more critters with than any other (although I have a new favorite now that I plan to let catch up) has a longer sight window, and that is just what I am used to.

Bisch

[KAZ]

I love the Black Widow KB with short sight window     I have a high anchor and cant the bow so no worries. It affords me the option of a smaller riser/long working limb even on the shorter 54" bow. Awesome.....  

[Wannabe1]

Funny this post should come up because, I was looking at the VPA 13" ILF riser and was wondering if there would be issues with the smaller sight window. I kind of like mine middle of the road!

[jonsimoneau]

Might just be me but aside from the ability to have a shorter riser I don't see the advantage to a smaller sight window. I should add though that I shoot 3 under and I shoot my bows upright. I never could  cant a bow. But while shooting a bow with a small/short sight window I began to wonder if that is the reason people DO cant their bows! Again I know this is all personal preference. I'm just always interested in the "why"....always looking for the best way for me.

[Diamond Paul]

I like longer, heavier risers in general, 19" at least, so I opt for more sight window.

[Joshua Grimshaw]

On a classic style longbow the short sight window does not bother me, but a recurve cut past center with a short sight window can seem to have to much riser hanging over the arrow.

[overbo]

What ever the measurement is, from the corner of my mouth to the center of my eye(3 1/2''), I like the sight window measurement to be greater.

[gnome]

Definitely a long sight window. I shoot a Bear Ausable longbow because it has the largest window I could find. It is an awesome bow , by the way.

[cacciatore]

I cant my bows so the sight window itsn't a problem here,but hestetically I don't love a too long window.

[Yellow Dog]

With my shooting style I have a natural cant. My entire focus is on what I want to hit so the sight window of the bow is completely out of the picture, don't see it and not looking through it.