Today’s Optics for Bowhunting
Frank Burns | December 27, 2010Everything that bowhunters need for successfully locating and targeting their prey can be found in today’s optics for bowhunting. Among these gadgets are the trail camera, the rangefinders and the sights which are attached to the bow and bowstring.
The trail camera helps bowhunters locate their prey
There are two ways that you can use a trail camera. One is for monitoring a scene or taking pictures in natural daylight. The other is to use the camera for night vision with infra-red light. Although this mode is specially appropriate for night time viewing, it may be used as well in the daytime. Body heat shows as patches of red on the display. This makes it easier to detect whether the rustling of leaves is caused by a deer, a rabbit or the wind; Only the deer or rabbit will show on the display.
With trail cameras, it is also possible to identify the places where the prey passed when moving on to another location. This can make pursuing the prey much easier.
Range finder
Another helpful accessory among today’s optics for bowhunting are range finders. They determine how far the hunter is from his prey. Knowing this piece of information is important for adjusting the pins of the bow sight correctly. The pin should be raised or lowered as indicated by the range finder.
A pin is normally calibrated with values standing for that intervening distance. Once fixed at a certain calibration, the top of the pin indicates where the arrow will land. That distance is difficult to assess by visual inspection, especially if the target is a considerable length away.
A range finder makes sure that you have selected the right calibration on the pin and that the tip of the pin is on the part of the animal’s body you intend to target.
Bows may have a pair of sights
There may be one or two sights on a compound hunting bow. The bow sight, which is fixed on the bow itself, is always there. It is in the bow sight that the pins used for targeting are located. They are inserted into slots that traverse the horizontal diameter of the bow sight. The other sight, called the ‘peep sight,’ may or may not be present depending on the preference of the hunter. The peep sight is used for giving the aim the appropriate angle. The bow string is where peep sights are installed. The sights are attached to the string at the level of the hunter’s eye when the bow is fully flexed.
Today’s optics for bowhunting help the hunter to make a clean shot.
Unless the hunter has excellent archery skills, he will easily miscalculate his aim without optics. That can result in missing the animal or, worse, failing to hit it with a blow that will kill it instantly. In the second case, the animal will suffer, especially if it is still able to flee. It may eventually die if the wound inflicted is mortal.
Doc No:1211-FB-ULT10-dc11zd
Frank Burns is a writer for LeatherBeltStore, LLC, which offers belts and wallets






