Start close, stay simple, and chase your arrow.
Mounting a brand-new sight or dialing in a fresh rig for the season can feel like a high-stakes technical hurdle, but it doesn’t have to be a headache.
Sighting in is actually just a logical series of small wins. By following a consistent, step-by-step process, you can strip away the frustration and get your bow dialed in with total confidence.
Here is the exact method I use to get on target fast—from the initial bench alignment to punching bullseyes at distance.
The Bench Alignment
Before you ever let an arrow fly, you need to get your “bench” settings right. This is about getting the geometry of the bow in the ballpark so your first shot is at least on the paper.
Left/Right Alignment:
For a right-handed shooter, I line up my string with the arrow on the rest and look down the shaft. I want my sight pin to be just a little bit off to the left of the string.
It might seem like it should be a perfectly straight line, but in archery physics, starting with that slight left offset usually puts you much closer to the bullseye.
The Sight Picture:
Look at your top pin—typically your 20-yard pin. Whether you’re using a multi-pin housing or an adjustable slider, you want that top pin centered in the middle of your sight housing.
When you’re at full draw, this gives you the best sight picture, allowing you to see the maximum amount of the animal or target around your pin rather than having the housing “cut off” your view.
Macro Tuning at 10 Yards
The biggest mistake people make is starting at 20 yards. If your sight is way off, you’re liable to miss the entire target. Start at 10 yards or even closer.
At this stage, we are making “macro” adjustments. If you are hitting high or low, do not move the individual pin. Instead, loosen the mounting screws and move the entire sight housing up or down. To get on target, you have to remember one phrase: Chase your arrow.
If you are hitting high, move your sight up. If you are hitting to the right, move your sight to the right. You are moving the sight toward the impact point. Following this mantra keeps you from overthinking and gets you on the bullseye quickly.
Fine Tuning at 20 Yards
Once you’re consistently hitting the center at 10 yards, it’s time to move back to 20. This is where we shift from “macro” to “micro” adjustments.
Now that the entire housing is locked in and you’re in the ballpark, you can start making smaller adjustments to the individual pins or the dial to get everything dead-on.
Reiterate the same “Chase Your Arrow” process here. Once that first pin is perfect at 20 yards, your baseline is officially set.
PRO-TIP: KNOW WHEN TO QUIT
If you’re a new shooter, or even a veteran, pay attention to your muscles. If you start to feel fatigued or your pins are starting to shake, stop.You don’t want to fine-tune your bow when your form is failing.
Take a break, come back the next day with fresh muscles, verify your zero, and then continue sighting in the rest of your pins.
Expanding Your Range
With your 20-yard pin dialed in, you can continue the process by stepping back to 30, 40, and/or 50 yards. This is where you set the rest of your fixed pins or calibrate your yardage tape on an adjustable sight like an HHA.
The process remains the same: back up, shoot a group, and chase the arrow with your pin or dial adjustments. By the time you get to 40 or 50 yards, any small error in your form or your 20-yard zero will be magnified, allowing you to really fine-tune your setup.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, sighting in is just a series of small, logical steps. Don’t let the technical side of the gear overwhelm you. Start close, center your housing, and always chase the arrow.
If you take it one step at a time, you’ll be punching bullseyes before you know it.
Good luck out there, guys!
Here’s a short video explaining the process:
