Peep sights - Point/Counter Point

[BT]

I couldnt use a kisser myself and thats a good point Stilllearning

As to the person who cant practice enough....

I have alot of bows and I cant shoot them all each day but I may want to hunt with one of them mid season so within a day I could be right back on if I have something to help aid me

I dont use the same anchor on many of them (for various reasons) and I do know people who are deadly with a bow only a couple days before season opener when they pick up thier bows for the first time since the last season.

I am not endorsing this practice at all but lets face facts....it's gonna happen so why make it harder on the deer by limiting the assist of a peep

(This is fun!!)

[michihunter]

The peep is NOT that much easier if in fact it is easier at all!! So to all situations put forth, the same can be said for a peepless shooter!!

[BT]

damnit!!

[Greg Krause]

I personally shoot with a peep and a kisser. I know that you don't need either to be accurate, for years i never shot either. Even with a peep, you should be able to come to full draw with your eyes closed and when you open them be perfectly lined up with your peep. I shoot a large peep that matches up perfectly with my sight guard on my sidewinder. If i can't see a deer and my pins clearly, it's past legal shooting light. If by chance it's a cloudy day in a pine forest just before end of shooting time or some similar and very possible situation, I just shoot with both eyes open. i practice with one and two eyes open. I prefer shooting with one eye closed like looking through a scope, but am quite capable with both open. To me it's just an extra "safety" to make sure I'm doing everything right at the moment of truth and other than losing a few FPS, I can't think of any drawbacks.

[michihunter]

Having shot both as you say you have, I'm surprised by your answer. The light gathering abilities gained by NOT looking through a peep are huge. So much so that I challenge anyone to sit in a popup blind or a dark wooded area and see through their peep as well as without. Cannot be done. Then there's no one that can say that when a deer is close 10 yards or less, that they can acquire the vital zone as soon as a peepless shooter. Just too much brown to see. You'll definitely be using two eyes or pulling the bow away for a better idea of where the lungs are. The only point I would even consider conceding is full field of vision. But only for the 2 eyed shooter. Those are the main drawbacks. And ones you can rid if you go peepless!! The reduced speed is very minor and one factor I don't even mention as a result of it's minimal change. How about peep rotation though. It's not present on a lot of bows, but what about the ones that it is. That could ruin a good hunt under the wrong coonditions. Don't have to worry about it at all going peepless. But the best reason to go peepless is the lack of NEED for one. You are aiming at a 9" diameter target in the vital zone of a deer. That's huge!!! The size of a pie plate!! From 30 yards and in, most people group at 3 " or less. If you are already anchoring properly, why should that change without a peep? It SHOULDN"T!! That's the whole thought process right there in a nutshell!! if you are shooting properly, you have no need for a peep with a 9" target at the range most will shoot a deer. Why not enjoy the benefits of NOT having one?

[Greg Krause]

You are correct that if you use the same anchor al the time you do not need a peep to shoot well enough at hunting ranges. You are also correct that without a peep you can see well in a low light situation and see "whole deer" instead of "brown" at close ranges. The peep rotation isn't a big problem on quality strings or with a tube. The FPS thing is so minimal that it dosen't matter one way or another. With a peep, it is easier to shoot at longer hunting ranges, say 40-50yds and real long target ranges, say 70+yds. It is easier to shoot spots in leagues , like myself and many friends do, with our hunting rigs. This way I have one all around bow, that I'm very comfortable with, not a target bow and a hunting bow.
For me the peep relaxes me and lets me know that indeed I am anchored properly, when my brain is mush and 'ol mossyhorns is in front of me. So here we have pros and cons of peeps. Let me look at the cons. With a large diameter peep, using only 2 sets of strands, one on either side, the light it blocks and the amount of target it covers aren't super severe, like target peeps are. If and when I find that the target is blocked or I need more light, I simply open my other eye. Now I'm equal to a non-peep shooter in low light and close shots, while maintaining a slight edge on longer shots and smaller targets. As well as the fact it comforts me in a time of excitement, I can visually verify that I'm doing things correctly.I do believe that to get the most out of hunting with a peep, everyoone who shoots one should be confident shooting one with 2 eyes open. For the record, with all of this being said, peep or no peep....who cares. As long as a person is comfortable and accurate with their set-up, game is in trouble and freezers are full. Thats what I like to see. Keep 'em sharp and shoot straight.


oh yeah, my recurve dosen't have a peep and is deadly accurate on pie plates from 20 yards.

[michihunter]

Great points skipmaster!!

[BT]

Very good points!.....I yield the floor to the gentleman from NY

[gary]

michihunter said:

Having shot both as you say you have, I'm surprised by your answer. The light gathering abilities gained by NOT looking through a peep are huge. So much so that I challenge anyone to sit in a popup blind or a dark wooded area and see through their peep as well as without. Cannot be done. Then there's no one that can say that when a deer is close 10 yards or less, that they can acquire the vital zone as soon as a peepless shooter. Just too much brown to see. You'll definitely be using two eyes or pulling the bow away for a better idea of where the lungs are. The only point I would even consider conceding is full field of vision. But only for the 2 eyed shooter. Those are the main drawbacks. And ones you can rid if you go peepless!! The reduced speed is very minor and one factor I don't even mention as a result of it's minimal change. How about peep rotation though. It's not present on a lot of bows, but what about the ones that it is. That could ruin a good hunt under the wrong coonditions. Don't have to worry about it at all going peepless. But the best reason to go peepless is the lack of NEED for one. You are aiming at a 9" diameter target in the vital zone of a deer. That's huge!!! The size of a pie plate!! From 30 yards and in, most people group at 3 " or less. If you are already anchoring properly, why should that change without a peep? It SHOULDN"T!! That's the whole thought process right there in a nutshell!! if you are shooting properly, you have no need for a peep with a 9" target at the range most will shoot a deer. Why not enjoy the benefits of NOT having one?

I don't have any problems seeing game with a peep anytime except when the conditions are so dark I shouldn't be shooting anyways and then it's on form because I can't use the peep or pins- why I practise in the dark. I keep both eyes open when aquiring the target and focus down when bringing it in. The peeps like holding your finger up at a distance and looking at a far object, you can see right through it until you focus on it. Even though the peep is there you can enjoy not using one just by focusing on the target and not the peep or pins. And with enough practise you can just shoot with the image of the peep and pins and never take your eyes of the target. Really is the best of both. At ten yards blast away if you had too. Most are a little nervos at that distance though and should treat it as any other shot to avoid blowing it all together.

My peep is set up so that when I look through it the inside whole is larger than the site. I line the ring on the edges of the site inside the inside edge of the peep and put the pin on the target at the same time (pin doesn't have to be centered in the peep as long as the site is).

Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it.

[michihunter]

But you are the exception gary. Most have trouble using the concept you describe. And some will actually see a "double" target with two eyes. As for light gathering abilities, it is just plain ol common sense that there will be more light without looking through a tunnel. But you do make a great point for going peepless. "Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it". Then why have it? With a scope you do not use two points at seperate distances to line up your target, you use crosshairs. That's what you do without a peep. You line up the pin you choose with the string and use it as a "crosshair" effect. The string is used as your windage mark, the pin the distance. If you draw to the same point EVERY time, this is just as accurate if not more accurate due to not needing to center the pin in the peep. Lining the pin up on the straight edge the string provides can actually gain you accuracy if done properly.