Do Recurve Bows Have (Or Need) Sights?

When you take a look at bows in television series and films, you always see characters aiming flawlessly. However, aiming with the bow isn’t quite as easy as it seems. And, more than anything, for a young archer, additional equipment may look even more perplexing. Especially when it comes to scopes.

Still, recurve bows can have scopes. Scopes can be used to increase visibility and accuracy when hunting in the woods, or on difficult terrains. So, it may look like an unusual addition to the weapon, but sights are one of the most effective accessories a bow can use.

However, it’s highly needed to understand when or how you should and can use sights with your bow.

Different Uses For A Bow

A recurve bow has various uses. Most notably, it’s used in practice, tournaments, and hunts on the smaller game. For practice and tournaments, using a regular recurve bow is more than enough. You can use it as the bow already is and achieve amazing results.

Yet, the hunt is a totally different thing. When you are hunting, you aren’t using the bow in a controlled environment. Actually, you are preparing to use the bow in such a manner that you have to hit your prey.

If you don’t have a usable bow when you are hunting, you’ll miss out on the fun and the very purpose you came to the hunt in the first place. So, while you can use the scope for tournaments or practice, it’s a totally different thing when you are participating in a hunt.

When you are out there, hunting, you prepare for the best results. So, the sights could be a great way to enhance your hunting ability and give you more accuracy and speed when hunting.

Yet, an experienced archer already knows all of this. But, that’s what separates him from a beginner in the first place. A beginner should first learn how to aim with the bow properly. And, even more importantly, he should know what type of aim works for him the best.

Aiming With The Bow

Logically, you want to learn to properly aim with a standard recurve bow. Also, most people who are in the art of archery for many years won’t consider you a proper archer if you don’t know how to aim.

Yet, to fully grasp this, you have to take on another viewpoint. You won’t be always in a controlled setting with a bow. And, it’s your complete right to customize the weapon as you see fit, to serve your style the best.

Even though there are archery pundits who claim that you should never ever use the sights on a bow, don’t listen to them. Some people don’t like the sights, and some people swear on them. But, what matters, in the end, is for you to experiment and find out what works for you.

So, try to flip your thinking around like this. It doesn’t matter what archery was 300 or 500 years ago. Robin Hood is an amazing guy, but today you know that there are plenty of accessories and equipment you can use to enhance your archery skills. You should use them wisely.

Approaching The Hunt

When you go into the hunt, you have to ask yourself, what are you trying to do? Are you into prep and survival, and want to test out your capability to survive in the wilderness? Or, are you the type that always wants to have something extra to help him out?

Either way, that’s what should help you to decide what type of bow you want to have. And, more importantly, it should help you to decide what type of bow you need to hunt effectively. So, whether it’s sights or some other equipment, working out what you need comes down your personal preferences.

Of course, having a proper technique is a must. Whether you are a professional archer or an amateur, practicing for a good form is mandatory. If you don’t have a correct form and don’t know how to shoot with the bow, then getting any type of bow will become meaningless.

However, when all is said and done, another thing you will want to do is learn the importance of sights. This includes what makes them a fine accessory and why people use them in the first place.

Check out this video for a visual guide for aiming with a recurve bow:

Sights Or No Sights

When it comes to sights, there are three types of sights. Open-ring sights, pin sights, and target sights. Each of them is useful depending on what you need, and even more importantly, there is a price tag for everyone.

However, before you venture and buy sights for your recurve bow, you should get to know each type a bit more intimately.

Open-Ring Sights

Open ring sights are the most common and most used type of sights there are. They are defined by an open ring that you attach to the recurve bow, which helps you shoot. Commonly, they are most used for shooting short distances, and they come in different shapes or sizes.

Pin Sights

Pin sights are a tad different, and more complex than open ring sights. The thing that defines them is a pin, which is placed inside the sights, and that helps you to aim. The best thing about the pin sights is that it can be modified to help you shoot at different lengths simultaneously. They are pricier, but a lot better than open ring sights.

Target Sights

Target sights are the most advanced type of sights. They are special sights that are used for completely precise shooting and are mostly used in competitive archery. They are light and can be used to measure different parameters to get the best shot available. However, they are too complex to be used in a hunting setting, where you won’t be able to take so much time to measure different parameters.

There you have it. Now, let’s take a look at what kind of sights you should get for your bow.

What Sights You Should Get For The Bow

First, you want to separate what type of sights you can use for a hunt and what for competition. For the competition, it’s best to use either just target sights or target sights with pin sights. And, for hunting, it’s best to use either open ring sights or pin sights.

For competitions, you need equipment that gives you the highest accuracy possible. You have only a few shots that matter, and you don’t want to miss them. So, utilizing equipment that’ll help to have the best calibration for your bow. The combination of these types of sights helps you with that exactly.

Hunt is a tad different. You want to utilize such equipment that helps you hit the target with ease. That means that you need something to increase your accuracy, but don’t meddle in the way you are stalking your prey. So, the open ring sights work best here.

However, for a full effect, it’s best to go with the pin sights. They are in the middle of the price range, and they deliver the best effect possible. Now, let’s take a look at some sights you can get to increase your accuracy today.

Sights You Can Get For The Bow

All that is left is to meet some great sights for the bow. While there are a lot of online vendors you can buy the sights from, take time to research. Prices of sights vary a lot and you can get different quality for a variety of prices. Here are some recurve bow sights you can buy that are highly recommended:

So, if you took a look at them, just click the link and improve your bow game today. Of course, this is just a recommendation. You are free, and you should do as much research you can before buying anything.

But, if you need a fast fix, and want to buy high-quality bow sights, you can consult the list above and purchase some great bow sights. If you do, you are ready to take on hunting or competition alike.

Make The Most Out Of Archery

Finally, archery should be fun. And, you should make it so. The best way to do it is to create a bow that helps you feel the best about shooting your bow.

So, you should give sights a chance. Especially the pin sights, they are versatile, powerful, and they’ll give you an amazing advantage no matter what type of hunting you do. So, don’t hesitate.

No matter what you do in life, a little investment can bring your game to a completely another level.

0 Shares