Tips for shooting in low light

JJWise

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I’m sure we’re all aware that the first and last minutes of legal shooting light are often the most productive for deer movement. But I’ve found that with my bow, I really struggle to see through my peep in the first/last 15min, especially in heavily wooded areas. I used to have a light mounted on my sight, but found that it only allowed me to see the pins and completely blocked the target in my vision. Anyone have any tips for how to be able to shoot in low light conditions?
 
sky hawk

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If it's too dark to see the pins and the target, then your hunt is over. Just hang it up. But in the last fading minutes, if you'll look off of your target a few feet to ID the outline of the deer, and then look back at your pin, you can sometimes confirm that you are on the correct spot on the deer. This has to do with the contrast between your pin and the target and the way your eye gathers light.

The human eye gathers light better in our peripheral vision than when we are looking straight at something. I sat through a talk by a PhD once who did his dissertation on this. Even when just looking at deer right before dark, looking off to the side of the deer and then back on them will allow you to discern the outline of the animal. Of course this only works on animals that are pretty still. When shooting, lean your head out a little then back behind the pin. That'll buy you 5 minutes.
 
Triggermortis

Triggermortis

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Most sight manufacturers have green or lighter colored pins for the shortest yardage pins for a reason. Most pins on sights are typically yellow, green, red, and sometimes blue. Green and yellow pins will be the last to fade from view in low light, and red will be the first. Avoid red on any pins except for the longest yardage. The darker it is, the closer the shot is likely to be, and the more you will need that brighter pin.

Making the best use of your eyes is another way. Central vision, the fovea is completely dominated by cones, the light receptors in your retina that distinguish color, the further from the center of your vision you go, the rod percentage increases, as does your ability to see in low light. As light diminishes, the bleaching effect of light will diminish, and you will see sharper, but lots of times you dont have time for the rhodopsin level in your eye system to help you see better. Learn to look to the side some to do what we term in the industry as eccentric viewing, then quickly look back to perhaps shoot and score.
 

Speed1

Eight Pointer
Have you tried shooting without a peep sight? I gave up the peep 37 years ago. Some swear they shoot better with a peep sight, I really couldn't tell much difference with or without it. Give it a try you may be surprised how little if any it makes. If you can hit a 6 inch circle at 30 yards every time, that's good enough, you are not shooting in the olympics.
 
aya28ga

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
What size peep sight are you using? A bigger diameter peep sight will help in low light conditions, with the tradeoff of slightly decreased accuracy.
 
appmtnhntr

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
JJWise said:
I’m sure we’re all aware that the first and last minutes of legal shooting light are often the most productive for deer movement. But I’ve found that with my bow, I really struggle to see through my peep in the first/last 15min, especially in heavily wooded areas. I used to have a light mounted on my sight, but found that it only allowed me to see the pins and completely blocked the target in my vision. Anyone have any tips for how to be able to shoot in low light conditions?
Click to expand...
When I was younger I struggled with this.
Dad said move the stand closer to the deer and killem 15 minutes earlier...

I thought he was just being a dick, but he was right, lol...

That was my remedy in lieu of trying to shoot later
 

Guybo

Eight Pointer
Speed1 said:
Have you tried shooting without a peep sight? I gave up the peep 37 years ago. Some swear they shoot better with a peep sight, I really couldn't tell much difference with or without it. Give it a try you may be surprised how little if any it makes. If you can hit a 6 inch circle at 30 yards every time, that's good enough, you are not shooting in the olympics.
Click to expand...

Same here, I took my peep sight off probably 20yrs ago and I found that I shoot just as good without it as I did with it. If I shot tournaments or spot shoots which I don't i'd probably use one but for hunting I don't need it. With my aging eyes it's nice to not have to worry about finding my peep sight in low light. I use a small 3/8" kisser button and a couple other anchor points and it works great for me. As long as I can see my pin i'm confident I can make the shot.
I wouldn't recommend taking it off in mid season but in the off season take it off and give it a try, with practice you may be surprised how accurate you will be. You can always put it back on if you don't like it.
 
Cyperry

Cyperry

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Shooting with both eyes open changes the game entirely. You can have your cake (peep) and eat it too (shoot in low light). It takes some getting use to, but it works


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Speed1 said:
Have you tried shooting without a peep sight? I gave up the peep 37 years ago. Some swear they shoot better with a peep sight, I really couldn't tell much difference with or without it. Give it a try you may be surprised how little if any it makes. If you can hit a 6 inch circle at 30 yards every time, that's good enough, you are not shooting in the olympics.
Click to expand...
this is what my bow expert did. So I followed his lead.
 
kilerhamilton

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
Big peep and big .29 pin.
I like my pin, well I shoot a single pin but if you have multiple pins the 20yd pin IMO should be in the center of your housing. That way you can center everything up and let it fly if they are close enough to see their silhouette.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
berryman26

berryman26

Six Pointer
I was just thinking the same thing Saturday night. My green pin is awful in low light, so now I'll ask for a bigger peep sight. Gotta work with what I got for the time being.
 
Lucky Clucker

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
I shoot no,peepsight.Twilight pin light lights up pin,Or a meprolite pin it glows all the time,usually dark enough for,20 to 10 yard shots,if its to,dark to,see its to dark tonshoot,unless you under a mill light.
 
JJWise

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
appmtnhntr said:
When I was younger I struggled with this.
Dad said move the stand closer to the deer and killem 15 minutes earlier...

I thought he was just being a dick, but he was right, lol...

That was my remedy in lieu of trying to shoot later
Click to expand...
That was my plan, opening day I got them in front of me a couple minutes before last light; the spot I sat this Saturday had those deer in front of me about 30min earlier. But there were still others right at last light. A lot of times it seems I’m also limited from moving closer because of the accessibility to the areas they’re coming from, whether that’s super dense brush or a property boundary or what have you.
 
appmtnhntr

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
JJWise said:
That was my plan, opening day I got them in front of me a couple minutes before last light; the spot I sat this Saturday had those deer in front of me about 30min earlier. But there were still others right at last light. A lot of times it seems I’m also limited from moving closer because of the accessibility to the areas they’re coming from, whether that’s super dense brush or a property boundary or what have you.
Click to expand...
Word. I had a spot like that in Boone.
Apple orchard. Mixed with white oaks.

Tiny place to hunt but loaded with deer.

Kept inching closer to the boundary in the evening but still felt like they were coming in too late to shoot.

Had to go to only hunting mornings in there to kill any when I could actually see.
 

red neck richie

Banned
A cross bow with an illuminated scope works well for me. I dont see well in low light conditions. So I dont go in till daylight in the morning. I will hunt till dusk but I will pass on a lot of shots if not close. I can wait till gun season.
 

Wncbowhunter

Ten Pointer
Big flash light to the eyes seems to hold their attention. Just kidding, when it gets that close to dark I just call it a day.
 
cloningerba

cloningerba

Old Mossy Horns
I shouldn’t do that! I too have a problem seeing through my peep at low light conditions. I would like to find a better solution.


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Bud B.

Bud B.

Eight Pointer
JJWise said:
I’ve had a recurve for almost 3 years now. I can hit the target bag with it every time now, but I’m still not confident enough to take it hunting. Hopefully one day...
Click to expand...
Just get the deer closer. I have had them at 8 yards while on the ground. Limit your shots to within your comfort range. No need to shoot at 20yards. Shoot at 10 or 12.
 
Redeye

Redeye

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Speed1 said:
Have you tried shooting without a peep sight? I gave up the peep 37 years ago. Some swear they shoot better with a peep sight, I really couldn't tell much difference with or without it. Give it a try you may be surprised how little if any it makes. If you can hit a 6 inch circle at 30 yards every time, that's good enough, you are not shooting in the olympics.
Click to expand...
I took off my peep for the same reason. I'm just as accurate now w/o a peep than I was with a peep. It just takes practice. I do use a kisser button for drawing consistency.

I use a light that shine only into to fiber optic cables but I use it on the lowest intensity. It was still too bright so I took a sharpie and colored the lens several times. Works great.
 
Triggermortis

Triggermortis

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
When I first started I used a Fletcher Trupeep, black, and having problems, drilled it out and put a little fluorescent orange paint on the inside of the pin. This helped only slightly, and this was before lighted pins came along. Lighted pins helped.

Let me tell you another thing that helps. Until 3 years ago, I shot with a 5/16 blue G5 peep - plenty of light, fit the large sight ring well and really had no problems.

Having no backup bow, I purchased a rig off of AT that quickly became my primary bow. All of the strings that I have had on my bows were brown and black, ordered from Worlds Best Strings. Well, the bow I got now had a green 1/4 G5 peep with bright green fluorescent cable and strings!! I knew this going in and was determined to change out the string real soon to put my traditional brown and black string and cable on, you know for the conservative look. To my surprise, the bright string and the bright peep made a big difference in picking up things in low light, and when added to a MBG sight, I really have no problems at this point. Every little thing helps.
 
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