How many distances do I need to shoot to set up a slider?

Two good marks are enough to fit a tape — one short, one long. A third at an intermediate distance is a useful check that the tape spacing matches your arrow speed.

Can I use a single-pin sight for hunting?

Yes, and many do. The risk is a fast shot at a distance the slider isn't set to; some hunters leave it set to their most likely distance and accept a small hold-over or hold-under for the rest.

Why do my marks drift after a few weeks?

Usually the bow changed, not the sight: string stretch, peep rotation, or a loose sight mount. Re-check the mount screws and the two calibration distances before adjusting the tape.

Single-Pin Sight

A single-pin sight has one aiming pin mounted on a slider that moves up and down the sight housing. The archer dials the slider to the exact distance using a sight tape, giving a precise mark for any yardage and an uncluttered sight picture — at the cost of adjusting before each shot.

Details

Because there is only one pin, the sight picture is clean: no stack of pins crowding the target, no risk of picking the wrong pin under pressure. That clarity is the main reason target archers and many 3D shooters prefer sliders. The trade-off is that the pin only tells the truth for the distance it is set to, so the archer must know the distance and move the slider before drawing.

The slider rides on a vertical track with a pointer that reads against a sight tape. Setting one up means shooting two accurate marks — typically 20 and 40 or 60 yards — then matching those to a tape that has the correct spacing for your arrow's trajectory. Once the tape fits those two marks, every distance in between reads correctly. Precision comes from the quality of the two calibration marks, so take them on a calm day with a settled setup.

Compound target sights push the design further with a micrometer-style elevation knob and a scope housing on the pin, so tiny adjustments can be made by counting clicks. Hunting-oriented sliders trade some of that precision for speed: bigger knobs, glove-friendly levers, and a range of adjustment that covers typical shot distances.

The common failure is forgetting to move the slider — or moving it and then getting a different distance from the rangefinder. Build the habit of reading the pointer as part of the shot routine, and note the slider position in the setup log whenever the bow changes so a mismatch is easy to spot.

Related on BowSmith

Glossary

Printables

Bow Setup Measurement Log

Common questions

How many distances do I need to shoot to set up a slider?: Two good marks are enough to fit a tape — one short, one long. A third at an intermediate distance is a useful check that the tape spacing matches your arrow speed.
Can I use a single-pin sight for hunting?: Yes, and many do. The risk is a fast shot at a distance the slider isn't set to; some hunters leave it set to their most likely distance and accept a small hold-over or hold-under for the rest.
Why do my marks drift after a few weeks?: Usually the bow changed, not the sight: string stretch, peep rotation, or a loose sight mount. Re-check the mount screws and the two calibration distances before adjusting the tape.