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Q. |
Will the Keller Pendulum Bow Sight
fit any bow? |
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A. |
In most cases, yes, but there are possibly three bows
manufactured today which may require a modification to the supplied bracket if you are
shooting low poundage. The few bows that this problem occurs with are less than 34 inches
with extreme reflex risers. A slight modification is necessary, which is a simple process
of cutting off a corner of the upper portion of the bracket.
This is only a problem when the archer is shooting low poundage. The bracket was redesigned
in 2000 with extra mounting holes to extend the sight bracket beyond this problem area
for a higher set poundage bows.
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Q. |
Do you offer fiber optics? |
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A. |
No, but for good reason. Keller Pendulum Bow Sights
primary design and function is to satisfy the needs of a bow hunter. In hunting situations,
there are differences in light throughout a morning or evening hunt. For example, 15
minutes before dark, you're driving down the road and meet two headlights. All you know
for sure is another vehicle is in the other lane. It could be a car, truck, bus or two
motorcycles, but if the headlights were off, you may see the "Peterbilt" hood emblem. In other
words, in low light situations, your focal point stops at a bright light source. The
pupil in your eye enlarges and changes from conical vision to rod vision. Therefore, if you
place a bead between you and your target which is very bright, you'll lose your target, but
that bright bead sure looks good!
It's hard to satisfy the best of both worlds; bright and
low light. The Keller Pendulum Bow Sight gives you two options for low light conditions.
There's a diffused, red LED light powered by batteries, plus the beads are coated with
KryptoNight®, a glow-in-the-dark system charged by sunlight, or artificial
light such as a flashlight. Once it is charged for 60 or more seconds, the beads will glow
softly for about 30 minutes. In true low light conditions, the best color for a bead is
black. This gives you a silhouette bead which doesn't hamper your vision, but you will
be in trouble with bright light.
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Q. |
What if my permanent stands are not 12 feet
or higher? |
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A. |
You will lose accuracy at close range and down range.
Even if shooting from the ground, with any bow or sight, it takes a given amount of
distance for arrow trajectory to parallel with eyesight trajectory, thus your shots from
12 feet or less will not be accurate for the first few yards, and a loss of a few yards
down range. A similar example would be shooting a scoped rifle at a bulls-eye 10 feet away.
With your scope mounted two inches above the barrel of the rifle, your shot will be just
less than two inches under the bulls-eye.
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Q. |
What are the other two beads for? |
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A. |
Extended yardage beyond the pendulum limits. Pendulum
limits for the primary bead vary somewhat with the equipment of each archer, depending on many
variables like amount of helical, vanes or feathers, poundage, compatible eye and arrow
trajectory (proper hunting anchor or low target anchor), weight of arrow point, etc. A good
setup will allow accuracy from 28-35 yards, +/- one inch. If you obtain 32 yards with the
primary bead but you desire to shoot further, determine yardage of 2nd bead by moving
target out an additional five yards. If you're an inch high, step back one more yard and
shoot again. If that shot is satisfactory, you now know your 2nd bead is 38 yards. Continue
the same steps for the 3rd bead. Always consider the 2nd and 3rd beads as fixed beads.
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Q. |
What are some common mistakes? |
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A. |
Not completing setup according to instructions. Elevation
of sight is to be determined from an elevated position. Even though you have shot with the
pendulum locked in notch #4 from approximately 20 yards on the ground according to the
instructions, you have only satisfied left and right correction. Now, from 12 feet or above
with target at approximately 12 yards, take a shot. Left and right is already set, so you'll
only be adjusting up and down. If your shot is low, loosen the outside nuts, reposition sight
by lowering it 1/16th", and tighten the nuts. Repeat until satisfactory.
Another common mistake is not utilizing what you have. Once satisfaction is reached from
an elevated position, you're ready to hunt. Without making any adjustments, you can now
determine many different yardages for ground hunting or ground practice simply by locking the
pendulum in the #4, #5 and #6 notch and stepping forward or backward from your target. After
identifying the yardage obtained in notch #6, continue stepping away from the target
another 5-6 yards and determine the additional second bead yardage. Repeat for the third
bead. Yardages will not normally work out to be even increments, for example, notch #4=17
yards, notch #5=23 yards, notch #6=29 yards, notch #6 on second bead=37 yards, notch #6 on
third bead=42 yards.
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Q. |
Why am I accurate at a given yardage and not at
other yardages? |
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A. |
One of the most common errors, and the simplest to
correct, is consistent form. When the archer is originally setting up equipment, he is
developing a geometric characteristic of form between himself, the bow and the target.
While standing on the ground, setting up or practicing, the spine from the waist through
the neck and head are parallel with the axis of the bow (parallel with the string
before drawn). Upon arrow release,the trajectory of the arrow is approximately three
inches below the trajectory of eyesight.
The arrow rises to fly somewhat parallel to eyesight, coming together after 12 to 15 feet.
Therefore, when in an elevated position shooting at different yardages, this geometric
configuration cannot change. Staying parallel with the bow is necessary, and is done simply
by bending at the waist. A 30 yard shot won't take much bending. A 15 yard shot will require
about a 50 degree angle, etc. Bending from the waist is a must!
The second most common error is arrow trajectory compared to eyesight trajectory. Anchor
point is critical for a hunter to obtain the best accuracy throughout 30 yards. The following
should be considered as you are viewing arrow flight and bow from the side. Holding a bow
axle over axle and measuring from the center of the arrow shaft to the center of sight
window on bow (center of bolt holes which mount sight and quiver) is approximately three
inches. Bow length must be considered as a shorter bow creates a sharper angle when
determining anchor point and peep sight location. Once an arrow is nocked on the string,
measuring straight up the string and tying in peep sight at 3 5/8th inch to 3
7/8th inch works well for 41 inch and longer bows. Shorter bows will be as
much as an inch more.
A good rule of thumb is to draw bow and anchor with the center of the shaft no lower than
the corner of the mouth (for hunting). If using a peep, make sure it is adjusted to enable
view through with arrow at the corner of the mouth. Remember the three inch dimension at
the front of the arrow? This will give you a little more than three inches at the rear of
the arrow, which will enable the arrow to fly rising into eyesight trajectory , but flying
upward on a slight angle. If the peep had been in string at six inches, the flight of the
arrow would be an extreme angle, crossing eyesight trajectory and flying higher and higher.
Some archers set up their bow according to the placement of release aid on jaw, looking
for a "comfortable" position. Don't be guilty of looking for this comfort. Setting up your
equipment to obtain great results at the target is the "ultimate comfort".
A good example of of a similar situation would be a high-powered rifle. Would you mount
a scope five inches above the barrel? From a side view, imagine imagine the angle of the
bullet in relationship to scope trajectory at 100 yards. How high would your bullet be at
150, or even 200 yards? That's trouble. You mount your scope as close to the barrel as
possible to get eye trajectory and bullet trajectory as parallel as possible. A Keller
sight is calibrated to eye trajectory and arrow trajectory combined. If they are not
together, you can only adapt bead to one or the other, not both.
Other issues include proper arrow flight, center shot, inconsistent anchor point, etc.
Proper bow tuning is a must!
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Q. |
Are there bows that a Keller Pendulum Bow Sight
perform better on than others? |
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A. |
The Keller works equally well on any bow, but certain
bows work better for hunting and can make archery a little easier, especially for the
beginner. Also, one feature that one person may view as an advantage may be seen as a
disadvantage by another. In all, a longer bow (axle to axle), deflex riser, and longer
brace height will always be more forgiving, which is an advantage to the hunter since
he usually gets one shot to gauge his success.
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Q. |
Why do I need a Keller Pendulum Bow Sight?
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A. |
To greatly improve your accuracy, to eliminate any
guesswork of yardage to your target, and to give you the confidence you need for success.
Fixed pin sights (multiple or single) have a bead set for a specific yardage. For example,
a bead for 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, etc. If you are hunting and your buck suddenly
appears from nowhere, the first error that can occur is incorrectly guessing the yardage to
your target.
There may be a tree limb, leaves, a vine, or even nothing between you and your buck. The
wind is circling, he could catch your scent at any time. A doe comes trotting in from
another direction; very distracting. Now the buck is walking towards her, changing distance
with every step he takes. Your movement to draw the bow is slow and deliberate. In all the
excitement, your breath is short and your heart is thumping in your throat. Bow is drawn.
Pick a bead... Are you going to use the 30 yard bead and aim low, or the 20 yard bead and
aim high? If you've guessed the wrong yardage by as little as three yards, any
other error is going to be amplified. Confusion is adding up quick. Plus
a steady anchor and a smooth release are still yet to come. Almost impossible.
You're thinking, "If only I had purchased a Keller sight, this situation
would be different..." With a Keller sight, the buck appears...relax...aim...release...
success. THE KELLER BEAD TAKES EVERY STEP YOUR BUCK TAKES, NO CONFUSION IN THAT!
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Q. |
What are the issues that may arise in hilly terrain?
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A. |
In most cases where deer travel, eat and sleep, this
won't have a bearing, but there are certain situations which require some planning. For
instance, if the path or scrape you've picked to hunt are on a ridge top which does not
have suitable trees to climb, but there are suitable trees on the side of the ridge, no
problem. Climb up to 32 feet or so, which puts you 22 feet over your scrape. Just keep
in mind you won't be accurate on the downhill side of the slope out to your usual 30+ yards.
Your accuracy may only be 27 yards, depending on how steep of an angle the slope is. You've
added more actual distance in arrow flight with the same amount of weight and stored energy
in the arrow, so the arrow will fall a little short.
Keeping that example in mind, lets
complicate the situation a bit more. Let's say your tree is on the side of a very steep
ridge and you're eye level with a scrape at the top. There's also a scrape below you,
which you are also watching. During initial setup of the sight, you've already determined
the actual yardages obtained with the pendulum in several locked positions (#4, #5, #6)
for ground shooting. Since your uphill target is shooting flat out (even though you are in
a tree), lock the pendulum in the notch you know will give you the best shot at the scrape
that is eye level. Now you are ready for the "worst case scenario" in case the buck appears
at that scrape. If he shows up at the scrape below you, simply release the locking nut to
free the pendulum and do what you do best! This shouldn't seem to be a disadvantage because
it's not. You'll be doing exactly what you do with a fixed pin sight, with the exception
of having many advantages in every other direction.
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All
contents copyright 2002 Keller Manufacturing. All rights reserved.
For information on Keller Pendulum Bow Sights
and Titanium Arrow Rests
Contact info@kellerbowsights.com
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