How to Tune a Bow for Hunting Season

Get This Done Before Opening Day

The fastest way I tune a hunting bow is this.

I set the bow to spec, paper tune for a clean tear, walk-back tune to lock in center shot, then broadhead tune at 30 and 50 yards until my broadheads hit with my field points.

I do this every August because I hunt 30 plus days a year and I do not want surprises when a buck steps out at 18 yards.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I killed my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, and I know I would have missed him if my broadheads were flying three inches right like they were two weeks before.

Pick Your Goal: “Good Enough” Or “Dead Nuts”

You need to decide what you are tuning for, because chasing perfect can waste a whole weekend.

If your shots are inside 30 yards in the Missouri Ozarks timber, “good enough” is a clean paper tear and broadheads grouping with field points at 30.

If you hunt field edges in Southern Iowa or Pike County, Illinois, I want broadheads and field points together at 50 because that is where mistakes show up.

My buddy swears paper tuning is all you need, but I have found paper can lie if your grip and torque change under pressure.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If your field points group tight but your broadheads hit 4 inches off at 40 yards, do not touch your sight. Move your rest in tiny steps and re-shoot.

If you see a consistent left tear through paper, expect your broadheads to hit left at distance unless you fix center shot or grip torque.

If conditions change to a new arrow, new string, or new broadhead, switch to re-checking paper, then walk-back, then broadheads.

Start With the “Boring” Stuff Or You Will Chase Your Tail

I learned the hard way that skipping the basics turns tuning into a mess.

Back in 2007 in the Missouri Ozarks, I rushed a setup before season, shot a doe, and gut shot her.

I pushed her too early and never found her, and I still think about it.

This connects to shot placement, so I keep this bookmarked for new hunters who ask, where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks.

Here is what I do before I shoot a single arrow through paper.

I check limb bolts are even, cams look straight, and nothing is loose on the rest, sight, quiver, or stabilizer.

I also check my peep is not twisting and my D-loop is not fuzzy or slipping.

If you are hunting cold, like Buffalo County, Wisconsin in late November, forget about tuning in a heated garage and focus on shooting outside at 28 degrees because your layers change your anchor.

Decide If You Are Keeping Factory Specs Or Changing Draw Length

This decision matters because draw length changes your anchor, your peep height, and your tune.

Most guys are over-bowed or over-drawn, then they torque the grip to reach the wall.

Here is what I do with new shooters, including my two kids.

I set draw length so the string touches the tip of the nose and the release hand is relaxed, not jammed behind the ear.

If you are straining to reach, forget about micro-adjust rests and focus on draw length first.

Set Nock Height and Center Shot Before You Touch Paper

I wasted money on fancy “tuning gadgets” before I realized a tape measure and an arrow level get you 90 percent there.

I start with the arrow running through the burger hole and level to the rest.

Then I set center shot close to 13/16 inch from the riser on most modern compounds.

That number is not magic, but it gets you on the paper fast.

Here is what I do for nock height.

I set the arrow dead level or with the nock slightly high, like 1/16 inch, because many bows like that better.

If your rest is too low, your vanes will slap and you will blame broadheads later.

Choose: Paper Tune Now, Or Skip Straight to Walk-Back

Paper tuning is great, but only if you shoot like you hunt.

That means your hunting release, your hunting grip, and your hunting anchor.

My buddy swears by bare shaft tuning only, but I have found bare shafts can punish a small form issue and make you move the rest when the problem is your hand.

Here is what I do for paper.

I stand 6 feet from paper, shoot a fletched arrow, and I look for a bullet hole or a very small tear.

If I get a left tear, I first check for grip torque before I move anything.

I relax my bow hand, keep knuckles at a 45 degree angle, and shoot again.

Fixing Tears: Don’t Move Three Things at Once

The biggest mistake I see is guys moving the rest, twisting the yokes, and sliding the nocking point all in one session.

Then they have no clue what fixed it.

Here is what I do if I get a consistent left or right tear with good form.

I move the rest in tiny steps, like 1/64 to 1/32 inch, and I only move one direction at a time.

Then I shoot again and write it down in my phone notes.

Here is what I do if I get a consistent high or low tear.

I check nock height and rest height, and I also check for vane contact with foot powder spray.

If I see powder rubbed off on the vanes, I fix clearance before I touch cam timing.

Walk-Back Tuning: The One Test I Trust for Hunting

If I could only do one test before season, it would be walk-back tuning.

It tells me if my center shot is right without hiding problems behind a sight adjustment.

Here is what I do.

I sight in dead-on at 20 yards first, because walk-back is pointless if your 20 is off.

I shoot at a vertical line, like tape on a target, at 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards using the correct sight pin each time.

If my arrows drift left as I back up, I move the rest slightly right, and I re-check.

If my arrows drift right as I back up, I move the rest slightly left, and I re-check.

I learned the hard way that moving the sight to “fix” left and right drift just hides a bad center shot.

That bad center shot will show up again when you screw on a fixed blade broadhead.

Broadhead Tuning: Fixed Blades Tell the Truth

This is the step that makes me confident on a real deer.

I do not care what your bow does with field points if your broadheads plane off at 42 yards.

Here is what I do with broadheads.

I start at 30 yards with one field point and one broadhead, and I shoot them into the same aiming dot.

If they hit together, I back up to 40, then 50.

If they do not, I leave my sight alone and I move the rest based on the impact.

Rule I follow for most right-handed shooters with fixed blades.

If broadheads hit left of field points, I move the rest slightly right.

If broadheads hit right of field points, I move the rest slightly left.

If broadheads hit high, I move the rest slightly up.

If broadheads hit low, I move the rest slightly down.

Small moves matter.

I am talking 1/64 inch, then shoot again.

Make a Tradeoff: Mechanical Broadheads vs Fixed Blades

You need to decide what you are tuning for, because mechanicals are more forgiving than fixed blades.

If you shoot mechanicals only, you can get away with a slightly sloppier tune, but you still should do walk-back.

If you shoot a fixed blade like a Magnus Stinger, it will show every bit of torque and bad alignment.

My buddy swears by big mechanicals for Illinois corn edges, but I have found fixed blades do better for me in the Missouri Ozarks where shots can be steep and the brush is tight.

This also ties to how deer react after the shot, so when people ask tracking questions I point them to how much meat you get from a deer because it reminds them why patience matters.

Arrows: Decide If You Are Actually Matched to Your Bow

If your arrows are too weak or too stiff, tuning turns into a circus.

I do not obsess over spine charts, but I do follow them and I do not guess.

Here is what I do.

I match arrow spine to my actual draw weight, my actual draw length, and my point weight.

I also weigh my arrows and keep my hunting set within 10 grains of each other.

If you are shooting 70 pounds at 29 inches with a 125 grain head, forget about bargain bin .400 spines and focus on a stiffer arrow.

When I am trying to time deer movement to test broadheads in daylight, I check deer feeding times first so I am not flinging arrows when deer are about to step out.

My Cheap Gear That Actually Helps Tuning

I have burned money on gear that did not work before I learned what matters.

My most wasted money was $400 on ozone scent control that made zero difference, and it still makes me mad.

My best cheap investment was $35 climbing sticks I have used for 11 seasons, because being able to hang a stand fast gets me in the right tree more than any gadget.

This connects to getting close, so if you are thinking about where deer live on pressured ground, read deer habitat.

For tuning, the stuff I actually use is boring.

A decent bow square, a roll of serving, a Sharpie, and foot powder spray.

A Real Product I Use: Allen Paper Tuning Kit

I have used the Allen Paper Tuning Kit because it is cheap and it works, and I do not need a fancy frame.

I paid $24 for mine at a local shop, and it has been in my garage for five seasons without breaking.

Don’t Ignore Your Hunting Clothes, Because They Change Your Anchor

This is a tradeoff most guys do not talk about.

If you tune in a T-shirt, then hunt in a puffy jacket, your string contact changes and your peep alignment can shift.

Here is what I do.

I shoot my broadhead tune wearing the same layers I will wear on stand at 34 degrees.

If I am going to hunt the late season, I shoot with heavy gloves too.

This connects to weather movement, so if rain is coming I check where deer go when it rains and plan my tune session around when deer are not likely to be in the field edge behind my target.

Decide If You Need to Time the Cams Or Leave It Alone

Cam timing fixes some problems and creates others if you do it blind.

If your bow has two cams and one is hitting early, you will see weird tears that never fully clean up.

Here is what I do.

I draw the bow slowly and watch the draw stops.

If one cam hits first, I take it to a shop or I use a press if I am 100 percent sure what I am doing.

I am not too proud to pay $40 for a tech to fix timing, because it beats fighting it for a week.

Mistake to Avoid: “Sight Chasing” During Tuning

I learned the hard way that moving your sight during broadhead tuning can make you feel better and still leave you with a bad tune.

Your sight is for point of impact, and your rest is for arrow flight.

Here is what I do to keep myself honest.

I put a piece of tape on my sight marks and I do not touch them until broadheads and field points group together.

Then I sight in for real and lock the screws down.

FAQ

How long does it take to tune a bow for hunting season?

If nothing is messed up, I can do paper, walk-back, and broadheads in about 2 hours.

If I change arrows, rest, or strings, I plan on 2 evenings of shooting so I do not rush it.

Should I paper tune or broadhead tune first?

I paper tune first to get close, then walk-back, then broadhead tune last.

If you skip broadheads, you are guessing, especially with fixed blades.

Why do my broadheads hit left but my field points are dead on?

That is usually a center shot issue or grip torque that only shows up at distance.

I move the rest slightly right for a right-handed shooter and I also relax my bow hand and re-shoot.

Can I tune my bow at 20 yards and call it good?

You can, but it can bite you on a 43-yard shot across a picked bean field in Pike County, Illinois.

I at least verify broadheads at 40, because little problems hide at 20.

What is the most common tuning mistake you see before season?

Guys change three things at once, then blame the bow.

Move one thing, shoot, and write it down, or you will get lost fast.

Do I need to tune again if I switch broadhead brands?

Yes, if you switch to a different head design, especially fixed blades with bigger blades or different ferrules.

If you change from a field point to a mechanical that flies like a field point, you still need to confirm, not assume.

Before I get into sighting in and building a simple preseason checklist, I want you to make one more decision.

Are you tuning for a treestand straight-down shot, or are you tuning for flatter, longer shots from the ground edge.

Decide What Angle You Are Tuning For, Because It Changes Everything

The angle you tune at is the angle you will miss at.

If you only tune on flat ground, then take a 22-foot treestand shot at 17 yards, you can get a surprise.

Here is what I do.

I tune broadheads on flat ground first, then I confirm at a steep angle from my actual hunting height.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, I killed my first deer, an 8-point buck, with a borrowed rifle.

With a bow, you do not get that borrowed-gun forgiveness, so I try to remove every excuse before season.

If you hunt tight timber in the Missouri Ozarks, I tune for 12 to 28 yards and steep angles, because that is my real world.

If you hunt open edges like Pike County, Illinois or Southern Iowa, I still confirm steep shots, but I also spend more time at 40 to 60 because that is where wind and torque show up.

Here Is What I Do for Treestand Angle Checks, So I Don’t Learn Mid-Season

I learned the hard way that a bow can look perfect on a bag target and still act weird shooting downhill.

A high nock travel problem or a little face pressure can show up fast when you bend at the waist.

Here is what I do.

I set a target at 20 yards, climb to the same height I hunt, and shoot one field point and one broadhead at the same dot.

If they split, I do not start cranking on the rest yet, because it can be form.

Here is my form check for steep shots.

I bend at the waist and keep my shoulders square, and I keep my head upright instead of ducking into the string.

If I feel string slap on my sleeve, I fix clothing and stance first.

If you are hunting bulky layers like a late season sit in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, forget about micro-tuning first and focus on clearing your string path.

A puffy sleeve can change more than a 1/64-inch rest move ever will.

Pick Your Broadhead, Then Commit, Or You Will Waste September

This is a decision that saves a ton of time.

If you keep swapping heads every week, you never finish tuning and you never build confidence.

Here is what I do.

I pick one head for the season, buy enough to practice and hunt, and I spin test every head before it ever goes in a quiver.

A cheap tool that helps is the Pine Ridge Archery Arrow Inspector.

I paid $29 for mine, and it has caught more wobble issues than paper ever did.

My buddy swears by Slick Trick Magnums because they group for him no matter what bow he is shooting.

I have found Magnus Stingers are more forgiving for me if my form is not perfect after a long day, and they sharpen easy on my garage bench.

Build a Simple Sighting-In Plan, Or You Will “Sort Of” Be Ready

Once broadheads and field points hit together, then I touch my sight.

I do not do it the other way around, because I do not want a tuned sight on an untuned bow.

Here is what I do.

I sight in at 20, then 30, then 40, then I finish at 50 if I might shoot that far.

I shoot groups of three, not one hero arrow, and I stop when fatigue shows up.

I learned the hard way that tuning while tired teaches you bad habits.

I have lost deer I should have found, and I do not stack the odds against myself anymore, especially after the gut-shot doe in 2007 that I pushed too early.

If you want a reality check on how tough deer are, this connects to what I wrote about are deer smart because they figure out patterns fast, including sloppy humans making noise at dusk.

Make One Tradeoff: Speed Chasing vs Quiet and Forgiving

Every bow can be tuned, but not every setup is pleasant to shoot.

You need to decide if you want a fast bow that is loud and twitchy, or a slightly slower bow that forgives bad form.

Here is what I do.

I set my draw weight to where I can hold full draw for 45 seconds without shaking, because bucks do not follow a script.

I would rather shoot 265 fps and hit the ribs than shoot 295 fps and yank the shot.

If you are hunting in the Missouri Ozarks where shots are fast and close, forget about speed charts and focus on quiet and control.

If you are hunting open ag in Pike County, Illinois and you might shoot 48 yards, I still pick control first, then I flatten trajectory with a good rangefinder, not ego.

This connects to why deer escape so quick, so I keep this handy for new hunters, how fast can deer run.

My Preseason “No Surprises” Checklist

This is the list I run the last week of August, then again the night before opener.

It is boring, and it saves seasons.

Here is what I do with my bow.

I check every screw with the right Allen key, I check rest cord and serving, and I mark rest and sight positions with a silver Sharpie so I can spot movement.

Here is what I do with arrows.

I spin test every broadhead arrow, I weigh them, and I re-number them so my best flyers are my hunting arrows.

Here is what I do with broadheads.

I shoot one broadhead at 30 and one at 50, and if anything is off I stop and fix it before I “just hunt anyway.”

Here is what I do with my release and peep.

I check the release jaw for grit, I check the strap, and I make sure my peep is dead level at full draw in my hunting posture.

When I am thinking about real deer behavior before season, I look at deer mating habits because rut movement changes where I set up, and it changes my shot angles.

When I plan early season sits, I also check do deer move in the wind because strong wind can make you rush a shot and torque the bow.

If you are taking a kid or a new hunter, I keep it simple and focus on a calm 20-yard shot.

This ties to what I wrote about what a baby deer is called

A Real Product I Use: Blue Loctite 242 On Sight and Rest Screws

I wasted money on “vibration damping” gimmicks before I started doing the simple thing that actually works.

I use Loctite 242 Blue on sight and rest screws, and I do not use it on anything I need to adjust often.

I bought a 6 ml tube for $7, and it lasts me multiple seasons.

It has kept my sight from walking loose on bumpy rides into public land in the Missouri Ozarks.

Confidence Check: One Cold-Bore Arrow, Then Stop

This is the last thing I do before opening day.

I want to know my first arrow is right, because that is the arrow that matters on a buck.

Here is what I do.

I walk outside, shoot one broadhead at 30 yards with no warmup, and I put the bow away if it hits where it should.

If it misses, I do not keep shooting to feel better, and I fix the reason.

This is also where I think about recovery.

If you make a bad hit, knowing how much you could lose keeps you patient, so I point people to how much meat from a deer because it is not just antlers on the wall.

I am not a guide or an outfitter.

I am just a guy who has tuned bows in a sweaty garage, in a windy yard, and in a frosty field, and I have seen what happens when you skip steps.

Get the boring stuff right in August.

Then when a buck steps out at 18 yards, you are just picking a hair and breaking the shot.