Northwest Outdoor Sports

A Peep Free Sight

by Mike Cox of Ferndale, Washington

48.54904, -123.14679GPS coordinates of Hunt

It was just about deer thirty on San Juan Island. You know, when the animals are starting to move around and the days light is just starting to fade. I was on the edge of an abandoned apple orchard, owned by a friend. I could hear an animal coming through the woods. I slowly brought up my bow, pulled it to my anchor point at full draw, and I waited. A big bodied Pacific Balcktail buck stepped out of the cover and started to turn a nice broadside toward me at about thirty five yards out. After quickly counting antler points, I look through the string peep sight . . . and I see NOTHING!

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There was not enough light to allow me to see through the peep sight. It would have been , literally, a shot in the dark. So I let the deer walk away. After a whole afternoon of working my way through the woods, I let it walk away, because my equipment failed me. My eyes, through my glasses, could not see through my string peep sight.

.MOVE CURSOR OVER PHOTOS TO SEE CAPTIONS

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I can’t replace my eyes, though it is tempting. I’m stuck, at this point, with my glasses (bifocals). What about my string peep sight? This is how my search began for another option. I found it about five years ago.

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What I found was the Hindsight. It is unique among archery sights. Just as the traditional pins are mounted in front of the bow’s riser, so the Hindsight is mounted behind the riser. It features a non-magnifying reticle that I use as I would a scope on a rifle. Line up the appropriate pin, the tiny aperture in the center of the reticle, and the target, and ready to trigger the release.

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The unit I chose the Hindsight II, as it has a rear bracket that allows you to change the elevation of the reticle. The reticle on their products are made of luminescent material, making it more visible in low light situations.

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With a normal peep sight light is restricted as you look through it. This makes your eye dilate and makes it tougher to focus on the target. Though the aperture in the reticle of the Hindsight is small the reticle lets in plenty of light, and your eye is not pressed up against, like a string peep.

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This sight has a very interesting side effect. The sight helps me be a better, more consistent archer, and bowhunter. How so? It prevent me from torquing My bow. I’m forced to hold the bow without twisting it in my hand. Because the pins are in front of the riser and the sight is behind the riser, this make my hand (holding the riser a pivot point. If twist it all it shows in the sighting. The farther apart the pins and sight are, the more sensitive it is.

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While most of my hunting friends still shoot string peeps, I’m still very happy with my Hindsight. I shoot much more consistently in all huntable light situations. I never have to be concerned anymore if it’s close to deer thirty. If I can see my target, I can hit it. Of course that could mean I may have to track, skin, and field dress an animal after dark. Sometimes it is best to just let them walk away. But not because my equipment fails me!

A Little Custom Shooter on a Budget

by Mike Cox of Ferndale WA

A few years back, in the early spring my wife asked what I would like for our upcoming anniversary. I knew just the answer, and she did too. While she doesn’t care to go hunting with me she does know how much I like it. And she had heard me talking of what I wanted to do with a little rifle I had.

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,MOVE CURSOR OVER PHOTOS FOR CAPTIONS

I owned a little Ruger 10/22 rifle, and I knew just the parts I needed to turn it into a little custom shooter. I just had yet to figure out how rationalize the expense, and my dear wife had just fixed that for me. I had some misgivings about dismantling a perfectly good rifle, but I got over it.

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Only the receiver/trigger mechanism was used from the 10/22. A single screw removed from under the forearm allows the receiver and barrel to come free from the OEM stock. Two more screws removed from the from of the receiver allows the stock barrel to come free from the receiver/trigger assembly.

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I ordered a Ross laminated thumb-hole stock from Boyd’s Gunstocks. Fitted for a one inch round bull barrel from ER Shaw Barrels and Small Arms Manufacturing. All that was need was the scope mounts and the best optics I could afford with the money left in the budget.

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The scope of choice for me was the Barsk Huntmaster Pro 3-12X50 with Illuminated Reticle. The cross hairs light up (11 settings) in red, it helps in low light conditions.

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All the parts came to $300.00 (plus the donor rifle). I had all the parts, just had to assemble them and get is sighted in at the range!

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I’ve had a lot fun with this 22.

• At the range – the Weight of the bull barrel and that scope make for rock steady shooting and very tight patterns

• In the field – the Bull barrel does make it a little heavy (about 8 lbs), but it still makes a fine grouse or rabbit rifle.

• I like the dyed laminate wood grain
  

• I only use the stock clips (10 round). They keep the rifle very sleek and make field shooting all the easier with less hanging off the rifle to get fouled in the brush.

• Fun to take along when Camping.
  

I know I would have spent the money and done this anyway, but is nice to know I have my wife to thank for my favorite little shooter. One of our best anniversaries in 31 years.