How to Adjust a Trophy Ridge Bow Sight

The Short Version

• Chase the arrow: Always move your sight pins or housing toward the spot where your arrow struck the target. If you hit low and left, move the sight down and left.
• Zero at 20 yards first: Lock your top pin in place and adjust the entire sight housing together using gang adjustments, leaving individual pins untouched.
• Tune longer distances: Step back to 30 or 40 yards to adjust individual pins, or turn the master calibration dial if your sight features automatic pin spacing.
• Check your bubble level: Align your 2nd and 3rd axis levels before locking down mounting screws so your arrows stay true on steep uphill or downhill shots.

The Golden Rule: Why You Always Chase the Arrow

When an arrow lands away from the bullseye, your first instinct is usually to push the aiming pin toward the center of the target. That natural reaction is the most common mistake in archery, and it instantly doubles your error. Bow sights do not guide the arrow like a laser pointer. Instead, they act as an alignment tool between your eye, your peep sight, and your target.

To understand why this happens, picture your posture at full draw. When you look through the peep sight on your bowstring, your eye centers the sight ring. If you lower your sight pin inside the housing, you must lift your bow arm higher to put that pin back on the center of the target. Lifting your bow arm points the arrow higher in the air, raising your point of impact on the target.

The exact same geometry controls your windage (left and right adjustment). If your arrows strike four inches to the right of your aiming spot, you must shift your sight housing to the right. Moving the sight to the right forces you to swing your bow hand slightly to the left to put the pin back on the bullseye. That slight pivot steers the arrow back into the center ring.

Archers call this rule chasing the arrow. Moving your sight pin toward where the arrow landed fixes your point of impact every single time. If your arrows hit high, move the sight up. If they hit low, move the sight down. If they hit left, move the sight left. If they hit right, move the sight right. Memorizing this single rule saves hours of frustration and protects your arrows from smashing into target frames.

Step 1: Zero Your Top Pin at 20 Yards with Gang Adjustments

Before you touch individual pins, you must set your primary zero distance. For almost every compound bow setup, 20 yards serves as the starting mark. Dialing in this distance requires a gang adjustment (moving the entire sight housing together) rather than shifting individual fiber-optic pins.

1. Set your top pin in position: Look at your sight housing before you nock an arrow. Your top pin should sit in the upper third of the circular housing. This placement leaves plenty of room underneath for your longer-range pins. Tighten this top pin securely so it cannot slide. You will not move this individual pin during the initial zeroing process.
2. Step up to 20 yards: Stand exactly 20 yards from a broad, reliable target face. Draw your bow, center your circular sight housing inside your rear peep sight, and rest your top pin directly on the center dot. Solid shooting form is essential here. Reviewing how to use a bow sight can help ensure your anchor point and grip remain steady before you start loosening hardware.
3. Shoot a three-arrow group: Never make a sight adjustment based on a single shot. A minor lapse in your release technique or a slight torque of your wrist can push an arrow off mark. Shoot three arrows at the same spot using your best form to establish a clear pattern.
4. Chase the arrow with the sight housing: Examine where the group landed. If your arrows hit three inches low and two inches left, you need to adjust your elevation (up and down adjustment) downward and your windage to the left. If your sight has tool-less micro-click dials (small dial clicks that make tiny moves without tools), turn the elevation knob down and the windage knob left. If your model uses standard hex bolts, use an Allen wrench to loosen the main housing locks, slide the housing along the laser-etched marks, and snug the screws back down.
5. Confirm and lock: Shoot another three-arrow group. Repeat small shifts until your top pin places arrows dead center at 20 yards. Once the group sits in the middle, firmly tighten the main gang adjustment locks. Your entire sight housing is now married to your 20-yard zero. Do not loosen the gang adjustment brackets for the rest of the sighting process.

Step 2: Set Your Farther Pins or Calibrate the React Dial

Once your 20-yard pin is locked, you can set your aiming points for 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. How you handle these longer distances depends directly on the mechanical design of your sight. Standard multi-pin sights require adjusting each pin by hand, while auto-spacing models use an interconnected gear system.

Adjusting Standard Multi-Pin Sights

On standard multi-pin sights, every pin underneath your 20-yard pin adjusts individually along a vertical metal track. Step back to 30 yards and use your second pin down as your aiming point. Shoot a three-arrow group.

Because your gang adjustment already locked in your left-and-right windage at 20 yards, you should only need to adjust elevation on individual pins. Loosen the small Allen bolt holding the 30-yard pin in its slot. If your group hits low, slide that individual pin down slightly toward the miss. If your group hits high, slide the pin up. Tighten the bolt and confirm the zero with another group.

Repeat this step-by-step process for your 40-yard, 50-yard, and 60-yard pins. As you move back, you will notice that the physical gap between pins gets wider. Arrows lose speed as they travel downrange, causing them to drop more steeply past 40 yards. A wider gap between lower pins is completely normal and mirrors the natural curved flight of your arrow.

Calibrating Auto-Spacing React Sights

Sights equipped with React technology eliminate the tedious chore of measuring and setting individual pin gaps. These models house an internal mechanical drive that links all pins together. The movement of the pins matches the mathematical drop curve of modern compound bow arrows.

After you zero your 20-yard pin using the main housing gang adjustments, step back to a longer calibration distance. You can use 30 yards, but calibrating at 40 or 50 yards provides significantly better precision. Aim at the bullseye using the pin designed for that specific yardage and shoot a group.

If your group hits high or low at 40 yards, do not touch the gang adjustment screws and do not loosen individual pin screws. Instead, turn the master React calibration knob. Turning this single dial moves all your pins simultaneously, expanding or contracting their spacing at precise mathematical ratios. Once your 40-yard pin hits the bullseye, your 30, 50, and 60-yard pins are automatically set to the exact right positions.

Setting Single-Pin Slider Sights

If you use an adjustable single-pin sight, you only have one aiming dot to manage. Zero the single pin at 20 yards using your gang elevation and windage brackets. Once centered, unlock the slider mechanism and move back to 40 or 60 yards. Turn the elevation wheel to lower the pin until your arrows hit dead center at that distance.

Your sight includes a set of pre-printed yardage tapes. Look at the distance your pointer traveled between your 20-yard mark and your 60-yard mark. Find the numbered tape in the kit whose scale matches that exact physical distance. Stick that tape onto the sight dial, and your pointer will indicate accurate yardage for any distance along the scale.

Checking 2nd and 3rd Axis Leveling for Uneven Terrain

A sight can hit dead center on a flat target range and still cause baffling misses in the woods. This happens when the sight's built-in bubble level is out of alignment with the bow riser or the shooting angle. Proper leveling requires setting both the 2nd and 3rd axis.

• 2nd Axis (Flat Ground Alignment): The 2nd axis ensures your sight pins and housing sit perfectly vertical when your bow is held upright on flat ground. Mount your bow in a vise and use a small level to make the bow string plumb. Look at the bubble level in your sight housing. If the bubble is not centered while the string is plumb, loosen the 2nd axis screws on your sight bracket, rotate the housing until the bubble sits between the lines, and lock it down.
• 3rd Axis (Uphill and Downhill Angles): The 3rd axis acts like the hinge on a door, controlling whether the sight housing angles forward toward the target or backward toward you. On flat ground, an uncalibrated 3rd axis causes zero error. But when you aim steep uphill or downhill, a tilted 3rd axis causes the bubble level to lie to you. If you pick the best bow sight for treestand hunting, calibrating this axis is critical because steep downward angles will push your arrows wide left or right if the bubble is false.
• How to verify the 3rd axis: Aim your bow up at a 45-degree angle and down at a 45-degree angle while viewing a plumb doorframe or a specialized leveling tool. If the bubble drifts away from center as you tilt the bow up or down, adjust the 3rd axis pivot screws until the bubble stays centered at every angle.

Common Sighting Mistakes That Cause Headaches

Sighting in your bow should be a predictable process. When things go wrong, it is usually due to one of four common mechanical or physical errors.

• Overtightening screws and stripping aluminum: Sight housings and mounting brackets use lightweight aluminum to keep bow weight down. Aluminum threads strip easily if you crank down on them with heavy force. Snug your screws firmly, but avoid using excessive leverage. Adding a small drop of blue non-permanent thread locker prevents bow vibration from shaking screws loose without damaging delicate threads.
• Making huge adjustments at one time: Sighting in is a game of millimeters. Moving a pin just one-sixteenth of an inch can move your arrow impact several inches at 20 yards, and even further at longer ranges. Make tiny adjustments, take your time, and verify every shift with at least three clean shots.
• Chasing arrows while your form breaks down: Drawing a bow repeatedly causes arm and shoulder fatigue. As your muscles tire, your bow hand drops early, your anchor point shifts, or your release punches the trigger. If your groups suddenly open up or drift, stop adjusting your sight. Rest your muscles and come back the next day with fresh form.
• Running out of vertical adjustment: If your arrows hit low at 20 yards and your sight housing cannot slide any lower on its track, your mounting bracket is likely mounted too high on the bow riser. Most sights offer several sets of mounting holes where the bracket bolts to the bow. When fitting the best bow sight for Mathews or other modern compound bows, unbolt the sight from the riser, lower it to the bottom set of holes, and restart your 20-yard zero. This restores full upward and downward travel.

Hardware Features That Simplify Sight Adjustments

If adjusting tiny hex screws on an open range feels frustrating, specific hardware upgrades can make the entire tuning process much smoother. Bow sights range from simple fixed brackets to advanced tool-less systems designed to eliminate guesswork.

When selecting a sight that is easy to adjust, look for tool-less micro-click knobs on both windage and elevation brackets. These knobs let you make fine, measured adjustments at the target line without searching your pack for lost Allen wrenches. Each distinct click represents an exact fraction of an inch, making it easy to track your movements and return to previous settings if needed.

Another valuable feature is an automatic pin-spacing system. Sights that use internal drive gears calculate arrow drop curves mechanically. This eliminates the time-consuming trial of measuring, loosening, and nudging individual pins for 30, 40, and 50 yards. Finally, ensure any sight you choose includes clear laser-etched hash marks and multi-axis leveling bolts, giving you complete control over your shot alignment in any shooting environment.

1

Trophy Ridge Fix Series Sight 5 Pin Bow Sight ,

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  9.2
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs2

Pin Configuration

5-pin fixed bracket

Pin Spacing Method

Pin gaps require manual adjustment using standard bow sight alignment steps, moving individual pins to match arrow trajectory at each distance.

Pros & cons32

Pros

• Five-pin layout provides distinct reference points across common hunting yardages
• Dedicated multi-pin frame allows individual yardage spacing adjustments per pin
• Standard black finish integrates cleanly onto compound hunting bow risers

Cons

• Requires manual pin gap adjustments rather than automated React spacing
• Hardware torque specifications and exact pin diameter are not listed and must be confirmed

2

Trophy Ridge Fix Archery Bow Sight, Right Hand, 7-Pin 0.019

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  9.2
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs2

Pin Diameter

0.019 inch

Aiming Points

Seven individual pins give long-range shooters precise aiming references without moving the main housing once sighted in.

Pros & cons32

Pros

• Seven-pin configuration extends aiming reference points out to long target distances
• Fine 0.019-inch pin diameter preserves target visibility at extended ranges
• Right-hand orientation mounts directly to standard right-handed compound bows

Cons

• Seven aiming pins crowd the sight housing window more than 3-pin or 5-pin setups
• Manual spacing across seven separate pins requires more setup time at the range

3

Trophy Ridge Hotwire Archery Bow Sight - 2 Fixed Pins,

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  9.2
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs2

Pin Architecture

Two fixed pins handle standard hunting distances, while a third movable pin dials in for longer shots.

Tool Storage

On-board Allen key included

Pros & cons42

Pros

• Hybrid setup combines two fixed pins for close shots with one adjustable pin for longer range
• Integrated on-board Allen key ensures adjustment tools stay with the bow
• Second-axis leveling helps maintain bubble alignment across level shooting positions
• Fine 0.019-inch fiber pins keep small targets visible behind the aiming point

Cons

• Adjustable third pin requires physical movement between extended target distances
• Right-hand specific design does not support left-handed bow risers

4

Trophy Ridge React H5 Archery Bow Sight, Right Hand, 0.019

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  9.0
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs2

React Calibration

Sighting in the 20-yard pin and one farther distance automatically positions the remaining pins across the housing.

Pin Count

5-pin array

Pros & cons32

Pros

• React Technology automatically sets pin spacing across all five pins after sighting two distances
• Five-pin housing provides multiple yardage markers without requiring dial adjustments during draw
• Fine 0.019-inch pin size maintains clear target acquisition at moderate ranges

Cons

• Automated React spacing relies on predictable arrow drop and specific bow speed ranges
• Right-hand configuration cannot be flipped for left-handed archers

5

Trophy Ridge React Pro 5 Pin Archery Bow Sight, Right

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  9.0
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs3

Micro-Click Adjustment

Windage and elevation dials turn with distinct clicks, letting archers chase the arrow without loosening Allen bolts.

Axis Leveling

3rd axis adjustment

Structural Materials

• Solid aluminum sight housing
• Stainless steel adjustment hardware
• 0.83 lb total weight

Pros & cons52

Pros

• Tool-less micro-click dials allow windage and elevation corrections without wrenches
• Solid aluminum construction and stainless steel hardware resist rugged field wear
• Third-axis adjustment ensures accurate bubble level alignment on steep uphill and downhill shots
• React Technology positions all 5 pins automatically after zeroing two reference distances
• Bright fiber optic yardage indicators maintain readability in changing light conditions

Cons

• Weighs 0.83 pounds, adding noticeable mass to the side of the bow riser
• Limited 90-day warranty provides shorter coverage than standard multi-year warranties

6

Trophy Ridge Gem 3-Pin Archery Sight

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  8.6
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs1

Sight Picture

A minimalist three-pin housing leaves ample open space around the target, ideal for hunting in heavy timber.

Pros & cons32

Pros

• Three-pin layout provides a clean, uncluttered sight picture inside the housing
• Simple multi-pin structure reduces mechanical failure points on the bow
• Streamlined frame keeps total setup weight minimal on hunting bows

Cons

• Three fixed pins limit dedicated aiming references beyond medium distances
• Handedness and pin diameter are not stated in manufacturer specs and must be verified

7

Trophy Ridge Alpha React 1 Pin Sight .019, Black

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  8.6
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs2

Reticle Style

Single 0.019-inch pin

Elevation Movement

An adjustable slider moves the single aiming point along React yardage markers for exact distance placement.

Pros & cons32

Pros

• Single-pin configuration eliminates visual clutter inside the sight ring
• React Technology system aligns yardage progression along the slider dial
• Fine 0.019-inch pin tip provides precise target definition at extended distances

Cons

• Requires moving the slider dial when target distance changes before shooting
• Single-pin housing offers only one immediate aiming reference at full draw

8

Trophy Ridge Drive Slider Bow Sight , Black

View on Amazon

• ARS Mark

  ARS Mark is a ranking system developed by bestairriflescopes.com. ARS Mark has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites. Learn more

  8.4
• Brand
  Trophy Ridge

Key specs1

Elevation Drive

The slider track lets archers set exact custom yardage marks across the elevation range without fixed pin gaps.

Pros & cons32

Pros

• Smooth slider bracket allows continuous vertical elevation adjustment
• Single-pin housing delivers an unobstructed view of the target face
• Black finish matches standard hunting and target compound bow risers

Cons

• Lacks automatic React spacing, requiring manual yardage tape calibration
• Hand orientation and pin diameter are omitted from the listing and require verification

Last update on 2026-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

FAQs

What should I do if my bow sight runs out of vertical adjustment?

If your housing is maxed out at the bottom of its track and your arrows still hit low, check the mounting holes where the bracket attaches to your bow riser. Most sights feature two or three sets of vertical mounting holes. Unbolt the bracket, drop it down to the lower set of holes, and tighten it securely. This lowers your entire sight profile and restores your elevation adjustment range.

Why do my arrows hit off-center even when the sight bubble is level?

If your bubble level looks centered but arrows consistently miss to the left or right, your 2nd or 3rd axis is likely misaligned. A misaligned 2nd axis causes horizontal drift on flat ground, while a crooked 3rd axis causes misses when shooting up or down hills. Bow torque caused by gripping the bow handle too tightly can also twist the riser during your shot.

Do I need hex wrenches to adjust my bow sight?

It depends on your specific sight design. Basic multi-pin models require standard Allen wrenches to loosen the housing brackets and individual pin tracks. Upgraded sights feature tool-less micro-click knobs, allowing you to loosen locking levers and dial in your windage and elevation adjustments by hand without carrying any tools.

How many arrows should I shoot before adjusting a pin?

Always shoot a minimum of three arrows before making any physical adjustment to your sight. Shooting a single arrow does not give you reliable feedback because a poor release or flinched grip can easily push an arrow off target. A tight three-arrow cluster reveals your true point of impact and shows you exactly which way to chase the arrow.