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Choosing The Best Peep Sight Size For Hunting (Plus, Peep VS No-Peep)

November 6, 2024

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One of the most often-asked questions in bow hunting is what peep sight size should I be using?

Sorry to disappoint, there isn’t a black and white answer that would instantly custom match you with the right peep size for your setup. There are more than a couple factors that you need to consider before you get all gung-ho on going with the smallest or largest size you can find.

Like everything to do with bows, there’s quite a bit that goes into answering this question since it has a lot to do with your setup, hunting style, and vision.

We’ll talk you through the ins and outs of big and small peep sight sizes. By the end, you may be closer to determining what size will do you right in the field whether you’re sticking it out during the day, you’re out at first and last light, in the stand, or long-range hunting.

Table of Contents

1 Peep Sights VS No Peep Sights
- 1.1 Peep Sight Pros & Cons
2 Small Peep Sights for Hunting
3 Large Peep Sights for Hunting
4 How to Use a Peep Sight
- 4.1 Method 1:
- 4.2 Method 2:
5 Specialty Archery Peep Sights
6 Only You Know the Answer

Peep Sights VS No Peep Sights

You know this has to be addressed. For the many peep users out there, there are just as many that go without. But, what exactly is a peep sight? It’s a string attachment that ensures line of sight alignment between your eye using the peep, sight housing, and the target.

Peep Sight Pros & Cons

Pros:

Encourages consistent form/anchor point
Enhance sight picture focus
Can improve aim and accuracy
Easy to use
Inexpensive
Available in various sizes

Cons:

Can only use one eye
Darkens sight picture
Can twist out of place when string becomes worn

Of course, going peepless also has its own set of benefits. It forces you to become intimately familiar with consistent anchor points so you have the same form when shooting as when you sighted in your bow. You’ll also have instant low light visibility improvement, faster target acquisition time, and obviously you won’t have to deal with any peep sight alignment issues.

See also .257 Roberts for Elk Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Elk Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .257 Roberts a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .257 Roberts is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest elk. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the elk, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the elk in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a elk in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .257 Roberts within the ideal range of suitable calibers for elk hunting?” our answer is: No, the .257 Roberts is UNDERKILL for elk hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .257 Roberts Animal Species Elk Muzzle Energy 2040 foot-pounds Animal Weight 720 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .257 Roberts? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .257 Roberts round is approximately 2040 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male elk is approximately 720 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in elk hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for elk to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .257 Roberts. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the elk being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .257 Roberts is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest elk - and to this question, the response again is no, the .257 Roberts is UNDERKILL for elk hunting. [Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting elk to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

However, it takes practice and effort to get used to going peepless and making it an effective move on your part. Heavy emphasis on form can’t be overstated. Like many things to do with bows and shooting, you either like it or you don’t.

A vast majority of bow shooters still use peep sights, and they’re often pre-installed when you purchase your bow. With that in mind, here’s some peep sight sizes that could do it right for your type of hunting style.

Small Peep Sights for Hunting

Peeps with small diameter sizes are known to improve accuracy. Target and competition shooters may sport small peep sights because they offer a narrow aiming window.

During normal lighting conditions that are expected with daylight hunting, a small peep can actually offer better sight picture clarity since the aperture allows for enhanced focus on the target downrange.

However, if lighting conditions were to change such as going from open areas to thick timber with heavy shading or when it’s low light, your sight picture will become dark. Those with vision problems may not benefit from using a small peep right off the bat.

So, it goes without saying that a small peep would be suitable for hunters who require extreme accuracy, say for game with small kill zones. It would only be appropriate for daylight hunting when there’s as much light as possible, and only those with average to excellent eyesight could take advantage of a small peep.

Small peep sight sizes can include 1/32″, 3/64″, 1/16″, 3/32″, and 1/8″ being the largest of this lot.

It’s worth mentioning that long axle to axle bows would pair well with small peeps since the string comes closer to the eye.

Large Peep Sights for Hunting

Peeps with larger diameter sizes may not be as accurate-driven as small peep sights. They’re geared towards allowing more light in for a brighter sight picture in low light conditions or in heavily shaded areas. They’d also be appropriate for close range hunting to take advantage of the full field of view to appropriately aim your pin on the target.

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Those with problematic eyesight and vision problems would be better suited with a large peep sight for hunting. Sacrificing the accuracy expected of a small peep size within forgivable boundaries in hunting is acceptable because of the large kill zones on animals such as deer and elk.

However, even if you prefer the larger peep size, you’ll still need it to properly fit your sight picture. If you have too much floating space around the sight housing ring while looking through the peep, you will run into accuracy and form issues.

If you’re a hunter that takes advantage of first and last legal light, may have aging eyes, and may be shooting from a stand and taking close range shots, then you might want to consider a bigger peep size.

Short axle to axle bows also pair well with large peeps since they have sharp string angles that forces the peep further away from the eye.

Large peep sizes can include 3/16″, 7/32″, 1/4″, and 5/16″.

How to Use a Peep Sight

Knowing how to use a peep sight might help you to determine what the best peep sight size will be for your setup. The most popular sizing method is to opt for the peep that fits the sight housing ring. What do we mean by this? There are two different ways to use a peep sight.

Method 1:

At full draw, you center the pin you need to aim with within the middle of the peep sight. Depending on what pin you use, you may or may not see part of the top or bottom of the sight housing within the peep sight view.

Method 2:

The entire sight housing ring must match the peep sight ring. You have an unobstructed view of all pins, full field of view, and the sight housing ring matches perfectly with the peep sight.

Method 2 is the recommended way to use a peep sight since it encourages you to choose the most appropriate peep size for your setup. It also ensures your anchor point remains the same regardless of what pin you need to aim with. Slightly move at the waist to get the right pin on your target’s kill zone.

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Method 1 is still used by some, however, it can cause a drop in your anchor point to get your bottom pins centered. Moving your anchor point means inconsistent form, reduced accuracy, and can be a complete miss.

Trying out a few different sizes while at a dealer will also help to narrow down what size works best for your setup. If you plan on using the same bow for multiple activities no matter the time of day or lighting conditions, you can save time finding the right peep sight size and opt for a specialty peep sight.

Specialty Archery Peep Sights

These types of sights may be adjustable in diameter, easily interchangeable to be transferred from bow to bow, and are completely compatible to be used with different bow sights. They are typically more expensive than your average one-size peep, but the cost may be worth it if your needs require the specialty features.

You might also be interested in what peep accessories such as a clarifier and verifier can do for your sight picture.

Only You Know the Answer

Outfitting the perfect peep to match your setup is a personal touch. Your vision is needed to confirm whether a certain peep will work for you.

Although trying out different peeps might be tedious, it’ll be worth it in the end. Taking the time to properly prep your gear for the hunt will improve your odds for success. At the very least, you won’t be one of them who loses the shot for whatever reason because you have the wrong size peep!