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As I mentioned, a properly leveled third axis becomes criticalon uphill or downhill shots. It can be difficult to imagine but try tovisualize a sight with the third axis way out of adjustment (use theopen door analogy). On level ground everything seems okay, butas you aim higher or lower the bubble will drift out of center.As youtwist your bow hand to level the bubble the sight is moving as well,causing you to miss your spot. As the angle of the shot increasesthe worse it gets.When you imagine your next western hunt,doesit involve a lot of dead level flat ground? I didn’t think so.

I am sure all this may sound difficult but it really comes downto loosening a few allen head screws and tightening them down inthe right spot, the key is having the right tools.The best tool I haveever found for accurately and quickly leveling a bow/sight combi-nation is the Easy Third Axis Level by Hamskea Archery Solutions(www.hamskearchery.com).While you are on their website, watchthe videos they have posted regarding third axis problems and solu-tions. But don’t get too distracted and forget to buy the level!

Understanding all of this is great, but it doesn’t do you a dangbit of good if you can’t do anything about it.All of us at Full MoonProductions now use the Tec Hunter sight by CBE with the thirdaxis option. The Tec Hunter has bright pins, is lightweight andextremely strong, but most importantly, it is easy to adjust. With

the third axis option installed you simply loosen the allen headscrews adjust the sight and tighten it back down. Checking thethird axis level must be done at full draw. There are many factorsthat impact a bow as we draw, but it stands to reason that we aimour bows while at full draw, we shoot our bows from full draw, sothe sight must be set at full draw.

Archery AdvantageBowhunting Western Big Game

Shawn Monsen p Archery Editor

Getting to Know 3rd AxisWith the exploding popularity of movable pin sights and long

range shooting,archers are constantly evaluating their equipmentin an effort to improve their accuracy.Having an archery sight thatis perfectly level is mandatory to consistency and accuracy. Foryears we would level our sight pins and even added a sight level toaid in our pursuit of perfection.Everything worked great until weencountered extreme uphill and downhill shots. All of a suddenarrows were consistently missing their spots left and right.We thenrealized how important it was to level a bow in a third axis as well.Fortunately, some of the better sight companies are making hunt-ing sights that are adjustable in the mysterious third axis. So let’stake a look at each axis and especially focus on the third.

Take a look at the following photos:

SECOND AXISThe second axis is the relationship between the horizontal bubble level and pinswith the vertical sight bar. When perfectly set the level and the pins should be at

a perfect right angle (90 degrees).

THIRD AXISThe third axis is the relationship between the sight pin and the horizontal extension of the sight. When properly set the sight pin(s) will be at a right angle to the sight extension at full draw. Think of it like a door on a hinge,

the door can swing toward you or away from you.

FIRST AXISThe first axis is the vertical travel of the sight. In the case of a target or

pendulum sight it is the dead vertical movement of the sight. In the case of a multiple pin hunting sight it is the vertical alignment of the pins.

The Hamskea Easy 3rd Axis Level makes 2nd and 3rd axis corrections “easy”.

“There are few aftermarket 3rd axis leveling devices that work great the

majority of the time, but nothing canreplace the confidence in knowing thatyou’ve shot your 3rd axis in. By doing

this you know with100% certainty thatyour sight is dead-on when you’re

shooting uphill and downhill.”— Eric Griggs Scott Archery

Price

$399

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I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to practice upand downhill shots.Learning to maintain proper form and triggersqueeze can only be done through repetition.We all spend the vastmajority of our practice time with our feet planted on level ground,shoulder width apart and relaxed,but when was the last time yougot that kind of shot at a game animal? So get out and challengeyourself with some real hunting condition practice shots,you won’t

Archery Advantage Bowhunting Western Big Game

believe how it will boost your confidence.Whether you are in a tree stand hanging thirty feet in the air or

out west hunting muleys in some deep canyon, a properly leveledthird axis sight will help you succeed.If things are not set right youwill miss or wound an animal, plain and simple. Take your gameseriously and invest in a sight with third axis adjustment, if youalready own one then make sure it is level at full draw. p