[JawsDad]

Normally this hasn't been an issue, but last night we were shooting league and had a target that was almost directly back into the sun. It was a 44 yard hunter face and you literally could not see the target. I moved around until I THOUGHT I saw white and just hammered the trigger. Turns out it was the printed tag in the bottom right corner of the face.. :doh:


So, other than extended sun shades on the housing, how do you all best deal with sun issues? (other than having people shade for you, for some reason that just seems wrong to me)

I'm thinking a telescope tube around my scope might be in order for next week since we'll get the same shot at about the same time..

 

[pragmatic_lee]

Normally this hasn't been an issue, but last night we were shooting league and had a target that was almost directly back into the sun. It was a 44 yard hunter face and you literally could not see the target. I moved around until I THOUGHT I saw white and just hammered the trigger. Turns out it was the printed tag in the bottom right corner of the face.. :doh:


So, other than extended sun shades on the housing, how do you all best deal with sun issues? (other than having people shade for you, for some reason that just seems wrong to me)

I'm thinking a telescope tube around my scope might be in order for next week since we'll get the same shot at about the same time..

I treat these targets just like all the others - draw, close my eyes, shoot.

 

[JawsDad]

I treat these targets just like all the others - draw, close my eyes, shoot.

That's damn near what I did.. I ended up standing there for a minute trying to let my eyes adjust to the brightest light. Then I was at least able to try and make out some sort of color variation. Wasn't too successful though. I dropped a crowd pleasing 11 on that target. Absolutely wrecked what was a decent round otherwise.. :doh:

 

[SCarson]

Normally this hasn't been an issue, but last night we were shooting league and had a target that was almost directly back into the sun. It was a 44 yard hunter face and you literally could not see the target. I moved around until I THOUGHT I saw white and just hammered the trigger. Turns out it was the printed tag in the bottom right corner of the face.. :doh:


So, other than extended sun shades on the housing, how do you all best deal with sun issues? (other than having people shade for you, for some reason that just seems wrong to me)

I'm thinking a telescope tube around my scope might be in order for next week since we'll get the same shot at about the same time..

Get somebody to shade for you. Nothing wrong with it. We do it all the time when needed. Unlike some venues, Field shooters are pretty accommodating.

 

[JawsDad]

Get somebody to shade for you. Nothing wrong with it. We do it all the time when needed. Unlike some venues, Field shooters are pretty accommodating.

Is that legal? I'm looking at the rules to see if there is anything stated one way or another about it.

 

[mw31]

Is that legal? I'm looking at the rules to see if there is anything stated one way or another about it.

I believe according to the rules it is ok for someone to block the sun for you but they cant block the wind.

 

[JawsDad]

After shooting that target last night, logic would tell me it would be legal just for the sake of safety...

But as we all know, sometimes logic and the archery world are on 2 different planes that never intersect.. :wink:

 

[Stash]

Shading is not only acceptable but good manners - same as spotting for you. (Check the FITA rules if you're doing FITA rounds. Last time I looked at those rules, assistance in any form was not permitted.)

I agree with umbrellas for wind being cheating, though.

I usually carry a spare sight houdsing with a straight pin on it, sighted in, so when I have those targets with lens glare, or too dark, or too much rain, I can switch out the scope for a pin and carry on.

 

[Brown Hornet]

Honestly you just have to figure out a way to deal with it

The only thing you can really do is put on a sunshade....after you get hit with it a few times and just say screw it you'll get over it. Really for me it's just a shock to the system.....let down and then start over....it changes things but you should still be able to find the target and your dot if using a fiber should be nice and bright :chortle:

I treat it kind of like wind....once you get used to it and over the freak out factor unless it's super gusty it isn't that big of a deal

 

[JawsDad]

Honestly you just have to figure out a way to deal with it

The only thing you can really do is put on a sunshade....after you get hit with it a few times and just say screw it you'll get over it. Really for me it's just a shock to the system.....let down and then start over....it changes things but you should still be able to find the target and your dot if using a fiber should be nice and bright :chortle:

I treat it kind of like wind....once you get used to it and over the freak out factor unless it's super gusty it isn't that big of a deal

This was the first time I've experienced it this badly. I'll definitely be working on this in the future to try and come up with a game plan. If I had an up pin instead of the center drilled lens, I would probably have pulled my lens. But, I think a significantly extended sun shade of sorts will find it's way into my quiver in the near future.. Something that can be pulled off when not in use.. :wink:

 

[Brown Hornet]

It can be tough to deal with for sure....but it's part of the game. I just fight through it....

As you found out things fade out....I tend to just focus on the center of the target....kind of just center the housing and let er' eat.

But I can usually find what I am looking for and adjust my eyes enough....I struggle more with dark targets and dark conditions....but after last year I kind of figured that out also. :wink:

 

[JawsDad]

I think that was part of the problem in this case. The shoot position was sort of a raised spot (4-5 feet) and largely in the wide open. The target was a hunter face and the bale was back up under some trees so it was dark on dark in the dark. The guy shooting pins in our group even said he was having trouble seeing the thing.

I also found out that keeping your lens clean is a good thing. :embara: Having shot in the rain 2 days earlier, I had not take time to wipe my lens down. That lighting led to Holy water spots Batman! :doh:

 

[TNMAN]

sun was in my eyes

I've seen guys carry a long billed cap with a slit cut in it for their string.

 

[2005Ultramag]

Sunglasses might be an idea too.

 

[Bobmuley]

Sunglasses might be an idea too.

A polarized lens with better coatings would be another...

 

[2005Ultramag]

A polarized lens with better coatings would be another...

Yup... and two stacked polarized lenses with one being adjustable on a center axis would be ideal.:shade:

 

[X Hunter]

I believe according to the rules it is ok for someone to block the sun for you but they cant block the wind.

Never blocked the wind for anybody but have "broke" it

 

[psargeant]

Usually for me on targets like that the issue is more woth a glare on my peep than on the scope. We have 2 targets that I regularly struggle with lighting issues on Thursday... I usually get scarson or loneeagle to shade my peep, and I'm good to go...

 

[BOWGOD]

Had the same issue on the animal round we shot Saturday. I couldn't even make out the outline of the bear so I just centered my pin in the brown, and let er rip. Managed to find the 20 ring, but would have easily settled for less with all the better I could see it. The next time we shot it I had hornet, and x-hunter block the sun with their hands, and found myself a dot.

Chewies use umbrellas all the time, I see no reason us field shooters can't ask for a hand or even a ball cap when needed. especially when we find those targets where the sun basically blocks our entire view. But I can honestly say I may have found myself in need of a shade maybe 3 times in the last 3 years. For the most part, it's like hornet said. You can fight through it. The only times I have ever asked for help was when the sun was so bad I couldn't make out the target at all.

 

[2005Ultramag]

The only time the sun ever gave me a fit was last year at AAA on target 15. The sun was in front of me, shining on a big bush behind me, and all i could see in my scopw was the reflection of that bush.
I dropped my scope under the target, lined my pin up with the X, and raised up until I thought I was on it. At least I kept them all in the 4.