If you've recently switched to a single-pin movable bow sight — or you're trying to understand what that strip of numbers stuck to the side of a sight actually does — this is the complete explanation. A bow sight tape is one of the most practical tools in archery, but most new compound bow shooters have never heard of it until they need one.
The Basic Idea
A bow sight tape is a narrow printed strip that attaches to your movable single-pin sight. It marks the exact position your sight's indicator (a pointer, groove, or line) needs to be at for each shooting distance. When you dial your sight to the 50-yard mark on the tape, you're setting the pin to the correct elevation for a 50-yard shot — and that's it. No guessing, no memorising positions, no holdover.
The tape replaces what would otherwise be a manual process: measure the indicator position for every yardage during a zeroing session and write them all down. A properly generated tape does that calculation automatically using ballistics, then prints the marks in the exact proportions that match your sight's physical travel.
Key distinction: Sight tapes are only used with movable single-pin sights. Fixed multi-pin sights (where each pin is preset to a distance) don't use a tape — each pin is manually adjusted during zeroing and stays put.
Why Arrow Drop Determines the Tape
Arrows don't fly flat. From the moment they leave the bow, gravity pulls them downward. At 20 yards that drop is small — maybe an inch or two depending on your speed. At 60 yards it's significant. At 80+ yards it becomes the defining factor in whether you hit or miss.
A sight tape works because the amount your sight needs to move downward to compensate for arrow drop is proportional to the drop itself. The faster your arrow, the less it drops per yard — which means the yardage marks on your tape are closer together. A slower arrow drops more, so the marks are spaced further apart.
This is why a generic tape won't work accurately for everyone. Even a 20 fps difference in arrow speed changes the ballistic curve enough that the marks at 60–80 yards will be noticeably off. Your tape needs to be calculated for your specific setup.
What Information Goes Into a Sight Tape
Generating an accurate sight tape requires four key inputs:
- Arrow speed (fps) — measured by a chronograph, or estimated from manufacturer specs with your actual draw weight and length factored in
- Arrow weight (grains) — total arrow weight including insert, point, nock, and vanes
- Sight radius — the distance in inches from your pivot point (axle) to the sight housing; this determines how much the sight physically moves per inch of arrow drop
- Zero distance — the distance you zeroed your bow at (commonly 20 yards for bowhunting)
Optional inputs — elevation, temperature, barometric pressure — affect air density and therefore arrow trajectory. If you're hunting at altitude or in very different weather conditions from where you zeroed, these corrections matter. Sight Tape Gen includes full density altitude correction for this reason.
How the Ballistic Calculation Works
The generator takes your arrow speed and weight, calculates the ballistic drag coefficient, and simulates the trajectory from your zero distance out to 80, 100, or as far as you want to shoot. At each yardage, it knows exactly how far the arrow drops below the line of sight.
It then converts that drop into the physical movement needed at the sight. If your arrow drops 30 inches at 80 yards compared to your 20-yard zero, and your sight radius means one inch of movement corrects roughly 2.4 inches at 80 yards, the calculator figures out that you need to move the sight about 12.5 inches for that correction. It marks that position on the tape as "80".
All of the yardage marks together create the tape — a strip where the spacing between marks reflects real ballistic curves, not even intervals.
| Arrow Speed | Drop at 60yd (vs 20yd zero) | Sight Movement (6" radius) |
|---|---|---|
| 260 fps | ~38 inches | ~4.2 inches |
| 290 fps | ~28 inches | ~3.1 inches |
| 320 fps | ~20 inches | ~2.2 inches |
Approximate values — actual numbers vary with arrow weight, drag, and sight geometry.
How to Attach and Verify a Sight Tape
Once you've printed and cut your tape, the installation process is straightforward:
- Zero your bow at your chosen zero distance (e.g., 20 yards). Adjust the sight until your arrows hit dead-on at that distance. Don't touch the sight after this.
- Note the exact position of your indicator at that zero distance. This is where the "20" mark on your tape will go.
- Slide the tape into the sight's tape channel or attach it with the adhesive backing, aligning the zero mark with the indicator's current position.
- Verify the tape at a second distance — shoot 3 arrows at 40 or 50 yards with your sight dialled to that mark. If they group accurately, your tape is calibrated. If they're off, you likely have a speed discrepancy — regenerate with corrected fps.
Pro tip: The verification step at 40–50 yards is more useful than verifying at 60+ yards. A 40-yard check catches speed errors early, before the error compounds at longer distances.
When Does a Sight Tape Need to Be Replaced?
Your sight tape stays accurate as long as your setup stays the same. Regenerate a new tape when you:
- Change arrow weight — heavier or lighter points/inserts change the ballistic curve
- Change bow draw weight significantly — affects fps and therefore drop
- Switch bows or sights
- Change zero distance
- Re-verify with a chronograph and find your speed has changed
- Hunt at a significantly different elevation than where you zeroed
For most hunters shooting the same setup year to year, one tape lasts a season or more. Competitive 3D archers who tune frequently may regenerate several times a year as their setups evolve.
Sight Tape vs. Using the Sight's Built-In Scale
Many movable sights come with a pre-printed scale on the housing — usually generic yardage numbers. These generic scales are almost never accurate for your specific setup. They're printed for a theoretical average bow, not yours.
A custom sight tape replaces that generic scale with one calibrated to your exact arrow speed, arrow weight, and sight geometry. The difference at 60–80 yards is often 3–6 inches — which is the difference between a clean ethical shot and a miss or wounding hit in a hunting context.
The bottom line
What a sight tape does: Replaces guesswork with a precise reference — dial to the yardage, shoot with confidence.
Why custom matters: Generic tapes are calibrated for someone else's bow. Your speed, arrow weight, and sight radius determine the correct mark spacing.
When to regenerate: Any time your arrow setup changes — weight, speed, or zero distance.
Generate your custom sight tape — free
Enter your arrow speed, weight, and sight radius. Sight Tape Gen calculates the full ballistic curve and produces a print-ready tape in seconds.
Build my tape →Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bow sight tape used for?
A bow sight tape is a yardage reference strip attached to a single-pin movable bow sight. It marks the correct indicator position for each shooting distance so you can dial the exact yardage before a shot without memorising positions or using holdover.
Does a sight tape work with any bow sight?
Sight tapes are designed for movable single-pin sights — sights where the pin assembly slides up or down to adjust for distance. They don't apply to fixed multi-pin sights, where each pin is set once and stays in place.
How accurate is a generated sight tape?
When generated with accurate inputs (actual measured arrow speed and total arrow weight), a ballistic sight tape is typically accurate to within 1–2 inches at 60 yards. Most error comes from using estimated rather than chronographed arrow speed. Verifying the tape at 40–50 yards after installation catches any calibration discrepancy before it costs you a shot.
Can I make my own sight tape by shooting?
Yes — you can zero at 20 yards, then physically dial in 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 yards by shooting and adjusting until you're on target, then mark those positions. This is accurate but takes many arrows and a long range session. A generated tape does the same thing in two minutes from your phone, then you verify at one distance to confirm.