Paper tuning shows how an arrow leaves your bow. You shoot through a sheet of paper and read the tear. Easton calls it the most common tuning test for compound bows shot with a release. This page follows Easton's tuning guide, with notes from Hoyt. Sources are at the end.
I think everyone should go to a trusted bow technician, and that's who should set up your bow first. Hoyt's manual says its retailers are the best resource for fine tuning. Paper tuning at home is a check you can do between visits. Easton lists a stiffer arrow as a fix for weak-arrow tears, so the arrow matters too. See choosing hunting arrows.
Set it up
Easton's steps:
- Attach a sheet of paper firmly to a frame about 24 by 24 inches.
- Set the center of the paper at about shoulder height, with a target about six feet behind it.
- Stand about 4 to 6 feet from the paper.
- Shoot a fletched arrow through the center, level with the floor.
- Read the tear.
One ready-made option is the Khampa Sports DIY paper tuning kit, a cardboard stand with 10 sheets.
Before you start, Easton suggests checking clearance. Spray dry powder (foot spray or dry deodorant) on the back of the arrow and fletching, shoot, and look for marks where the arrow hits the rest.
Read the tear
These are for a right-handed shooter using a release. Left-handed shooters reverse the left and right adjustments, as Hoyt notes for its grip tuning.
| Tear | What Easton says it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bullet hole | Good flight. Point and fletching go through one hole | Nothing |
| Low (tail below point) | Low nocking point | Raise the nocking point 1/16 inch at a time |
| High (tail above point) | High nocking point, clearance, or very weak arrow | Lower the nocking point 1/16 inch at a time. If it doesn't change, check clearance |
| Left | Common. Usually a weak arrow reaction or clearance | Move the rest right in small steps. Relax the bow hand. Then lower peak weight or go to a stiffer arrow |
| Right | Uncommon. Rest too far right or vane contact | Move the rest left in small steps. Check cable clearance. Relax the bow hand |
| Diagonal (high left, etc.) | More than one problem | Fix the vertical (nocking point) first, then the horizontal |
Confirm it
Once you get a clean hole at 4 to 6 feet, Easton says to step back another 6 feet and shoot again. That confirms the arrow wasn't just recovering when it passed through at the first distance.
When to stop and see a pro
- A high or low tear that won't fix. Easton says to have a pro shop check the timing of your cams.
- String parts. Hoyt says only a qualified pro shop should install string components, and it doesn't recommend metal clamp-on nock points.
- Odd results. Easton notes some rest and release combinations can, uncommonly, give tears opposite to the chart.
Other good options
- Grip tuning. Hoyt's REDWRX grip can fix left and right tears. Move the grip toward the tear, or the rest away from it.
- Measure your draw weight. Easton's guide lists lowering peak weight as a fix for weak arrow tears. A bow scale like the Last Chance Archery Bow Scale 3.0 tells you where you are.
- Broadhead check. Easton's guide covers broadhead tuning as its own test. See broadheads, fixed vs mechanical.
Questions hunters ask
How far from the paper do I stand? About 4 to 6 feet to start, then 6 feet farther to confirm, per Easton.
Which tear do I fix first? The vertical one, by moving the nocking point.
Can I paper tune with fingers? Easton says it works for finger release too, but its chart patterns differ for fingers.
Sources
- Easton, "Arrow Tuning and Maintenance Guide": https://eastonarchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/TuningGuideEaston.pdf
- Hoyt, owner's manual and limited lifetime warranty: https://s3.hoyt.com/uploads/2019/5bdb215acfff6060323583.pdf