Ladies and Gents So I'm really really new to Bow hunting and I have noticed an effect that when I'm shooting from a tree stand my shots are grouping low. 1) First case, I was practicing prior to my first bow hunt from a ladder in the back yard shooting at my normal range and at my normal target. 20 yards, 10 feet in the air, shot went 6 inches low, consistently. 2) First day of hunting in a tree stand 30 yards (I'm comfortable at 50 on targets), took a shot at a deer shot was perfect left to right but 8 inches low, and the shot felt good. I use by 30 yard pin and held a little high but was also expecting the deer to jump the string a bit thinking these two factors would give me a good shot, placement. However the shot dropped about 8 inches compared to my practice and the deer hardly even noticed the shot, it did not run off rather trotted away 15 yards and stopped. Thankfully it was a clean miss went right under her chest right by the front leg. Side note later that evening I put my first buck down at 20 yards (from the ground). I noticed the deer were moving to a bean field behind my stand and mostly staying out of range. I decided to use a natural blind a few yards further up the tree line right by where I had seen several bunches of does move through all evening. My Buck a nice (for Maryland) 7 pointer rocks up. It was not the best shot and I spine(d) him. As I was on the ground I was able to run up and dispatch him quickly. Coolest thing my 6 year old son was with me and helped with everything he even saw the buck before I did (and did not yell there is a buck Dad!). Clem
Clem, you should not be see a noticeable difference in your shots from 10 feet in the air. I'm guessing your form is likely the issue. Make sure you draw the bow strait back, then bend from your waist to get the bow aimed on the target. Do not just lower your bow arm to get on the target as that screws up your form causing inaccurate shots.
Great post from Cooter/MN. The problem is most likely a form issue. However, if you drop your bow arm from an elevated stand the result will be a high shot. when hunting from a stand, people should always remember to bend at the waist, not lower just the bow arm.
depends. if youre in a wooded area and you cant see where hes running youd be dissapointed. most low shots is either heart or liver. those shots you get from tiny drops of blood to no blood. heart shot theyll run 60+yards or further and expire in 15 minutes. but liver theyll run 150+ yards or over and expire the next day depends when you harvest him. low shots is better than missing. but its not a very dependable shot that i recomend because ive been through those situations before with 2 deer that i arrowd heart and liver,tracked,found,and tagged. id place my pin behind the shoulder center of the lungs. its either the authors bow thats not sighted in properly or its just him and the wind.
This should help you. This is why you practice from the ground and the stand gives you time to get used to it and helps put meat in the freezer
Shooting elevated will result in a slightly lower shot but not as much as you are seeing. Odds are that your anchor, peep and sight alignment has changed causing the difference. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Aim for the exit. Study the anatomy of the deer and ensure you get both lungs. Don't be so concerned with the heart. If you aim for the heart while you're 20' in the tree and the deer is at 10 yards and you miss the heart you'll likely only get one lung. I aim a bit higher from the tree than I would on the ground, but that's not because the arrows hit low, it's to compensate for the angle and ensure I get both lungs.
