I'm just getting back into bowhunting after about 17 years away. I just bought a bow last week, got it set up specifically for me, paper tuned it, walk back tuned it and broadhead tuned it. I've been practicing quite a bit, including practicing in my hunting gear, practicing by getting my heart rate up, then going out and taking a single shot with a broadhead, but I have one area where I lack ability to practice. I have about 40 yards worth of shooting lane in my side yard, but don't have anywhere to put up a treestand for practice. I don't really have time to go out to the woods and set up a target for practice before I go hunting this weekend. I'm curious as to how much a downward angle is going to affect my shots when I'm up in a treestand. I know a lot of it is going to depend on height of the stand, but was wondering if anyone can give me a general rule. For instance, does shooting from a stand make such a difference on flight path to where you'd use a 20 yard pin if the target is 30 yards distance from the base of the tree? Or is the affect much less than this?
Its very minimal unless its a very steep shot. I have an arc rangefinder and between angle and actual at 20 yards its at most 1 yard. The further out the animal on flat land as to you in that tree it should make even less difference.
The very best way to help correct any "major" deviation in arrow flight is to remember to bend at the waist when shooting don't drop your bow arm. More misses each season can be accredited to the hunter dropping his bow arm to shoot instead of drawing level then bending at the waist. When you bend at the waist, your peep and anchor points stay consistant, when dropping your bow arm these points change slightly, but enough to skew arrow point of impact! I agree with the above that the yardage difference is minimal, simply aim for where you want the arrow to EXIT, bend at the waist and all should be fine!
I just tested how my bow shoots from a specific stand I've been hunting. Took my 3D target out to my hunting spot and shot from 20,25 30 and 40 yards. I saw no difference in arrow placement. This particular stand is 16.5 feet tall and I am well over 6 foot tall. So we're talking over 20 feet from my bow at shooting position. I've been wanting to do this knowing I needed to but after missing 2 deer I HAD to go out and figure if height and angle were playing a factor.
Thanks so much for the responses. I'm a bit surprised that it doesn't really make a difference, but glad there is a place like this for answers.
It also depends on how high in the tree you go. The higher you are the more it will change it. At 20 ft though you are looking at minimal affect.
in addition to this advice,I estimate the range to another tree LEVEL with my position,then I know how far the shot to the base of that tree really is.
Use a peep and you will be forced to bend at the waist... The only difference you should see is when shooting up really close because you lose the arrow drop you would normally see at say 20 yards... The height of the tree stand is not as important as understanding simple physics. An arrow shot straight down is only affected by gravity in the line of travel in which it is already traveling... At twenty or more yards you are actually shooting a couple inches high and allowing gravity to pull the arrow back down to your target. As your arrow slows down at a greater rate at longer ranges due to wind resistance, this drop becomes more significant which is why there is a much greater distance between your 30 and 40 yard pins than there is between your 20and 30 yard pins. As the downward angle increases from a tree stand, gravitational drop becomes less noticeable. All that being said, follow the advice given; use a peep, bend at the waste and unless shooting almost straight down forget the slight difference. At straight down you are in essence shooting at zero yards and will have to adjust several inches. But please be careful to avoid straight down if possible because it becomes extremely difficult to double lung your deer. You can hit the spine which is usually an instant drop but a follow up shot will likely be required. I have found it is usually better if possible to let your buck walk out to about 10 yards or so. The other issue I have learned about when shooting at extreme straight down angles is the need to aim at what appears to be further back because of your different view from above. Try shooting a deer target from above and you'll see what I mean. Its easy to shoot way too far forward, remember you want your arrow to exit through the armpits not the center of the brisket. Broadside is always better if at all possible and all the angle problems pretty much resolve themselves in my opinion after about 8-10 yards.
