I need some advice on what I'm doing wrong. I took up bow hunting 3 and 1/2 years ago and I'm absolutely crazy about it compared to firearm hunting. I practice regularly and have honed my target pattern to within 3 inches at 20 yards, 4 inches at 30 yds and 5 inches at 40 yards. BUT, when releasing on 3 real deer in the field last year from a stand and 2 others opening day this year (last weekend), all my shots have been off to the left at between 10 and 12 inches. Most of these shot's we're within the 20-25 yard range. I'm left handed and changed bows this year to a PSE Bow madness thinking it might be a bow problem...still the same thing. I miss a clean kill shot or hit the deer 12 inches left of my aim point. I then go back to my block target and bury the exact same distance shot in the bullseye on the target. Consistently! I spent over 14 hours tracking two deer last year I thought I nutted only to find them hit nearly 12 inches back if they we're headed left to right. And I had two complete misses (except for white chest hair) if they were headed right to left. I really love hunting with a bow but I can't continue to hunt this way until I fugure out what I'm doing wrong. Can anyone give me any advice? Any one else out there ever experience this consistent level of misses and figure out how to correct it? Am I tensing up on the bow handle when it's an actual amimal therefore "torguing" the shot left? I do not suffer from buck fever as I've rifle killed several buck in the past with perfect shots and feel very steady and on target with my shot before I release it. I use a string release, a decent True-glo pin sight and a whisker-bisket arrow rest. Please help with your experience. Michigan Willy
Wil, a few questions to start with. Do you practice shooting in your hunting gear? Do you wear as facemask hunting? Bulkier clothes? How do you typically grip the bow (ie. full fist, thumb & index only, open hand)? Do you use a wrist sling? If so, how tight is it?
Have you ever had someone look at your form while your shooting? You could be doing something wrong and not notice it yourself. Hows your follow through? Do you keep your bow hand loose and let the bow fall as it wants? You could be torquing the bow from excitement without even knowing? Do you wear anything like a face mask that could slightly change your anchor point?...
"I'm left handed and changed bows this year to a PSE Bow madness thinking it might be a bow problem...still the same thing. I miss a clean kill shot or hit the deer 12 inches left of my aim point. I then go back to my block target and bury the exact same distance shot in the bullseye on the target. " Have you ever tested which one of your eyes is dominant? That might be playing a part. Also, do you shoot with one eye open or both? THAT could make a huge difference as people sometimes have a tendency to change the way they position their heads, eyes, and pin sights when they are under stress. I have done that while shooting firearms before, specifically handguns. I would shoot with both eyes open or one eye slightly closed, then when the moment of truth to shoot came to be, I pinched down the opposite eye and my shots were off by 10-12 inches to the left/right. I have a feeling that is what you may be doing.
i would say its your anchor point. it is getting changed when you shoot at deer. i practice in my gear, i suggest a kisser button.
There are a couple things I think could cause this. One has already been addressed. Try shooting with the gear you are hunting with and see what happens. If that does not affect the shot I have one other idea. I would say that when you are faced with a real animal, you may be gripping your bow and torquing your shot. Try a couple practice shots with a tight grip on your bow and see if your shots go left like they have on your deer. If they do, you will have to focus when shooting real animals to relax that grip. Hope that helps. Good luck.
There's a good chance you are moving the bow to see the shot. Concentrate on the follow through. Don't feel bad I missed 2 long beards this year with the scatter gun doing this very thing. Wasn't until I seen myself on camera that I realized it.
Something in your form is changing when your hunting. Maybe try wearing all your hunting gear and take some practice shots out of a stand ... if anything it may build your confidence. You may not call it buck fever but putting a shot on any deer buck or doe definately will/should get the heartpumping a little more than one might think and create some form issues ... been there. Good luck!
A few reasons you might be shooting differently while hunting than when target shooting; 1.) Are you wearing the exact same clothing including gloves and bulky jacket? 2.) Are you shooting treestand vs. ground? 3.) Are you shooting broadheads vs. field points?
I thinkyou are trying to see the arrow hit the deer so you are moving the bow before the shot finishes. You have to hold on the deer just like you do the target, maintaining your form and follow through.
You are doing something different when shooting at deer. I don't think it's peeking because being a lefty I think you would be shooting to the right. I think you are squeezing your grip. I'm a lefty also and I shoot with a open bow hand. Also are you concentrating on a spot on the deer. In the heat of the moment some people aim at the whole deer.
X2. I'm southpaw also but don't think that is the issue, same could happen with a righty. However, closing the wrong eye will definitely throw your arrow off by the distances you have stated. I speak from experience, I was doing the same thing many years ago before I figured it out.
Could be many things.....try focusing on just a tiny spot on the deer and don"t rush the shot....be sure to follow through and I bet you will be fine. Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk
This is what my thought is also. You could get a slight case of buck fever and want to see the arrow hit the deer. You could be moving your bow to look around it.
Everything that has already been addressed. And is it possible the deer has moved (walking) after you've picked your spot? meaning, you had it behind the front shoulder at one time, but by the time you released the arrow the spot was no longer there?
This is Wil, the orignal poster of this thread. Thanks so much for everyone's input. To address a couple of tips sent in: -I target shoot and animal shoot with only my left eye open. - I have now tried to purposely squeeze and torque my bow grip at a target to simulate my problem deer shot results. Doing this, my target shot was still much more accurate relative than the results I get from the tree on my live querry. The most I could "force" my shot off was less than 3-4 inches at 20 yds. My actual hunting shots are off by 12 inches on average so I don't see how this could be the problem. -I do hunt with a hooded Scentlok mask. I concentrate on peep thru pins and pin ring then target. I've never paid too much attention to anchor point. I will now but I fear I would only be adjusting a kisser point to match the peep. -Although my hunting clothes have been light thus far this season, I have not practiced with them on. I do however target shoot with my Scentlok clothes on after a hunting session and have always been accurate on the target when I do. -I think that leaves me with "pulling out of the shot too early to watch the deer" after my release during hunting. This seems like the most likely scenario for my live animal shot problem.I will try to concentrate on this with subsequent shots. If this reply doesn't end up burried too deep in other forum postings please keep those suggestions coming. I really appreciate all the feedback. I'll stay with this until I can figure out my problem. In the meantime I will limit my hunting releases to those where an inacurate perfect shot will still leave me a clean kill shot.
Sorry I forgot to mention that all my inaccurate deer shots have been at stationary or extremely slow moving deer. I would not take a shot at a moving target. Wil
Use the peep hole lots of people forget when looking at a deer they get excited and forget fundamentals. I don't think its the bow I think its either torque, clothing, mental looking at the whole deer, or not looking through the peep hole. Sounds crazy but I've done it and seen others do it ours eyes get focused on the whole deer. It also could be that your moving your left hand out of the way to see where you hit. Let the bow fall naturally. When team roping alot of people move there left hand, which has the reins that control the horse, in order to dally which moves the horse left resulting in missed dallies. This may make no since to you but same concept. Leave your left hand still and let it fall naturally.
Are you target shooting with the broadheads as well? My first guess would be torque too. 12" is a lot tho'.
