Shooting Help

[walleyeslayer18]

Is it correct that the higher you are the lower you shoot to compensate for the height differential? like if im higher up and shooting down ill aim lower but if i am lower and shooting up you aim higher. I was just makin sure that this is correct.

[DonBo]

You should hold higher with both steep uphill and dowhill shots. If you use a standard rangefinder, it will give you the actual distance to your target. The distance you should hold for is the distance as if the target were straight across from you, which will be less than the actual distance. Little difficult to explain, but that's how it works.

The newer angle compensating rangefinders are a great tool for those steep shots as they show the pin you should use as opposed to the actual distance.

[Wanderer]

The newer angle compensating rangefinders are a great tool for those steep shots as they show the pin you should use as opposed to the actual distance.

So true. I just upgraded from my older Bushnell to a new Leupold with the angle compensation. The sting of the price faded after the first weekend of use though. In the bluff country you can learn alot with one of those tools.

I tested ranging both up hill and down hill and you do have to raise you aim point for either. On a 20 yard, 40 degree downhill shot I was to aim for 25 if I remember correctly. 40 degrees is steep though, most are 20 or less. At about 10 degrees you don't have to change much and 20 degrees warranted around 2-3 yards for a 30 yard shot. Again, as memory serves.

[HooknHorns]

Ive always held a little low depending on distance and angle of tree stand shots. The easy way to look at it is that when shooting down, it is going to be a longer range than the actual distance, meaning your shot will hit high. If your range finder says 30yds but the bottom of your tree to the target is 20, gravity will only affect your arrow for the 20 yds. It would be just like putting your 30yd pin on a 20 yard target, it will shoot high so you hold low. Please tell me if im wrong. The very best way to do this is practice, practice and practice. Ive seen guys that practice for bear and lion hound hunts put there block up on a ladder stand and shoot. I think the reason people get confused is that the aiming point on a deer is going to be higher for the fact that in order to hit vitals dead center as the arrow passes through, then exits low. Hope this helps.

[walleyeslayer18]

Thanks guys i really appreciate the help!