Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Osage61 on October 06, 2010, 09:39:00 PM

Title: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Osage61 on October 06, 2010, 09:39:00 PM
From what I now understand, shooting from a tree-stand is somewhat different than flat shooting on the ground. I just returned from my brother's place in Northern Ontario, where, the two bears I shot at from a tree-stand on subsequent days, were missed by my high flying arrows.....Good straight flight lines, but over the back!! The following day I over-exaggerated my bend at the waist for a practice shot and I hit a log dead centre at a further distance while I was in the the stand. hhhmmmmmm. After I had that figured out, no bears returned and I came home empty handed albeit more knowledgeable  :)
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: DEATHMASTER on October 06, 2010, 09:45:00 PM
Hard way to find out. "From on high aim low."
Live and learn.

Tim
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Bowwild on October 06, 2010, 09:50:00 PM
yep, I aim fo the top of the heart to shoot the middle of the lungs and find that I hit the heart more than half the time.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: GWC on October 06, 2010, 10:18:00 PM
so when your in a stand,shoot a little lower than you wanna hit to compensate for being higher up?
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Cherokee Scout on October 06, 2010, 10:27:00 PM
Some shoot high when shooting at animals because they raise their head at time of shot. Instinct is to watch the arrow hit the critter. I am one of those guys who do this too often. Some skeet/trap shooters do the same thing.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Bud B. on October 06, 2010, 10:28:00 PM
Aim lower for no drop while shooting down. There's more of an arc in flat shooting. Same holds true for firearms.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Dave Bowers on October 06, 2010, 10:32:00 PM
Better clean miss then a wounded critter. Don't sweet it man.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Greyfox54 on October 06, 2010, 10:36:00 PM
Be glad you figured this out , there's always next time . If you don't learn and ask questions then the results will stay the same .Best of luck in the future .
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Ronyag on October 07, 2010, 06:47:00 AM
I always aim a little low for the heart. Low makes up for string jump. That way it's either heart hit or lung hit. Years ago I shot over many a deer until in figured it out.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: D. Key on October 07, 2010, 09:06:00 AM
When I first got into trad hunting I missed 5 deer in the first month.  I was hunting with a Black Widow LAG longbow 64" and 58# @ 28" (I draw about 26 1/2").  On the last day of archery season that year, I had a spike come in at 10 yds. (I was about 14' up in an oak).  Instead of looking at the body, I concentrated between the knee and the chest and let her fly.  To my surprise, I hit the deer in the spine.  Since then, I try and focus very low with the anticipation of the deer ducking into the arrow.

Also, if you do not bend at the waist, your shot angle changes and therefore the shot will hit higher than on flat ground.

In any case, sorry that you did not get your bear.  Best of luck in the future.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: J. Cook on October 07, 2010, 09:18:00 AM
There is some misconception out there regarding shooting from heights.  You would need to be super high and relatively long shot for the arrow to be really effected.  Close shots out of moderately high treestands (20' or less) would not be effected greatly.  

The usual issue is the fact that our form changes when shooting out of a stand.  Our anchor point in relation to bow arm, angle, etc changes and usually is lower in terms of form thus you shoot high.  The key is to bend at the waist and keep everything from your waist up the exact same as if you were shooting from teh ground.  

I say all that to follow up with I usually aim for the heart because how often can we truly get perfect form from a treestand    :bigsmyl:     My rule of thumb is always to aim as low as the lowest possible killing shot.  Then, if you are 4 inches high you still double lung them.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: madness522 on October 07, 2010, 09:54:00 AM
Since you have it figured out all I can say is welcome to the not so exclusive club of missed shots.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Manitoba Stickflinger on October 07, 2010, 10:04:00 AM
Isn't it comforting to know that it won't be the last time you miss! We've all missed and will continue to miss in the future. The nice thing is that with experience, the misses should get fewer and fewer. One way I deal with misses is that I've just increased my odds of hitting the next time. Gotta take something positive out of it. According to "odds" your up for some solid hits next! Best of luck....Ryan
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: lpcjon2 on October 07, 2010, 10:22:00 AM
Practice makes a miss digestible when you shoot from a tree stand. It takes a lot more of your attention to stand on a 20"square 15-20 feet above the ground and lean over and shoot than one may think.But it is fun.It gives you something to work on in the off season.And I hope you had a great time anyway.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: BEN on October 07, 2010, 12:09:00 PM
I missed a doe this morning at less than 15 yds!!  :mad:    :knothead:  Broadside to boot!!

I didn't have my head down over the arrow.....head held high = arrow goes high. I think sometimes when we are sitting for a couple hours in a tree-stand, maybe wearing bulkier clothes than we're used to while practicing, when we do get that shot opportunity, we ( I know I do) sometimes forget all the little things that should come naturally but now we're purposely thinking about each one, we miss 1 or 2 and MISS!!  Just my opinion after this morning.........
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Stone Knife on October 07, 2010, 12:17:00 PM
I never aim low there is no need to when your form is right, It's better to have the proper form and hit right then to compensate bad form with a low aim. Not only should you bend at the waist but your bow should have  more cant, as Howard Hill said you need to lay it down.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: David Bartholomew on October 10, 2010, 02:06:00 PM
Ahhhhhh, I don't want to talk about it.   :)
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: caleb7mm on October 10, 2010, 03:50:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Stone Knife:
I never aim low there is no need to when your form is right,
I always aim low. But its not for form issues. the deer around here almost always drop at the sound of the shot. Aim just below the heart and hit them in the lungs.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Kingstaken on October 10, 2010, 04:47:00 PM
It ain't no form issue. When shooting down gravity is pulling ya arrow down quicker, so you need to shoot lower as if ya shootin at a closer target, flatter trajectory..
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: frassettor on October 10, 2010, 05:26:00 PM
i ALWAYS miss high, when I miss. Don't really know what it is
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: mambashooter on October 10, 2010, 07:01:00 PM
Thats why it is a good idea to practice the type shots you might be doing before you go on a hunt.  :deadhorse:
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: S.C. Hunter on October 10, 2010, 08:34:00 PM
I made that comment several times today. I can't believe I missed that shot. I fortunately was at a 3-D shoot. I took second by the way. I have found for some reason when I shoot from a stand that I shoot better when I hold the bow almost horizontal. I nailed to tens today on a alligator 15 yds and a deer at 23 yds held the bow as mentioned. I tend to miss more at around 15 yds vs 30 yds go figure on that one.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: John P on October 10, 2010, 11:15:00 PM
Hey dont feel bad I once missed a doe at 8 yds. I belive that when it comes to go time we sometimes forget about our form and its all down hill from there. Keep trying and always have fun John
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: J.Williams on October 11, 2010, 08:01:00 AM
Don't beat yourself up,it happens.Lot of good advice being given here.Practice the shot angles and distances you expect to get while hunting and don't think too much when a shot presents itself.Pick a spot and get to anchor.But what do I know...shot over a nice 10pt. a couple years ago.   :knothead:
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: Don Stokes on October 11, 2010, 08:16:00 AM
Happens to the best of us. I missed a doe right under my stand last week, rushed the shot because she doubled back and was about to walk out of my shooting zone. It was my second-closest miss.
Title: Re: Can't believe I missed !
Post by: on October 11, 2010, 09:52:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by GWC:
so when your in a stand,shoot a little lower than you wanna hit to compensate for being higher up?
I always aim right where I want to hit, center mass of the vital area. When you are shooting from an elevated position two things can happen.

1. The distance of your shot should be the distance from ground level below your stand, which is always a little less than the actual distance from where the stand is.

2. People have a bad habit of lowering their bow arm and not bending at the waist when shooting down hill. If you do this it messes up your anchor point and changes where your arrow will go....most always high.

Bisch