Shooting right from tree stand?

[swampdrummer]

Hi Folks,
Something has gone wrong with my shooting recently and I "think" I know whats happening but would like some feedback to confirm.

I'm shooting good on the ground. Pretty tight groups out to 20 yds or so. Shooting OK as well from a treestand during practice.

Unfortunately, I've had 3 shots on hogs in the last 3 weeks and every single one of them has been a bad hit that is consistently 6 to 8 inches to the right of where I should be putting them! I'm so flustered now and have zero confidence in my shooting. Need to confirm what I'm doing wrong and get it fixed before I get back out there.

I "think" that I am probably not bending at the waist and short drawing in the heat of the moment on game. Two things wrong with that theory.
Number 1, I almost always shoot while sitting down from a tree stand and a simple lean to my shooting side has always straightened out my upper body in the past. Doesn't seem to be doing the trick now.

Number 2, Usually, not bending at the waist or leaning over will result in a high shot. These last 3 shots have been fine vertically, Just consistently to the right.

I'm pretty confident in my tuning as well. Bare shafts and fletched are hitting in the same group out to 20 yards.

I'm shooting a 43@28 Kanati drawing 28 1/4" GT 35/55s cut to 29" with 225 gr up front.

Anybody care to comfirm,deny, or point me in the right direction?
This is getting very frustrating!
Thanks in advance
Brad

[LittleBen]

aim 6" left! haha sorry I couldnt resist.

Sometimes I come to the conclusion that thinking about shooting is like trying to understand the origin of the universe. Better to be there and see than think about it.

I say juist get in more practice from teh stand. I assume your a lefty? if you're a righty short drawing should cause you to shoot left.

So my take it if you are lefty, you are not getting to full draw. Try wrapping a rubber band around the arrow shaft where it meets the front of the riser at a proper full draw. Then when you draw you'll have a tactile indicator if you're drawing all the way. My guess is if you do that enough and have to keep correcting your posture, you'll get the proper muscle memory back.

[COOCH]

You may be peeking or anticipating the arrow strike.Hold your form until the aero hits.I've had this problem in the past.

It's also possible the hogs jumped the string a bit.

[johnnyk71]

my first thought was that you are peeking. if you are right-handed, and are dropping your bow arm or raising your eye up to see over the shelf before clearance, that would give you the result you're getting. hard not to do on live game, and would explain why you're not doing it in practice on targets.

[ChuckC]

Don't discount the moving target theory.  You MAY be doing nothing wrong.  That said. .  there may be something that you do, tightening up your grip maybe, when the pressure is on.

ChuckC

[swampdrummer]

Thanks for the insights folks! I bet I am dropping my bow arm or peeking.

I wish I could blame it on moving game but with 2 hits too far back and one too far forward, but all of them to the right of my spot.... I've got to blame it on my shooting.

 My practice kind of dropped off towards the end of our deer season and I admittedly, haven't been shooting as much as I should be. Killed 4 deer last season and I think I've gotten a little over confident.
Back to the blind bale!

Keep the thoughts coming folks.
Thanks much
Brad

I need to roll the bow way over to be on from a tree stand. I started hunting from one again this year and the first thing I needed to adjust is the cant.

[BWD]

You aren't letting your bow arm shoulder collapse, to the right, on release are ya?

[Robertfishes]

I don't know myself..maybe your canting more in the stand? Do you still have a pratice treestand in your yard?

[30coupe]

When I shoot to the right (I'm a righty) it's usually because I plucked the string. Most of the time when I do that, I shoot high-right though. Since you are not shooting right on inanimate objects, just game, I'm going to side with the guys who think you peeked. I did that on the biggest doe I've ever seen at about 13 yards and shot right in front of her...to the right. I too, was right in vertically.

I think it's easier to peek when the game is close to you. It's also easier to NOT pick a spot when you are close, so that is another possible answer. Been guilty of that more than once as well.