shooting high

[ozy clint]

at ten metres and closer i nearly always hit 4"-8" high. it's so frustrating!! what form error might cause this?

[McDave]

If you're grouping well, you may not have any form error at all.  Maybe you don't shoot often enough at those distances for your brain to program your shot.  If your target is low to the ground, you will have to shoot downward at it at those distances.  Be sure to bend at the waist to get the downward shot angle you need rather than just lowering your bow arm.  And be aware that when we shoot downward at any target, we tend to hit high.

[sdpeb1]

Good one McDave, I couldn't think of anything but aim lower. I think there was another thread like this a few days ago. In my practice sessions I take a few shots at 20yrds and then I shoot 3 arrows a three different distance anywhere from 15-25yrds. This way I don't get locked into a certain distance.- Steve

[ozy clint]

i was shooting again today and i'll be damned if i can shoot on target. i reckon i could hit a shirt button if it was 8" higher than the spot i pick. this is from 10 - 20 metres.

[Gene R]

I have had the same problem lately. Seemed to shoot high no matter what I did. I went back to strictly form practice. Blank bale ect. I found in my case I was not extending my bow arm enough. Also, the form practice made me aware of my tendency to rush the shot. Also, maybe you are applying a litte too much palm pressure? Good luck, I know it is very frustrating! Nodak

[Don Stokes]

Shooting high can be caused by not following through on the shot. I might help to hold your form until the arrow is in the target.

[Al Dean]

Try raising your draw elbow.  Not much.  Just thinking about it might be enough.

[shortstroke 91]

Try focusing 4"-8" low and see what happens. to help all distances I try to shoot
5,10,15,20 and 25 then pull my 5 arrows and work back
25,20,15,10 and 5  this helps me keep all distances familiar.

[waiting4fall]

Originally posted by ozy clint:
i was shooting again today and i'll be damned if i can shoot on target. i reckon i could hit a shirt button if it was 8" higher than the spot i pick. this is from 10 - 20 metres.

Have you tried to set your bow up to shoot where you're looking? I wonder if your bow arm isn't trying to tell you something.It will naturally go where it needs to go, to put the arrow in the middle of the spot you're looking at. You just have to trust your bow arm, no matter what, til death do you part! It may be a matter of setting your bow up to shoot where you're looking. Just a thought.

[hcorrigall]

How is the bow set up to shoot where the bow hand wants it to shoot?

[bubinga]

Originally posted by hcorrigall:
How is the bow set up to shoot where the bow hand wants it to shoot?

Move the nock point.  If you are shooting high, move nock point up a little.  If low, move it down.  Rick Welch explains this and how to make windage adjustments in his DVD.

[stevemfwills]

is the bow vertical or canted,moving the nock point up or down wont change it if canted,,that will move you left or right...i shoot frogs and thats thats where i know if i need more pratice up close

[bowslinger]

I have noticed if I am not quite all the way back on my drawing arm, I tend to drop my drawing elbow down on the release as I pull through.  I am pulling with my shoulder and not my back when I do this.  When the elbow drops, my draw hand pulls up instead of straight back at the point of release and I hit high.  Whether this is what is happening with you I am not sure.

Make sure your drawing elbow is pointing straight back (Terry's form clock).  If it is, as Al suggested, try raising your drawing arm elbow a little and see what happens.

You might try video taping your shot sequence from a few different angles and check you form.

[fivebears]

I have the same problem when I shoot purely instinctive.I've been shooting 5-6 years and I keep waiting for my brain to "retrain" itself but apparently it is very resistant to process.At this point I am shooting more split vision/gap,being aware of my arrow in relation to my target.Good luck.

[Diamond Paul]

I shoot most of the time at 30-40 yards anymore, and I have to consciously aim low at first when I move back to 15-20 yard shots.  It helps me to hold just a touch longer and really bear down on the spot; maybe I just creep and this makes me hit lower, don't know for sure! LOL!  Good luck, Paul.

[ishoot4thrills]

I recommend you try shooting split vision/gap style, if you're not doing so already. It helped my shooting ten-fold. My point-on is 26 yards and at 20 yards I hold about 8 to 10 inches below my intended target. At 15 yards I shoot almost instinctively but I still see my arrow point in my peripheral vision. My eyes are focused in on my target at all ranges but I see my arrow point as a blur.

Always be willing to try something different if your results are less than what you are satisfied with. I used to struggle with my shooting all the time, 'til I read Byron Ferguson's book, "Become the Arrow" and applied his methods and in a very short time my shooting improved dramatically.

Good luck.

       

[Earthdog]

Ozy,try this.
Once you have set your stance,kick your hips back a couple of inches.
This helps align your shoulders and helps prevent the over draw that can result if you just drop your bow arm onto the target from a straight stance while shooting down hill.
The same applys when shooting up hill,after you come to full draw,kick your hips forward a few inches,again it will help align the shoulders and help prevent the under draw that will happen if you just lift your bow arm level with the slope but not your whole body from the hips up.
I personaly belive it's a mistake to say "bend at the waist" because it's not the waist that sets anything,It's really the hips and the shoulders just follow.
Give it a go mate,,the best FITA field archers in the world both refer to it and do it that way,,,,plus I got that tip from the Ozbow web site,,,so it can't be to bad huh.


Go the Blacks,,,LOL.

[Jim Wright]

You might see improvement by simply flexing your forward knee (left knee for right-handed shooter). Try it without bending at the waist, remain in your normal erect stance with just your forward knee slightly bent.

[ozy clint]

i had a bad session yesterday! can you have consistent bad form that allows you to stack arrows on a spot other than where you are aiming? i'm happy with the groups but hitting the spine on my 3D target when i'm aiming for the heart!  :mad:  

out of desparation, today i raised the nocking point a bit from 11/16" to 1" above square. this seemed to help a little bit but an 1" above square is a bit severe isn't it?

i'm just amazed at how consistently i can hit a spot i'm not aiming for. if i could bring it down 6" i'd be a happy man!

[chopx2]

One thing I think we can all say is that is the arrows are hitting consistently the issue ins't the bow.

Can you take a video of you shooting and post it? Otherwise everything here is a guess.

Also if you shoot split finger try 3 under using the SAME anchor point. That will cause your arrow to hit significantly lower. Takes a few days or week to get used to it, but if you don't shoot much over hunting distances it can be very effective.