Anybody want to offer advice on shooting from a treestand?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've never had a problem shooting from heights with my compound, but this recurve is totally different. The sight picture changes so drastically from 15' up in the air that I really don't know what I should be doing.

I was in the stand this morning and just got out a few minutes ago, only saw one squirrel.
Before I got out I picked a leaf on the ground that was 23 yards and shot my squirrel arrow at it. Needless to say......I missed miserably, my arrow fell about 2 feet short of the mark. Had that been a deer, it probably wouldn't have even flinched. At ground level I probably would have nailed that shot? Or at least gotten closer than 2 feet short.

Any help and all advice welcomed.
Thanks - SEMO

[Ravenhood]

When I shoot low from a treestand its because I drop my bow arm more easly while I am pointing down and trying to stay balanced.

[Whump]

Whump Sez; I am guessing the height really messed with your gap whether you gap shoot or not [lol] Semo I have had better results using a point on sighting system from a tree stand. I had the same problem and I shot over everything up close to the tree.Granted it did not happen every time but I was on a 50% hit and miss system in the 70,s. I changed to a high anchor and a point on aiming system in 80 and hits went to 90% and better. I also practice from an elevated position since that is the way I hunt. If you are going to stay with your current sighting system you are just going to have to do a lot of shooting from an elevated position and your eye to gap system will adjust accordingly. I wish you good luck and nothing will take the place of practice from your stand or an equal elevated position. Hunt Safe

[upnorthbacon]

I've always heard to bend at the waist when you aim, keeping your bow arm perpendicular to your body, rather than aiming your bow arm at a downward angle to your body.  Something about he pendulum effect?  Not sure if it's a concern shooting without sights though?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thanks guys.
I would say my shooting style is akin to Pointing. I basically come to anchor at the corner of my mouth and point my bow hand or bow arm at the target. I kinda snap shoot, but I have intentionally made myself slow down just a tad because occasionally I would miss my anchor point. So now I come to full draw....pause for about 1 second.....then release. It works real good on level ground.
I'm just going to have to carry my 3D target down there to my treestand and do some shooting I guess?
Or set up some kind of stand or something here in my backyard, which that would be better than tromping all around my hunting area and leaving scent everywhere. I'll work something out.

[ksbowman]

I always carry a couple of field points or judos and shoot both when I get in the stand sometimes before the hunt if it's afternoon or after the morning hunt just to stay sharp. You don't need a carried in target, just pick out a leaf or a head on a weed and shoot at it (really like hedge apples). I bend at the waist and can tell very little difference shooting out of a stand and shooting on the ground standing or sitting.

[kennyb]

semo-like some of these guys have stated, it's sounds like you are not bending at the waist. you need to practice this way from an elevated stand and you will gain confidence practicing this way. good luck.
kennyb

[njloco]

I have been practicing my tail off from the ground, when I went to an elevated setting about 13-14 feet up. Guess what, no difference in shooting, your doing something wrong and it's probably like the other people have said, not bending at the waist.

Role the bow over until it is nearly horizontal.

[Terry Green]

If you have acquired the magic 'T'....all you have to do is bend or rotate at the waste.....however, my style also causes me to cant more the closer the animal is when I'm in a tree stand.

Practice does wonders as well.


T

[Wishbone]

For me personally, I have to practice from a treestand for a little while before hunting from one. Need to get the brain to adjust from ground shooting. I also always carry an arrow with a judo point on it and shoot it before getting down.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I think my "T" is pretty good when flat footed, but 15' up a tree and my "T" becomes a "D"   :rolleyes:    :D  
I hope that's not the case.

Wishbone- I think that is my problem exactly, I'm just so used to practicing from the ground that everything just looks so much different when up in the air above my target. Everybody is right about bending slightly at the waist. I climbed up on top of the picnic table, which is on top of my back deck for a height of around 10' and managed to finally keep them all in the kill zone after about 60 rounds.

I solved my problem today though. I had to do some brush hogging for shooting lanes around my food plot and while I was there I moved some big round bales into strategic positions for natural blinds around my food plot so I could hunt from the ground during any wind direction. Problem solved........for now.

I'm still not fixed, but since the season is already started I'll stick with ground blind hunting this year and work on my tree stand shooting early next year so I've got all summer long to perfect it.

Thanks for all the advice guys!
SEMO

[kenn1320]

"I'm still not fixed, but since the season is already started I'll stick with ground blind hunting this year and work on my tree stand shooting early next year so I've got all summer long to perfect it."

Good to hear. You should have practiced out of a stand long ago. OK, that was my rant.....

 Now as others have said, they say to bend at the waist. If you dont have a clicker, it will be hard to notice whats happening. When you dont bend at the waist, you let your bow arm do the downward work. This shortens your draw length a lot, which as you know affects your point of impact. Hang a stand in your yard, or climb on your roof and practice a bit. You will pick it up fairly quickly, but nothing beats eye to eye encounters! Once you get your "form" back from an elevated position, you will be shooting as good from the ground as you are from the tree, or close to it. Good luck......
Ken

[kenn1320]

Also wanted to add, that many(I used to do this as well) of us practice with a nice shoulder width or bigger stance while shooting from the ground. Then you get in your tree stand and you dont have that luxury(unless its a home build wooden one or 2 man ladder stand). My point, once you have good form and are consistent on the ground, start practicing on the ground with your feet together. Then when your in your stand, its the same foot placement or very close.
Ken