Up and Downhill shots

[Mitch]

Ok fellas,

After missing a 10mtr shot the other day I was kicking myself at why it happend. Pinned them at 10mtrs and totoally missed,

A few pointers would be sweet, I noticed you can get rangefinders that will compensate for this, A rough guide would help a heap

cheers fellas

[HareSplitter]

well sometimes the distance looks different wen your looking down hill so it might have been to do with that, also you might not have been holding the bow straight a sight levle we help if you dont have one,
thats all i can think of :)

[RazorX]

G'day mate,

If you are shooting up or downhill, use the pin for a lesser distance by 10m

For example:

If an animal is at 30m and is uphill or downhill, use the 20m pin.

Jase.

[Mitch]

Thanks Razor X , Jonathon i was using a Rangefinder.

[Antarcher]

It depends greatly on the steepness of the angle before it starts to make a real difference. This also combined with the distance. At 10m I don't think the angle would have come into play. Perhaps the position your body was in to affect the shot may have put you out of correct form.

[howie]

Mitch, we all fluff shots buddy, did it yesterday myself. At 10 metres it shouldn't make any difference unless the angle was almost vertical. For steep up and down shots I take a few yards off depending on the angle and distance. Maybe it was you champion, little bit excited, adrenaline pumping, and as the boys stated, bow not level, body twisted, etc.
Try and simulate the shot, standing on some steps shooting downwards/upwards to your target and see what happens. Dont stress bud -WE ALL MISS, EVEN THE PRO'S....

[Wareagle]

If you ranged it at 10m. now if it was on a ledge below you, a vertical line straight up from the animal might have only been, say 1m. in front of you. I probably would put a 50m. pin on it. or the pin I would use on a target that was 1m. away, horizontally.
Now say the target was ranged at 30m. down hill, but the tree beside it, ranged at 20m at the top, or level with you. I would use my 20m pin. this is not 100% accurate, but close enough to nail the sucker.:)

[Glenn]

At 10m Mitch it shouldn't make much of differance, on down hill shots you have to aim lower, when you shoot across water the water will pull your arrow down...Glenn...

[woody]

At 10m Mitch it shouldn't make much of differance, on down hill shots you have to aim lower, when you shoot across water the water will pull your arrow down...Glenn...

Glen,
How does the water affect things? I have not heard this before.

My understanding of downhill, and uphill shots, is to aim for the "vertical" distance. Not the angled distance.

[Grunter]

I have heard this before but was never given reason why? i am with Woody on this???? The only thing i could think was that the thermals come into play with the air above the water being more dense, making the arrow struggle so it drops through the air quicker. Not sure but i think you would have to be shooting pretty darn close to the water to have that affect. I am sure ther is a simple reason behind it.

[maxy]

My rule of thumb for steep downhill shots is judge the distance to the animal and take 10 metres of it, seems to work well for me.

Maxy

[NormGunston]

Mitch- sounds like your question has been fully covered. Additionally, do you regularly practise a variety of angles? As mentioned, your form shouldn't change as such, but you must bend to compensate for the angle at the waist (only), keeping your torso exactly the same as for level surface shooting. Do you have a sight pin for 10m or do you use your 20m, 30m pin? And I'm curious why you were using your rangefinder at 10m... or was that to measure after the shot? Best luck.

[Mitch]

You could almost call it a cliff, I was on a ledge when i spotted a nanny below me I had the rangefinder there so why not use it? this way i could get an exact distance and hit the goat good. I think it was about 12mtrs or 13mtrs I pinned it and fired and totally missed, Just was curious if the gradient had such an effect thats all.

Lucky i did miss, as she had a little kid tucked away ,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/Mitchell15687/Bowhunt012.jpg

I was located above the baby goat

[howie]

Steep country there buddy. I took a steep downhill shot from about 20 yards a few months ago, I aimed for mid section and hit lungs/scapula. Aim for the heart and you should centre punch the lungs.........Howie

[howie]

By the way, where did you arrow go, high or low ????????

[Mitch]

Straight over the top

[RazorX]

Just like I said mate and like Maxy said also,

Take 10m off the pin. Example...

The animal is ranged at 30m, use your 20m pin.

You can get range finders that have TRU ARC technology. We currently stock them and they will tell you that the animal is at say 30m, but you really need to shoot as if it is at 20m because of the angle. They are pretty cool range finders as they tell you what pin to use depending in the angle of the shot. They also allow you to program them for different rifle calibres and they will tell you how high to hold the scope x hair above the animal for long range down or uphill shots.

Cheers,

Jase.

[Glenn]

Woody, I was told this years ago by a rifle shooter. With the water evaporating it makes the air heavier and seems to slow the arrow up enough to make a the arrow hit lower. On our bowhunters course at Kingaroy we had a lot of over water shots and the sighted shooters would really notice the difference shooting over the water...Glenn...