Yardage judgement in mountains

[hcurt]

I have a question that I know has been asked before but I was hoping to get it answered again. I am going to CO for a mule deer hunt and when I am on the severe slopes in the mountains and shooting uphill and/or downhill how does it effect my yardage judgement? I have a rangefinder so if I range it at say 30 yards will I use my 30 yard pin or will it shoot like a shorter or longer distance? Thanks for any help I get on this.

[stubblejumper]

A rangefinder will only measure the straightline distance to the target.If you are shooting uphill or downhill the actual horizontal distance will be less so you may shoot high.

[elknut1]

I generally don't shoot over 40yds.When deer or elk hunting it's more uncommon than common to be on such a severe slope you have to use a pin other than the actual distance is. Shooting uphill for example, I've never come across a hill so steep that I had to use 40 yard pin for a 30-35 yard shot.

Now I have been on a hill where the animal was below me on a pretty steep angle and felt it was a little over 30 yards but used a 20yd pin. This was after I'd already missed one by going over its back the year before by shooting 35 yards for 35yards. All in all you'll know when it's so steep you feel like you're shooting out of a treestand! <grin> So I wouldn't be too concerned with worrying about making adjustments unless very, very steep!!-------------------ElkNut1

[bigbulls]

Don't sweat it one bit. An elk is a big target. Unless you are shooting up or down at an angle so steep that you couldn't walk it, it won't make enough difference to worry about. Remember that you have a vital area two to three times the size of the whitetails you are use to hunting out of a tree stand. If you can hit a deer out of a tree then an elk on the ground will be no problem for you.

[Elkcrazy8]

Practice before you go. If you are using a range finder in the timber on a steep slope. Range a tree to line of sight that is next to the animal and shoot it for your line of sight range finder reading. I shoot alot of 3-D in steep country and this is the method that I use. I of course can't use a range finder in competition, but I will estimate the line of sight to the nearest tree to the target and go from there. Shooting uphill can be a little bit trickier because you can't see line of sight into the mountain, but surprisingly enough, it will have the same exact effect on your arrow. I will look above my head and draw a stright line up and then estimate the distance to the target in a straight line from the imaginary line to the target and shoot it for line of sight to the target from that point. It gets me pretty darn close.

[BareBack Jack]

Aim low up or down hill.The only animal I have got a shot at yet with my bow,was a turkey at 30 yds.I centered my 30 pin and released and I over shot by about 3-inches.I should have used my 20 pin and I would have centered him.
BBJ

[ShatoDavis]

When shooting at extreme angles whether it be uphill or downhill the arrow flight will be less than the yardage your rangefinder reads. Rule of thumb is to reduce the yardage by 10% when shooting at a 20degree angle. 20% at a 30 degree angle, and 33% at a 45 degree angle. 45 degrees is very steep. So if You are on a cliff that is 50 feet above the level of the elk and your range finder reads 40 yards you would need to shoot it as approx. 35 yards. If you are a 100 feet below the level of the elk you would need to shoot it as 27 yards. Or do as I do and get within 30 yards and I use the same pin anyway.

[Rebel Dog]

I heard this is also true with a rifle what about shots at 300+ in steep terrain?

[ShatoDavis]

Check out this link: http://www.wildsheep.org/magazines/article_uphill_shooting.htm

Its true with all things, rifles included. The reason you heard that it effects bullet flight beyond 300 yards is misleading. It effects the flight from the muzzle to terminal distance. Its just that with bullets the difference in trajectory is miniscule until you get beyond point blank range. So what they are saying is that the difference is minimal so don't worry about it. Much the same reason I say that get within 30 yards with a bow. The reason is that at 30 yards even at a extreme angle the difference is 10 yards. With my set up my 30 yard pin and 20 yard pin are one in the same.

[ShatoDavis]

maybe this will help:

or:

The horizontal distance determines the effect of gravity on the arrrow, Not the distance of the Hypotenuse.