If you are up in a tree 30 fteet high and the buck is 30 yds from the tree, do I use my 40 yd pin?
Just curious to know what your rule of thumb is. I was looking at the new Busnell with ARC and wondering if its worth it. I have yardage markers figured out before I get into my stand, and my rule of thumb is the farther away the shot, the higher I aim on whatever pin is in range.
If you are up in a tree 30 fteet high and the buck is 30 yds from the tree, do I use my 40 yd pin?
Only if you want to miss by 4 feet.
Always shoot the target for the horizontal distance. You don't need any fancy angle reading rangefinders......just laser the tree you want to know the distance to but do it at your eye level.
If your 30 ft up laser the tree you want 30ft off the ground. That's your shoot to distance.
Hes is basically 30 yards away, a little more. A little more yet if he is downhill and a little less if he is up.
Back to algebra for a rough estimate. Ok assume your in a straight tree on level ground. Where the tree meets the ground is a 90 degree angle. A(squared) + B(squared) = C(squared). Where A is the base of the tree to you, 30 feet. B is the base of the tree to the buck, 30 yards, 90 feet. And C is the hypotenuse of the triangle. SO, 900+8100=C squared. C = 94 feet.
Ok I just wanted to use all the Algebra that was crammed into me back in the day Most important, bend at the waist and not your bow arm.
Matt you lose points because you didnt show your calculations[8D]
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if anything youd use your 20yd pin! not 40!, uphill or downhill shots, you aim as if its closer....just like a rifle.....
personally when in a stand I use my normal pin for that range, just aim low in the vitals, that way if the arrow rises and shoots high due to the downward angle it will still hit vitals.
The further away the shot from a stand, if on level ground anywya, the less youll have to aim low.....ie a really steep shot, like a doe under your stand will require you to aim way low.
I guy on my recent elk hunt had just hunted some type of sheep/mtn goat, and hada 70yd shot downward at a very steep angle, he used his 20yd pin and shot over the top of the back! just goes to show you.....
basically remember uphill/dowhill, aim low, because your bullet/arrow will hit high. But don't go to extremes here....aiming 4ft high etc.....on a 20yd shot. Practice helps as well.
Essentially a easy way to think about this is measure your horizontal distance, so if youre shooting a deer at 40yds from a 20ft treestand, the doe is 40yds from you, but maybe only 30yds horizontally, ie the base of the tree, you would use your 30yrd pin then and hit dead on. this is why a 400yd uphill shot from a rifle you aim like its 325yds etc.....the animals 400yds, but horizontally may only be 325 yds. hope this helps you understand the physics a tad better.
Gravity has its greatest effect on an arrow shot horizontally. shooting up or down you get less arrow drop. look at it this way, how much drop do you get if you shoot straight up or down. none! I would suggest practicing those angled shots to see how your bow hits.
Gravity has its greatest effect on an arrow shot horizontally. shooting up or down you get less arrow drop. look at it this way, how much drop do you get if you shoot straight up or down. none! I would suggest practicing those angled shots to see how your bow hits.
Here is the advertisement for Bushnell's ARC technology. It says the deer is 28 yds from tree but 32 yds with the angle range compensation. Just curious. I shoot from my stand and only see a slight difference from standing on ground.
It is obvious that gravity would play less by shooting at a downward angle, but I have seen this ad, as well as my favorite TV hunter, Mike Waddell brag about having this calculation for a more accurate shot.
My post was for anyone that may have tried one of these rangefinders in the field, and was there a difference.
Yardage
Most important, bend at the waist and not your bow arm. 
