RE: HELP!! Need some brain power here!!
your math is right.... the hunter could be up a hill from the target not just up in a tree.
Its adynamics problem... the trajetory is changed due to the forces acting on the arrow. When you shot horizontal the bow gives the arrow a horizontal vector force and gravity gives it a downward vector force, which gives you the traditional arch. If your shooting at a down angle part of the bows vector will be resolved into a downward force. This actually causes part of the gravity force to make it decelerate at a slower rate. visa versa if you are shooting up hill.
that said i would be leary of that range finder if it shows that the range is actually further than actual. because if you know the actual distance and shoot for that your likely to shoot high anyway due to the lessend effect of gravity. So if its telling you to aim higher cause the distance is futher you will shoot even higher..
Its been a few years since i had a dynamics class so i might be wrong. but i think i still understand the theory.