Plus One

All right, I know you shoot the ground distance and not the straight line distance, but does anyone know why?? Is there math or physics behind the reason? Or is shooting the ground distance the same as shooting the straight line distance low and this is just a clever way of remembering it?

I was telling my boss about the Leupold RX2 rangefinder I just got, with the computer telling you what the ground distance is, and I couldn't answer his "why"...

Ken

tschaef

The simple answer is that the biggest force causeing your projectile to drop is gravity, the earths pull. Its the horizontal distance that determines the amount of time the earth can pull on your projectile, the vertical distance doesn't matter because your projectile is already falling, or dropping.
The hypotenuse (sp?) side of a right angle triangle is the longest because it incorporates horizontal and vertical distance, we only care about the horizontal portion of it.

bryant1

he's right. and if you want to take it further, ifI remember correctly gravity's force is is 9.8 m/s2. ( i almosthad to retake physics, so the rest is up to you!!)

JNTURK

if you do the math and make the assumption that your tree is almost straigh up..thus makes a 90 degree angle with the ground...then you can utalize the equation A2 (2 means to square A) + B2 = C2 . A is the distance away from the base of your tree and B is the distance of your tree and C is the distance from you sitting in your stand to the deer...some potential equations. lets say your stand is 20 feet in the air and the deer is 60 feet from you (or 20 yards) then the distance you should shoot for your pin is400 + 3600 = C2. take the sqare root of 4000 and you get 63 feet or just about 21 yard shot. one more is the stand is 25 feet (from what i hear is about avg for most of you fellas) and the deer is 120 feet then: 625 + 14400 = 122.6 feet which is 40.8 yard shot for a deer that is 40 yards away.

lets say the deer is further away or you are higher in the tree. the biggest difference is about 3 yards longer of a shot then the actual distance of the deer.

when you really need the range finder is for mule deer hunting in canyons or sheep hunting where you are looking at great distances for the B2.

Wheatley

Is that a + or -9.8 m/s²?

JNTURK

LOL....if you think about it gravity is the same or that is what physics has stated....so no matter how tall you are in a tree or low to the ground gravity will be pulling just as hard..it is constant....so in the equation because gravity is the same you can exclude it from the equation..(this is only becuase you have a bow that is sighted it at 20, 30 yards etc) so your bow is sighted in and shoots accurate with gravity at ground level (for most) all variables have gravity in them so they can all cancel each other out...

Wheatley

JNTURK.

To get the squared sign on here press the Alt key and hit 253 on the number pad. You have to hold the Alt key down though. Just though I would let you know in case you ever have to answer any more math questions.

aldo88

or you can just practice from the stand and see for yourself...........lol

JBLOTKAMP

This is a subject that I have played with a little bit. In my experience, I have not noticed a large difference between a treestand shot andaground shoot. When shooting shots that are thirty yards or less with a bow, I wouldn't worry about the ground distance or vice versa. This is what I have found, now maybe there is a difference if you are rifle hunting. However, I dont rifle hunt, just bow and muzzeload hunt. Yes, I do know that some of the rangefinders do have this technology. However, when bow hunting I just dont believe that is equation plays into the hunt.

JNTURK

thanks wheatley....LOL....someone has too much time on their hands

A² + B² = C²....there it is..the answer to all tree stand goer'squestions...