new bow hunter needs advice
 

I' ve been shooting bows for about a year now but only at targets. I just now started deer hunting with my bow and have shot twice at deer and shot low both times. I' m in a 15' ladder stand somewhat downhill so probably about 10' above level with the deer and about 20 yards (or less). Do you need to aim higher when shooting down? I' ve seen pendulum sights - do they compensate for this? Or am I just missing my target? I even shot some arrows at my target after the first miss but was still right on. Now just missed another. [X(]

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Practice as much as possible from the stand. If your shoot broadheads that are the same as your field points (I shoot Spitfires), you can always aim at a leaf with a practice arrow. I do this every hunt to make sure my sights aren' t screwy. (You can use a practice broadhead too). I always aim at the junction of the bottom and middle thirds of the deer' s body. That way if it ducks I get 2 lungs, if not, I may get 2 lungs, I may get lung and heart.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Thanks. ortho. I am using mechanicals (forget brand). So you think I' m just missing? You use same yardage pins whether in stand or on ground?

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

I' m not sure exactly what you are doing but I do not change how I aim based on height.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Make sure you follow through by holding the sight on your target until the arrow hits.If you drop your bow arm you will shoot low.

CB

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

I think cajunbowhunter is all over it. Yardage is yardage. Looking up at the fleeing deer will cause you to shoot low every time.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

I hardly ever hunt from a tree stand, but the advice I have heard given by those who do it all the time is to make sure you bend at the waist. I practice from a 10 foot elevation which is about half way between ground level and tree stand height and still hit dead on from level ground so I would imagine I would be fine from 20 foot up.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Thanks all for the advice. I' ll keep working on it.

aero

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Are your field tips and your broadheads shooting the same?

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Sitter,

Yes. I re-checked after the first miss just in case something got out of whack but still on target with the broadheads. I' m thinking it was bad technique. It was dusk and I probably rushed them. I have been getting a pretty good number of deer so hopefully I' ll get more chances soon.

Thanks

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

Sounds like you are dropping your bow as you release the arrow. Keep the pin on the spot you are aiming at until you here the " twack" ........and you' ll be alright.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

i don' t know if someone already said this or not so sorry if i am repeating. Usually from a tree stand you shoot just a little is you think of the angle you are shooting at the deer it usually moves the arrow up, but than agian there are people who shoot dead on at any height depends on the bow and the speed and other varibles. But as to shooting low you might be getting a little deer fever and rushing your shoot or not following through, or you might be miss reading the distance. that happen to me when i first started bow hunting i could of sworn this tree was about 15 yards in actualality it was 19 yards, but after some practie i have been pretty acurate on judging distance, and that could play a role in it. well those are my suggestions hope it helped

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

I believe your problem exist in a combination of issues listed. First is the most common I see dropping your bow arm to aim instead of bending at the waist. As you shoot a bow flat and level your body forms a t. Your upper torso must maintain that t to shoot correctly. Second yardages from an elevation appear much different than they actually are. Either use a laser range finder to find yardage to trees and such or walk them off on the ground. Some bowhunters put stakes in the ground at certain yardages.

RE: new bow hunter needs advice
 

I' m shooting a Pearson Anaconda @ 67# and 29" draw, SuperSlam 2413' s with 100 gr mech bh' s, Bodoodle pro, Trophy Ridge Nitro Extreme. Shoots fairly flat. I' m thinking low light + deer fever + inexperience + MISS. I still love it even with the misses. I' ll gun hunt but the stick and string will be my first choice until I can' t draw it anymore. Thanks for the input.

aero