Elevated Shooting
 

I got a new block 4x4 and said its about time to start shooting off an elevated platform. Well the pool deck is only about 5-6 feet but still. I put the target out about 15 yards from the pool deck. I shoot and they were all high with my 20 yard pin but thats norm i thought cuz the target is closer. I moved to 20 yards and all 6 arrows were still high. I moved back to 30 yards still high. Moved back another 5 and they were all still high. What does this mean my sigt is high or is cuz im shooting higher then normally.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

It' because your are shooting from an elevated position. Your supposed to always aim low from an elevated position.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

aim low or sight in for a tree stand because all my hunting will be out of a tree

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

I have the same question as BowHunterJim. I have been sighting in at ground level but will be hunting out of a tree only. So I'm about to sight in elevated so should I move my pins or try and aim low all the time.?

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

Sight in from your elevated position. The only compensation that was needed when der hunting was the drop of the deer because of them jumping the string. With today's advancment in vibration reduction, and noise reduction technology if your bow is shooting quiet there is no need for this "aim low" theory.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

5-6 feet up isn't going to make a bit of difference in the arrow impact. It may make a difference in your form though. Make sure that you come to full draw aiming straight out, then bend at the waist to come down onto the target. Practice this over and over again so that you learn instinctively to bend at the waist and not compromise your form.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

yeah my arm has been killing me from football and its hard to shoot but i got a grp so i will change my sight.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

thanks for the info, I will also change my sights when elevated

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

test

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

NO!!!

If you change your sights for shooting from an elevated platform, then they will be off for shooting on the ground. You'll be a screwed goose if you get a shot opportunity while walking to or from your stand. Learn to shoot properly from an elevated position using your normal sights settings and you'll be way ahead of the game.

Go back and reread Kodiak Archer's response. He is spot on!

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

now im confused

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

kodiak and arthur are right on. bend at the waist and youll have no problems putting the arrow where you want it

alot of our local 3d shoots have platforms and stands built to shoot from. funny to watch everyone in my group NOT bend at the waist and send them high. even the guy with the kisser button AND peep site:D not me...thats where i add onto my score. bend at the waist and keep your anchor points the same and youll be fine....make sure you practice it though!! takes a little getting used to

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

i dont how it works but many people do so if i bend at my waist it will hit where i want it.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

True, with bending at the waist and keeping good form. I have almost exclusively been shooting from my hang-on stand, 15 ft up out to 23 yards and this advice holds true. I keep form, use the 20 yard pin and I am good to go when my form and release are good. Practice, practice, practice and you will see.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

i added a pic and its a good grp but the pin is off cuz i changed it this mornign and needs to be sighted in

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

I'm not so sure saying bending at the waist gets the whole meaning across. You want your shoulders in a "T" shape for good form. The top of the T is the line across your shoulders. You want that T pointing at your target, no matter where the target is, in relation to your elevation. You have to bend or lean from the waist to get the T (your shoulders) aligned with the target when the target is either below or above your elevation.

Just keep that in mind at all times and aim your T, your shoulders, while you are aiming your bow.

To get the feel of it, draw and aim level in front of you, HOLD THAT EXACT POSITION, then lean your body down to put your pin on the target.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

i still dont get this. if this were a world where magic and luck was non existant thsi is how it would be. The arrow when shot off the groundwill drop more then an arrow shot out of a tree because gravity is not affecting an arrow being shot downward.



I could be wrong but that is how i think of this.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

EVERYTHING falls at -9.8m/s if i remember my physics correctly. weather or not your arrow is shot up, down, left or right its still falling a the same rate. drop an arrow and a 20lb weight. i betcha they hit the ground at the same time. if you drop and arrow and shoot and arrow at the same time, from the same exzact height, on a perfectly level plane they will both hit the ground at exzactly the same time...just the way physics works....heck...shot a bullet at the same time as your arrow and its STILL going to hit the ground at the same exzact time as your arrow...itll just be farther away because its traveling faster...

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

Jim, you're wrong there. Gravity is a constant. It doesn't matter that the arrow is being shot pointed at a downward angle. Gravity will have the same affect on an arrow shotat a target 20 yardsaway from 15 feet upas it does if you shot it from the ground at a target 20 yards away. Either way, the arrow is traveling 20 linear feet (level, straight line distance). True, the actualpath of travel is a couple of feet longer because of the elevated position, but that won't make a difference thatyou can measure. Trust these guys. They know what they're talking about.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

Mauser,
True, provided you don't take into account air friction and the curvature of the earth's surface.....

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

Listen to Arthur, he's correct.

The only important distance is the level, horizontal distance from you to the target. If the base of the tree you're in is on the same level, then the base of the tree to the target is the distance you want to set your pin for. This is why when you use a range finder, you should always hold it level. Take a reading for an object at the same level as you, when figuring distance.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

Arthur as usual is right on target.

But there is one thing that I haven't heard anyone list yet... and its really just useful in explaining to you Jim exactly why you are shooting high at 20 from an elevated position.

You have read the posts about everyone telling you to bend at the waist, and Arthur explained how to do that to a "T" (slight pun there). Using you shoulders to for a T, and always keeping the top of you T in a straight line.

The reason you are shooting low is because you are doing what is commonly called "dropping your bow arm". That is changing your form and your shoulders are no longer in a line.

However, the main reason you are shooting high is because in relationship to your bow, arrow and sights, your HEAD (Eye) is in a different position than it is when you shoot at a level to the target. If you are familiar with scope paralax, its acctually the same thing, only an archery version of it.

So while your eye is still behind your peep, and your pin is still centered in your peep, and your pin is on your target, the distance and angle from your eye to your peep to your sights has changed. Multiply that change times the range... and at 20 yards it can be 5-7 inches.

To help you shoot while bending at the waist, give this a try. I'm not sure how you shoot now, but I always shoot, no matter where or how, with my feet almost touching at the heels. It helps me stand up straight, and I can feel if my hips are poking out or if I'm leaning at all. Also, because treestands have a very small platform, it gets me used to shooting that way. I can't shoot from a Derek Jeter position 20 feet up, so I don't try it when I'm on the ground either. Try putting your heels together then bending at the waist... think back to kindergarden and having to sing "I'm a Little Teapot..." The whole tip me over and pour me out thing.... it has some real world application. Childish and silly yes.... but you'll thank Mother Goose when you smoke that deer at 20 yards instead of shooting right over its back.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

aim low

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

I shoot with a No-Peep and no allowances are needed as long as the Black Dot is centered in the Green Circle.

RE: Elevated Shooting
 

If your bow is shooting at a reasonable speed, there shoud be very little difference in the impact between 15 and 20 yards anyway. That is about the difference between shooting a 20yd. level shot, and one that is downhill, but looks like the same distance. Our club has a 15 ft. treestand for practice, and there really is not much difference in the impact between a level 20 yard shot, and a 15 yard treestand shot. The main problems are like Arthur and others stated, maintaining your form when shooting downward. The other thing that may be happening is that you are not following through your shot the same way that you do from a level shooting position. Most people, when leaning over to shoot down, are conscious of bending, and may be in a hurry to "straighten up." If this starts to happen before you have followed through properly, you can also shoot high.