RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

I would say sitting was the issue with the misses. I would have asked you to shoot off your knees, that should have fixed that issue.

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

Please explain why sitting was my problem...I am totally bummed out over these misses. Thanks!

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

The misses you had is the exact reason why I practice in every position I can think of, cause when the time comes you dont always have the time or the room to stand;)

You can still bend at the waist from a sitting position.

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

Kanga....in refection I did not bend at the waist and with these misses I should have bent back so I could have adjusted my 40 yard pin. Instead, I was too high in the shooting hole and dropped my bow arm to adjust. In hindsight it would have been better to be on my knees and/or while seated to adjust by bending at the waist. Also, more practice....

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

I have a little different answer, but I agree with you on practicing from various positions. I shoot from my knees, and from a field chair to make sure the I have a comfort level doing it. As far as dropping the bow arm goes, it tend to throw a guys anchor point off a little, should likely change the sight picture and cause issues along those lines. There's only so much bending at the waist that a guy can do, but PRACTICE at various ranges and angles and positions is the KEY to REALLY being ready for what archery hunting has to throw at us.

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

You should have said about the Africa trip and ground blinds from the beginning. This obviously isn't the same thing as shooting DOWN from an elevated platform. Now I have to think about this new scenerio.

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

Geronimo. You asked why sitting was your problem. There are 2 main reasons that cause lots of little things to happen.

FIRST: you lose your foundation. When standing you have the amazing strength of your legs to help you hold the bow. When you lose that you have to depend on your back to hold you upright and you lose all the stabilizing ability of your legs. Now you have to draw a bow and adjust it to try to settle a pin with all the foundation gone. You are down to arms alone. This causes an upward lifting motion of the shoulder and/or you lean backwards just to counteract what you lost by sitting. As soon as the release is touched this upward pull of the shoulder and/or this lean goes into motion and you hit high.

SECOND: When sitting you are facing the target more squarely than if you are standing with you toes and body facing 90deg. to the target. This shortens your draw more than you realize. You are also less able to hold the wt as mentioned above and tend to creep forward.So all this combined has you releasing at aspot more forward in the draw cycle and you hit high. Don't believe it? Try intentionally short drawing your bow or creep forward so that you are through the valley and starting back into the higher draw wt a little and release. See where your arrow hits. But be sure you have a safe background!!!

WHen shooting off your knees you will tend to get back to the perpendicular stance just like on your feet and you have your foundation back. You can completely draw and shoot much more like standing than sitting will allow.

One other question. I am assuming since you went on this type of hunt you used a rangefinder. If not you could also add misjudging yardage to animals you aren't used to seeing in terrain you aren't used to looking at. Give all this a try and see if it makes sense to you.

Man I am so sorry about your misses. Look on the bright side, now you have a good reason to go back! That would be my DREAM COME TRUE.

Dave

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

Dave, I am totally in agreement with you. Everything you described I now remember and explains why I was so out of whack. In the future, I will practice harder in all positions but in ground blinds when possible I will be on my knees. Thanks......

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

WELCOME.....Sorry we are monday morning QBing this and you had the misses to start with.

What trophies did you collect?

RE: Dropping Bow Arm?
 

I took 2 Impala that may be in the top 5 all-time SCI and a Mountain Reedbuck that may be number 1 all-time. I haven't officially scored them yet but early indications are they are special. I'm going to try and post some pics...