First shot in four weeks, missed again!

[Five Seasons]

Holy crap. I'm getting one shot every 6 times out so far! I've spent WAY too much time mid-day hunting, though. No more. I am basically trying to only hunt first two and or last two of the day now. Too much time wasted when the deer are asleep. It does suck that I have a 40 min drive on either side of this plus a healthy walk if I want to get away from other people. Makes early/late stuff just harder to deal with.

 

first 3.5 and last 3.5.

[chas0218]

 

I was shooting from a stand to my left. I didn't need to bend to maintain good form because although I was 15' up the deer was on a slope, so the downward angle was pretty mild. It was textbook opportunity, I couldn't have asked for better (though I could have for closer). I'm sure I didn't peek, I kept it in my mind before the shot after working on that specifically this weak. I am 0 for 2, but I really am not getting too worked up with these and flicking wildly or anything!

 

The bottom string did--I think--press on the handle of the climbing stand while I was drawing it, thus bending it basically right in the middle of the nock and the cam due to me not leaning far enough over the side of the stand.

 

So string press below nock = higher arrow and press above nock in the manner described = low? I'm glad you've found the same to happen (or at least can confirm it). I put a ton of time in at the range and the only time I miss this badly is rarely, and I know immediately after shooting that I flinched. 

 

Same thing happened to me last year shooting at a bear sitting down. I whacked my leg with the limb and drove it into the ground about 4' low. To really torque my shorts it was a 500lbs. bear. Freaking HUGE!

[DirtTime]

Here's a few tips, using growalot's and adding a few more.

 

Always bend at the hip not lower the arm, keep your grip loose, try to stay relaxed and make sure you do all you can to control breathing, make sure your anchor point is the same every time, and practice from different shooting positions ( standing, kneeling, sitting ). When the season gets close and during the season, practice with all your gear on. The jacket/coat, gloves, pants, all of it. Never trust your eyes for distance with a bow. Get some different color surveyors tape and mark off 20, 30, and 40 yards. Takes the guess work out.

 

 

Yes, from stand. All practice on ground. One miss was because the stand bar pressed the string and caused the arrow to fly way high. I won't repeat that. I've studied trajectory from elevated position and the shot I missed yesterday I had the height on perfectly, it really was dead-on. I never thought I could miss so wildly in the horizontal plain 

 

I am going to move from the standard targets to the 3d course and see if that teaches me anything.

 

 

 

 If you are hunting from a tree stand you have to practice from an elevated surface. Preferably your actual tree stand. Arrow flight is very different from your stand then from the ground. Also, practicing only from the ground you are in a "prefect" posture/form. If there is such a thing. Your feet will be wider apart and set better for the shot on the ground. In your stand your feet will be closer due to the limited surface of the foot plate. It also gets you used to having a tree that can block the elbow, deal with the safety harness, and arm rest if the stand has one.

[Core]

 

 If you are hunting from a tree stand you have to practice from an elevated surface. Preferably your actual tree stand. Arrow flight is very different from your stand then from the ground. Also, practicing only from the ground you are in a "prefect" posture/form. If there is such a thing. Your feet will be wider apart and set better for the shot on the ground. In your stand your feet will be closer due to the limited surface of the foot plate. It also gets you used to having a tree that can block the elbow, deal with the safety harness, and arm rest if the stand has one.

 

I have to do all this. It's true, I practice with a wide stance 100% of the time and a perfect 90 degree angle, and that is complete rubbish. Starting tomorrow I will start taking advantage of the chair at the range, not shooting with a good angle, feet together, etc. Will see if the 3D range includes down hill shots, and if so start dumping time in there.

 

So to bend at waist a person is basically weighting their left leg (for a right handed shooter) and somewhat balancing on that with the right leg as far back as possible, right? I can't bend to the side very much either way (limit of human anatomy!) so I guess to get a proper bend may have to shoot slightly to the front anyway.

 

I don't really expect another shot on a deer this year and probably don't deserve one, but I do need to get better.

[growalot]

No......for one thing believe me on cheap LS there is no movement of legs or feet...so let me explain it like this....

As a little kid ever sing "I'm a little tea pot"...short and stout here is my handle and here is my spout...then you just standing still tip to the side at your waist...Well it's like that...to your side to your front how ever your positioned for the shot The point is to draw as you would on a straight on target and then staying like that drop at your waist not arm to set your pin on target...after a while this will be a learned thing and you should be able to draw in that position already bent at the waist...Remember depending on the closeness of the shot and the lay of the land sometimes it is a matter of very slight waist movement the closer the deer the more you bend the farther out your trajectory flattens(not sure I said that last part right..but how I preceive it..jump in guys....

Edited November 3, 2015 by growalot

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have to do all this. It's true, I practice with a wide stance 100% of the time and a perfect 90 degree angle, and that is complete rubbish. Starting tomorrow I will start taking advantage of the chair at the range, not shooting with a good angle, feet together, etc. Will see if the 3D range includes down hill shots, and if so start dumping time in there.

 

So to bend at waist a person is basically weighting their left leg (for a right handed shooter) and somewhat balancing on that with the right leg as far back as possible, right? I can't bend to the side very much either way (limit of human anatomy!) so I guess to get a proper bend may have to shoot slightly to the front anyway.

 

I don't really expect another shot on a deer this year and probably don't deserve one, but I do need to get better.

bend the left knee, right leg out straight. whatever you have to get your torso perpendicular the line from your to the deer. the closer the deer is to the stand the more you have to bend. basically if you just move your left arm down to take the shot you are putting additional back pressure on limbs by pulling longer. more pressure =more energy=shooting high as steep angles.

 

Then there is that whole gravity and angles thing that causes you to shoot high at up or downhill angles even with perfect form. Only way to get good at it is practice like you hunt.

[DirtTime]

I am not sure what "weighting" the front foot is. But yes, when you bend you will more weight over the front foot as your upper body will cause that. I am not talking leaning, bending. Upper ( shoulders and arms stay the same ) and lower body stay the same. You pivot your upper body at the hip down toward the target.. Seeing I cannot show you personally, here's a vid: ( first one that popped up in search )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpr1cMAJeDo

 

Your footing in a tree stand will be very different from ground shooting. That's why it's best to practice from your actual stand. 

[dbHunterNY]

- you've learned that nothing under any circumstances should touch your bow other than your face, release, and bow arm hand.  the slightest contact anywhere and you're screwed.  don't think about what it will do where, just don't do it.

 

- another thing you haven't figured out quite yet is that there's a lot of crap deer do upon you releasing an arrow, including just before getting hit with it.  darn good at 40 yards on the range doesn't mean much up in a treestand.  lot going on.  I'd knock your yardage down to under 30 yards and preferably at 20 yards.  hunt off trails with that goal in mind.  it'll help reduce the effects of error in everything you do. 

 

- also keep in mind deer have crazy reaction time especially when in close to you with something seeming off.  they aren't meaning to dodge your arrow they're just lowering the body to preload the legs to take off running if need be.  this in mind aim a 1/3 up from the bottom instead of centered on it's body from top to bottom.  if the deer doesn't react your drill its heart and if it does you're center punching lungs versus sailing your arrow over its back like a warning shot.

 

- don't shoot straight down or at a deer right under you.  angle makes it hard to hit both lungs and harder to maintain form to put the arrow where you intended it to go.  one lunged deer only is as good as gone.

 

- pay attention closely to angle.  quartering say toward you can look pretty slight compared to what it actually is.  also remember to think about where the arrow will come out, not just where it's going in.  a deer has depth and vitals change in size and position depending on angle.

 

- download the DDH Shot Simulator for your smart phone if you've got one.  play with that instead of crap like candy crush and slot machine whatever.

 

that's my advise.  good luck.  still opportunity left.

 

[philoshop]

You're seeing deer Core, just be patient.

A lot of things can and will go wrong in archery when you move from the range to the field. The absolute worst shooting at the range suddenly becomes the best that's possible when faced with actual hunting conditions, and distance-to-target just magnifies even the smallest mistakes the archer might make.

Let the animals come in close and get a few of those 'chip-shots' under your belt. Even the 'chip-shots' aren't gimmees, they just lessen the chance for error.

Best of luck.

[Core]

Thanks, all. Will remember to bend and will practice it.

[growalot]

Get yourself a good cube target...usually they have a handle...take it out and set it up say your on a ridge...put the cube down the hill from you any old place then go back up the ridge ..range and shoot..then reverse that...EXCEPT.....put the cube lower than the ridge..NEVER shot at ANY SKYLINE object or animal... do this from your stand or a climber in the yard or get a ladder and hit the garage roof...you get my point.

 

Now here is one of my biggest practice tips to surely put you right...especially practicing from a stand....

Take just 1-3 arrows...I use three...climb shoot then climb down and retrieve..repeat at that one distance until you are DEAD on...not close enough but dead on...this will do a few things....get your body functioning as if a deer where in front of you...The back and forth climbing that ladder with gear on ups the heart rate and causes the same type of energy release you get with the adrenaline release...Biggest thing it forces you to concentrate...Your breathing becomes more rapid  so it makes you have to control it..these are the things deer do to us...once you are dead on...move that target and start again..ALWAYS clip in each time...

Edited November 4, 2015 by growalot

[jjb4900]

No......for one thing believe me on cheap LS there is no movement of legs or feet...so let me explain it like this....

As a little kid ever sing "I'm a little tea pot"...short and stout here is my handle and here is my spout...then you just standing still tip to the side at your waist...Well it's like that...to your side to your front how ever your positioned for the shot The point is to draw as you would on a straight on target and then staying like that drop at your waist not arm to set your pin on target...after a while this will be a learned thing and you should be able to draw in that position already bent at the waist...Remember depending on the closeness of the shot and the lay of the land sometimes it is a matter of very slight waist movement the closer the deer the more you bend the farther out your trajectory flattens(not sure I said that last part right..but how I preceive it..jump in guys....

you forgot to add that he shouldn't actually sing "I'm a Little Tea Pot" out loud while hunting.....it looks odd and scares the deer.

[NFA-ADK]

Good points DbHunterNY!  I would try to keep it under 30.  I can shoot targets out to 70 yards but an animal is much different.  My comfort zone is 50 and less but realistically I try to keep it under 35 yards.  If I misjudge it at that distance I will still get a good hit.  I try to aim at the heart just like DbHunterNY stated.  This way if you do have the deer "jump the string" you still have a chance at a good center hit, if not it is a heart shot. 

[growalot]

 

you forgot to add that he shouldn't actually sing "I'm a Little Tea Pot" out loud while hunting.....it looks odd and scares the deer.

Hahahaha

[fasteddie]

Something that I don't believe has been mentioned is ...... if you are shooting uphill , you still bend at the waist but the opposite way . Otherwise you will be shooting low .

[Nomad]

Remember this, Game day is seldom is like practice day.

Now for practice imho the best and doubly for a new bow hunter is from a stand , and not your roof or raised platform at the range they are not the same as a stand. Both of those allow a nice wide stance , perfect form ,no concern of standing on a little platform 20 feet up that you can fall from, no branches or vines to lean, twist , or squat to avoid , no trunk that your arm can hit when you got to turn and shoot to,your right ,and all the time in the world to shoot.

Also when you hang a stand get in it with your bow and hold it out and turn 360 , now draw the bow and repeat. I do this in each stand because I've raised my bow and turned only to have the arrow hit a hanging branch I thought it would clear when I hung the stand .

The time to learn that your bow/ arrow is going to hit a branch, rail, stand what have you is prior to drawing on a deer.

There is a learning curve we all we go through and many here have given you what they learned over years to save you the trial and error .good luck.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Larry302

[Kayakwilly]

If your shot was high , I have 2 questions .

*  Were you shooting from a tree stand ? 

* If you were shooting from a tree stand , did you bend at the waist or did you stay upright and lower your bow arm ? 

what would be the difference ???

[Skillet]

what would be the difference ???

Being in a stand, or failing to bend at the waist, will both contribute to shooting high.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Skillet

[Culvercreek hunt club]

what would be the difference ???

shooting at steep angles changes trajectory. not bending changes draw length you are pulling.

 

If you want to verify the draw length. take a belt. slip the buckle over your thumb and (for a right hander) hold you left arm out like holding a bow. The buckle over your thumb like a ring. hold arm level and with your right hand take slack out of the belt and anchor the belt to the corner of you mouth. now bend at waist like shooting out of a stand. nothing moves. Stand back up straight and just lower your bow hand to make a similar shot without bending. What happens to the belt? 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Culvercreek hunt club

[stoneam2006]

shooting at steep angles changes trajectory. not bending changes draw length you are pulling.

If you want to verify the draw length. take a belt. sip the buckle over your thumb and (for a right hander) hold you left arm out like holding a bow. The buckle over your thumb like a ring. hold arm level and with your right hand take slack out of the belt and anchor the belt to the corner of you mouth. now bend at waist like shooting out of a stand. nothing moves. Stand back up straight and just lower your bow hand to make a similar shot without bending. What happens to the belt?

Never heard that before cool proof of concept

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Never heard that before cool proof of concept

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Cost a buddy $10 on a bet with me when I told him why he missed high by not bending...lol.

 

 

look around, who has their belt off?

Edited November 4, 2015 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Core]

Also when you hang a stand get in it with your bow and hold it out and turn 360 , now draw the bow and repeat. I do this in each stand because I've raised my bow and turned only to have the arrow hit a hanging branch I thought it would clear when I hung the stand .

This is good advice because had I known it on the weekend I wouldn't have had two screwy shots. I still don't know where I would have hit my deer on Monday, but as I may have mentioned earlier I have literally never missed a single arrow by such a wide margin at any range, even on my first day. When I drew I realized my strap was constraining my angle and although I felt I had accounted for that, it was definitely weird. It will be the first thing I do in the future, a full sweep around the entire stand.

look around, who has their belt off?

Just put mine back on.