tree stand angles

[deputy dog]

if you are 20' up in a stand with a bow what should you're shot placement be, higher or lower? my inlaws and i were discussing this and wanted your input. thanks in advance!

[joel the signman]

how far away are you shooting?in general there is no difference

[Southern Man]

If you're 20' up you'll generally hit high from your aiming point at a moderately steep angle. Same when shooting up at steep angles you'll generally hit low. Alot of range finders now days have that compensation built in. I use one all the time now.

[Buckshot]

Ah yes the age old question. The answer is you should shoot the distance it is to the target with no adjustment. Your form in shooting from a tree is very important. After much debate and trail and error I believe it boils down to bending at the waist. When you practice on the ground the arrow is naturally at a 90 degree angle from your body.
When you are up a tree and shooting down it is vital that you keep that form by bending at the waist and not lowering your bow with your arms.

Practice this by drawing to level in the tree and bend your waist to the target.

Shot placement on the deer is best learned by shooting at a 3D target from a tree. You can then see how the arrow will penatrate throught the deer. different angles require different placement to cross through the vitals. You will aim at a higher point on a down shot but only because of the arrow travel throught the deer.

i agree with the form thing you talked about but you need to aim lower. if its 30 yards you need to shoot like its 25 if the downward angle is severe enough.

[joel the signman]

thats why i asked how far to the target.20yrds is 20yrds.

[Buckshot]

Originally Posted by joel the signman

thats why i asked how far to the target.20yrds is 20yrds.

That I agree with.

If you measure from the base of your tree out 20 yards to a spot a deer is standing you should shoot the 20 yard pin dead on no matter what the angle.
If you climb 20 feet up a tree shooting the same spot point to point on the ground will be longer but the effect of gravity on the arrow is still based on the horizontal plane of 20 yards instead of the 23 yards point to point or whatever it actually is. Arrow drop is based on the horizontal plane not the vertical plane. If it is 20 yards straight accross and your shooting a severe angle down where the actual distance may be 30 yards you would still shoot the 20 yard pin.

When using a range finder you should mark your yardage from either from the base of the tree or from the stand straight out in front of you to a tree at the same level, not to the ground.

Where you aim is a different matter, assuming you want all shots to be a double lunger you have to adjust the aim point accordingly. Just as you have to move your aim point back as the deer quarters away you have to move the aim point up the deer as the angle increases to pass through both lungs.

[Buckshot]

Originally Posted by Southern Man

If you're 20' up you'll generally hit high from your aiming point at a moderately steep angle. Same when shooting up at steep angles you'll generally hit low. Alot of range finders now days have that compensation built in. I use one all the time now.

If you use the range finder from the tree to the ground you will hit high because it's telling you the distace on angle to the target not the stright line distance.

[BruceBruce1959]

Once you determine the distance (hunter to target) just aim as you normally would and shoot.
No aiming adjustment is needed at all. the ONLY adjustment needed from a treestand is distance,
Elevation causes a little more yardage between hunter and target so some slight adjustment should be made for distance.

the range finder COMPENSATES for the angle. if you haven't seen one or used one you should check it out. Bushnell makes a couple and Leupold and i think there is another.Not all range finders have this feature. I use one, from my stand to the ground, it'll say 30 yards shoot like 27 yards. OR I misunderstood what you were saying but there needs to be some compensation.