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Shooting from a tree stand?

phideaux4886phideaux4886 Member Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
Just wondering what I might expect to find if I am shooting from a tree stand.
I am aware of Pythagoras's theorem in that the distance at ground level will be different from 12' off the ground, but what kind of other effects might I find?
Thanks,
DSM

Comments

  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    Do you have anyway to shoot from an elevated position to see? I find I have to aim a little lower than shooting a straight on target.
  • fishermanbenfishermanben Member Posts: 15,370
    edited November -1
    sometimes it seems like there's more wind in the trees, but you usually don't notice it effecting your shot anymore than you notice your treestand swaying back and forth 20 inches.[:o)][:D]

    Ben
  • Winston BodeWinston Bode Member Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You would need to aim lower from an elevated postition shooting down hill or shooting up hill from below. The new range finders will calculate this for you now and it will show that the yardage is enough that you will shoot over your target if you aim like you were shooting from level ground.

    Bode
  • phideaux4886phideaux4886 Member Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Winston Bode


    You would need to aim lower from an elevated postition shooting down hill or shooting up hill from below. The new range finders will calculate this for you now and it will show that the yardage is enough that you will shoot over your target if you aim like you were shooting from level ground.

    Bode

    What is the cause of this? Gravity?
    Thanks,
    DSM
  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by phideaux4886
    quote:Originally posted by Winston Bode


    You would need to aim lower from an elevated postition shooting down hill or shooting up hill from below. The new range finders will calculate this for you now and it will show that the yardage is enough that you will shoot over your target if you aim like you were shooting from level ground.

    Bode

    What is the cause of this? Gravity?
    Thanks,
    DSM


    No, its called geometry. Just draw out some triangles like you would be sitting in a tree stand, give them some numbers, find the hypotenuse, and you should see the reason why.
  • phideaux4886phideaux4886 Member Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shoff14
    quote:Originally posted by phideaux4886
    quote:Originally posted by Winston Bode


    You would need to aim lower from an elevated postition shooting down hill or shooting up hill from below. The new range finders will calculate this for you now and it will show that the yardage is enough that you will shoot over your target if you aim like you were shooting from level ground.

    Bode

    What is the cause of this? Gravity?
    Thanks,
    DSM


    No, its called geometry. Just draw out some triangles like you would be sitting in a tree stand, give them some numbers, find the hypotenuse, and you should see the reason why.

    I think you meant to say Trigonometry. [;)]
  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Technically yes, trig would be it, but you have to have geometry before trig. ;)





    This was just a fowl attempt to cover myself.
  • jared2678jared2678 Member Posts: 14 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Its about 5-7 yards less when shooting from a tree stand.
  • fishermanbenfishermanben Member Posts: 15,370
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jared2678
    Its about 5-7 yards less when shooting from a tree stand.


    Not really. If you're 20 feet up in a tree, taking a 40 yard shot, your shot is only 1.6 yards farther.

    Ben
  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    Just aim low and let her go......[;)]
  • phideaux4886phideaux4886 Member Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So basically it is all about the trig, in that the distance is longer along the hypotenuse of the triangle you have formed?
    DSM
  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by phideaux4886
    So basically it is all about the trig, in that the distance is longer along the hypotenuse of the triangle you have formed?
    DSM
    what are you a math teacher shoot the damb thing[:D][:D]
  • fishermanbenfishermanben Member Posts: 15,370
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by buckeyboy
    quote:Originally posted by phideaux4886
    So basically it is all about the trig, in that the distance is longer along the hypotenuse of the triangle you have formed?
    DSM
    what are you a math teacher shoot the damb thing[:D][:D]


    I think what buckey is trying to say is that the difference is so small at bow yardage that it doesn't matter too much...in other words, let her fly, and watch him die.

    Ben
  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fishermanben
    quote:Originally posted by buckeyboy
    quote:Originally posted by phideaux4886
    So basically it is all about the trig, in that the distance is longer along the hypotenuse of the triangle you have formed?
    DSM
    what are you a math teacher shoot the damb thing[:D][:D]


    I think what buckey is trying to say is that the difference is so small at bow yardage that it doesn't matter too much...in other words, let her fly, and watch him die.

    Ben
    see Ben you can read my mind.. thanks bud...[;)]
  • phideaux4886phideaux4886 Member Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys, I'm no math teacher, I'm a rookie.
    DSM
    PS, that was funny, I don't care who you are!
  • fishermanbenfishermanben Member Posts: 15,370
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fishermanben
    quote:Originally posted by jared2678
    Its about 5-7 yards less when shooting from a tree stand.


    Not really. If you're 20 feet up in a tree, taking a 40 yard shot, your shot is only 1.6 yards farther.

    Ben


    I might be incorrect here. I was watching a hunting show last night, and the man said that when in a tree, he uses his 20yard pin for ground, up to 30 yards in the tree. He said if you don't you'll shoot high every time?

    Ben
  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    I do this to an extent. I use 1 pin hunting, 3 when shooting in the back yard. I don't make any changes to that 1 pin
  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    I just hold an inch to 3" low and lether rip..
  • Gregor62Gregor62 Member Posts: 3,046 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I shoot from my rooftop to check my angle shots. I don't tune to the angle, just make mental notes.

    2" low seems to do the trick.
  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    As has been stated, the actual distance to the ground versus measured distace from bow to target (which is the hypotenuse of the triange) isn't really that great so point of impact should be roughly the same. Note: This is for bow shots only. Gun shots are usually much longer, therefore the difference in distances can be much greater.

    My theory on why bow shots tend to be high when shooting from a treestand has to do with the angle the bow is being held at. When shooting from the ground, everything is lined up perfectly. When shooting from a tree, you are holding the bow at a downward angle and everything is not always lined up perfectly. In theory, it is similar to moving your sights. If you want to hit higher, you lower the site pin a little (the rear sight stays in the same place) or raise the rear sight and leave the front sight alone. When you angle the bow downward it has the same effect as raising the rear sight (due to the angle) even if you have the same anchor point.
    Does that make sense? If not, disregard and assume I am talking out of my butt.
  • dcso3009dcso3009 Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by HandgunHTR52
    As has been stated, the actual distance to the ground versus measured distace from bow to target (which is the hypotenuse of the triange) isn't really that great so point of impact should be roughly the same. Note: This is for bow shots only. Gun shots are usually much longer, therefore the difference in distances can be much greater.

    My theory on why bow shots tend to be high when shooting from a treestand has to do with the angle the bow is being held at. When shooting from the ground, everything is lined up perfectly. When shooting from a tree, you are holding the bow at a downward angle and everything is not always lined up perfectly. In theory, it is similar to moving your sights. If you want to hit higher, you lower the site pin a little (the rear sight stays in the same place) or raise the rear sight and leave the front sight alone. When you angle the bow downward it has the same effect as raising the rear sight (due to the angle) even if you have the same anchor point.
    Does that make sense? If not, disregard and assume I am talking out of my butt.


    You are not wrong, but may have a flawed shooting form. If it works for you good, but if you bend at the waist and keep your upper body the same as a level shotyou would eliminate the reat sight effect. The best way to measure correct aiming distance is to measure from the base of your tree to your target. You could also range a tree strait out from you in the tree. This would give you the same correct distance.

    I hope this helps and does not confuse things further.
  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dcso3009
    quote:Originally posted by HandgunHTR52
    As has been stated, the actual distance to the ground versus measured distace from bow to target (which is the hypotenuse of the triange) isn't really that great so point of impact should be roughly the same. Note: This is for bow shots only. Gun shots are usually much longer, therefore the difference in distances can be much greater.

    My theory on why bow shots tend to be high when shooting from a treestand has to do with the angle the bow is being held at. When shooting from the ground, everything is lined up perfectly. When shooting from a tree, you are holding the bow at a downward angle and everything is not always lined up perfectly. In theory, it is similar to moving your sights. If you want to hit higher, you lower the site pin a little (the rear sight stays in the same place) or raise the rear sight and leave the front sight alone. When you angle the bow downward it has the same effect as raising the rear sight (due to the angle) even if you have the same anchor point.
    Does that make sense? If not, disregard and assume I am talking out of my butt.


    You are not wrong, but may have a flawed shooting form. If it works for you good, but if you bend at the waist and keep your upper body the same as a level shotyou would eliminate the reat sight effect. The best way to measure correct aiming distance is to measure from the base of your tree to your target. You could also range a tree strait out from you in the tree. This would give you the same correct distance.

    I hope this helps and does not confuse things further.
    confused the heck out of me.. I need beer[:p]
  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    quote:I need beer

    MEEEEEEE too! [:D]
  • dcso3009dcso3009 Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Beer sounds good, but I will be at work for another 3 hours....
  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    I'll drink for ya, leavin in 10 min [:D][;)]
  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    dsco - I know about bending at the waist, but you can only bend so much before you either run out of room for the bottom of the bow, or you tip over. [:D]

    I was just trying to come up with a theory as to why arrows tend to hit higher when shooting from an elevated position. A difference in a couple of feet shouldn't change point of impact by more than an inch, but as has been pointed out, POI changes when shooting from an elevated position.
  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You guys also need to remember that if you are on the ground shooting up a hill, the POI also changes. [:D]

    I did that to add fuel to the fire.
  • tcleartclear Member Posts: 132 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What has been said about aiming lower is true. I think it is also important though too to note that you must think of the vitals of whatever you are shooting at and how they shift as you elevate in a stand. You are no longer shooting flat through the deer and that angle you get through the chest cavity changes more drastically as the deer is closer. It is for that reason that I never take less than a 10 yard shot from a stand. It is far too much of an angle for me and makes the shot, in my opinion, extremely difficult. I shoot a mathews switchback XT and nearly every deer I have shot jumps the string. They all seem to drop at that noise and that is all the more reason to shoot lower when in a stand.
  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by tclear
    What has been said about aiming lower is true. I think it is also important though too to note that you must think of the vitals of whatever you are shooting at and how they shift as you elevate in a stand. You are no longer shooting flat through the deer and that angle you get through the chest cavity changes more drastically as the deer is closer. It is for that reason that I never take less than a 10 yard shot from a stand. It is far too much of an angle for me and makes the shot, in my opinion, extremely difficult. I shoot a mathews switchback XT and nearly every deer I have shot jumps the string. They all seem to drop at that noise and that is all the more reason to shoot lower when in a stand.


    Mathews don't make noise. [:D][;)]
  • dcso3009dcso3009 Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    [/quote]

    Mathews don't make noise. [:D][;)]
    [/quote]

    Yea it is just the darn owners that we can't stand to listen to...
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