angle compensation

[guardian]

What affect will gravity have on the arrow shooting at different angles up hill or down hill? Please give some examples. We have a debate going on here at home and need some help.

[shoot-em-dead]

Practice lots. Every bow is different.

[Bob33]

What matters is the horizontal distance to the target.  If you shoot straight up or straight down (zero horizontal distance), gravity does not cause the projectile to deviate from a straight line.

Horizontal distance can be computed by multiplying the actual distance by the cosine of the angle to the target.

At 40 yards, here is the horizontal distance to a target based on the angle (uphill or downhill):

0 angle: 40 yards
10 degree angle: 39.39 yards
20 degree angle: 37.59 yards
30 degree angle: 34.64 yards
40 degree angle: 30.64 yards
50 degree angle: 25.71 yards
60 degree angle: 20.00 yards

[BLUEBULLS]

I practice a lot at all ranges and varying inclines. It actually takes a dang steep shot to make much difference. most guys would probably be surprised. I think with all the talk of steep angle shots, a lot of people will over compensate and shoot low. To me, the hardest angles to shoot are from a sidehill position, watch that bubble.

only advice I'd give on this is practice-practice-practice. I try to find varying super steep terrain and set up multiple targets then shoot them from several spots with my pack on. I've learned a ton doing this.

I think the answer you're looking for is "aim for less yardage regardless if it's uphill or downhill, depending on the angle"

[Slider]

Aim for the heart!!!

[let.it.fly]

FIND A 3-D RANGE WITH LOTS OF UP AND DOWN.THERE IS ONE IN MT VERNON. I FORGET THE NAME BUT 90% OF THE SHOTS HAVE ATLEAST A LIL ELEVATION VARIANCE.

[CoryTDF]

Practice!!!! 3D tournaments are about the best realistic hunting training a bow hunter can get. The situations are real the targets are replicas of real size animals and the terrain is different shot to shot. If your shooting from your yard try standing on your roof and shooting. The only way your going to know what your bow does with different angles is to put yourself in that situation and shoot. 

[AKBowman]

Like Bob said, all other factors being consistent (wind, rain, etc) the ONLY thing that matters is horizontal distance to the target. If you have a target that is 100 yards away from you but only 20 yards away horizontally than you aim at 20 yards and forget everything else.

[AKBowman]

The tricky part can be judging the horizontal distance.

[coachcw]

Remember to draw back , anchor then pivoit at the waist, I never take more than five yards off a shot for angle I'm try ing to hit the pie plate not the super kill .good luck and practice those angles . I also will guess short if I'm not sure that way you only miss low not hit the dead spot above the luns. Coach

[GreenHunter]

This really seems strange to me when it is said that way. It would mean that if I was in a tree stand and the target is within 5 yards of the tree I would not have a pin to use. I would have to go a little above my 10 yard pin?

I have been doing the walkthrough in Kenmore and have figured out how to compensate this in the field but haven't practiced out of a tree stand. Not that I plan on using one during the season. I agree that I don't go over a 5 yard adjustment from what my range finder says.

[guardian]

Bluebulls that is the answer i was looking for. Would ever one agree uphill or down hill aim for less yardage.

[Bob33]

"It would mean that if I was in a tree stand and the target is within 5 yards of the tree I would not have a pin to use. I would have to go a little above my 10 yard pin?"

You should shoot as if the deer were five yards away from you on the level, however you would do that.

[adam.WI]

take it back to high school. Its the Pythagorean theorom.  Up, down, side to side it's the horizontal distance. The only variable that could change that is wind drag, and that varies on the situation.

[MichaelJ]

So I'm curious, is it totally different with a rifle?  I've always heard "downhill, aim low.  Uphill, aim high" and that is for a rifle... why is it different with archery where you aim horizontal distance, not uphill/downhill???   

Michael