Arrgh!!

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:37 pm

Sighted in my Vortex on the ground at 20 yards using the main cross hairs..Was hunting tonight and a deer came out at 15 yards...settled the cross hair on the shoulder and shot...bolt sailed right over its back! Im assuming that I should have centered it on the 10 yard marker ? Ive always shot compounds and never used more than a single pin out to 20 yards so I was a bit surprised I shot right over its back. I was about 15 feet up a tree.

Carnivorous · Post by **Carnivorous** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:53 pm

Their is a good article in Ontario out of doors this month. It basically said to aim low when in a tree stand. Their is a formula for that that shows the affect that gravity has when shooting from an elevated position. A good read for sure.

Cossack · Post by **Cossack** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:00 pm

Height has nothing to do with trajectory! It's the horizontal distance from the ground level base of the stand to the target that matters. Gravity acts on the arrow over that distance no matter how high you are up. This is not to say that height doesn't affect the angle at which the arrow penetrates the target, however. But aiming high or low to compensate for height is plain BS.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:01 pm

I am no expert but I think you are right.
The arrow was on a 20 yard arch which brings it above the line of sight.
It would have hit square using the 10 yard marker.
I shot a 6 point last season at about the same yardage 18 feet up in a stand and the 10 yard nailed him.

Sorry for the miss.
At least you have SEEN a deer to shoot at.

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:05 pm

I do realize that you need to shoot a bit lower when elevated. I think my problem was Im thinking like a compound shooter. My bow only shoots 250 fps so I ASSumed I would be good out to 20yds with the Vortex. Guess its shooting so much faster that I need to pay attention to anything under 20. Well better a clean miss than a bad shot I guess.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:13 pm

Lone Wolf wrote:I do realize that you need to shoot a bit lower when elevated. I think my problem was Im thinking like a compound shooter. My bow only shoots 250 fps so I ASSumed I would be good out to 20yds with the Vortex. Guess its shooting so much faster that I need to pay attention to anything under 20. Well better a clean miss than a bad shot I guess.

I got ya.
I agree,better a miss than a bad hit.

awshucks · Post by **awshucks** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:13 pm

.settled the cross hair on the shoulder and shot...bolt sailed right over its back!

My guess, and it's just that, is you got 'string jumped.' Actually, 'string ducked' is more like it.

My experiences have led me to believe that from 10-20 yds, there's about 2" diff in poi, well w/in 'minute of deer' accuracy'

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:19 pm

awshucks wrote: My guess, and it's just that, is you got 'string jumped.' Actually, 'string ducked' is more like it.

My experiences have led me to believe that from 10-20 yds, there's about 2" diff in poi, well w/in 'minute of deer' accuracy'

That may be what happened but the thing is, the deer didnt even move when I shot!! It just stood there. I guess that means the Vortex is pretty quiet! So I dont think it "ducked" but I could be wrong..I watched through the scope and the darn thing just looked around for a minute then walked off like nothing happened..

DirtyGun · Post by **DirtyGun** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:27 pm

You mean you missed with a crossbow? I thought it was easy?!

Sorry couldn't resist.

If you have never missed, you haven't hunted long enough (or you're a liar

).

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:31 pm

DirtyGun wrote:You mean you missed with a crossbow? I thought it was easy?!

Sorry couldn't resist.

If you have never missed, you haven't hunted long enough (or you're a liar ).

LOL--the deer know itsa safe-zone around my tree!

Ben S. · Post by **Ben S.** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:42 pm

I can see hitting a couple of inches high but missing it all together seems to be a big difference for just a 5yd closer shot. I don't have an answer for that one. That sucks Lone Wolf.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:19 pm

According to my ballistics program a crossbow arrow @ 255fps sighted dead-on @ 20 yards should hit 1.6" high at 15 yards.

I would first check my crossbow and see if it's still zeroed.
If it is and you're using a vari/lumi-zone scope you may have used the wrong yardage mark. (I've done it more than once.

)
If the deer was looking at you it may have "jumped the string", but that close it would have to see the movement of the limbs to react in time to cause a miss. I've never had a problem with string jump up close, but I have watched one duck far enough for a complete miss @ 30 yards with a Vixen and a 250 fps arrow.

fuzzy · Post by **fuzzy** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:29 pm

At 15 yards out (45 foot) and 5 yards up (15 foot)...the ten yard inverted chevron...the 20 yard crosshair and the 30 yard chevron should have been in the boiler room even on the smallest of deer if your using the vari/lumi zone scope......Moment of truth....you choked.....reality is a SOB

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:30 pm

wabi wrote:According to my ballistics program a crossbow arrow @ 255fps sighted dead-on @ 20 yards should hit 1.6" high at 15 yards.

I would first check my crossbow and see if it's still zeroed.
If it is and you're using a vari/lumi-zone scope you may have used the wrong yardage mark. (I've done it more than once. )
If the deer was looking at you it may have "jumped the string", but that close it would have to see the movement of the limbs to react in time to cause a miss. I've never had a problem with string jump up close, but I have watched one duck far enough for a complete miss @ 30 yards with a Vixen and a 250 fps arrow.

This makes sense then..The more I think about it the deer did not duck the arrow--it didnt move a muscle even after the bolt hit the dirt. I believe my aim was slightly above the centerline of the deer. I used the 20 yrd marker and just checked and Im slightly high at 20 yards so if I woulda used the 10 yard marker I should have been dead on.

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:34 pm

fuzzy wrote:At 15 yards out (45 foot) and 5 yards up (15 foot)...the ten yard inverted chevron...the 20 yard crosshair and the 30 yard chevron should have been in the boiler room even on the smallest of deer if your using the vari/lumi zone scope......Moment of truth....you choked.....reality is a SOB

I guess I coulda screwed up but I dont think so..No flinching, didnt punch the trigger, was on a steady rest..I just used the wrong marker. Been bowhunting for 20 years and Ive made plenty of mistakes but not this time. Going back out tomorrow morning to try again