Range vs. Soybean Field

[8ptbuk]

I missed a doe at 35 yds tonight out of my stand over my soybean fields and Im really shocked ! Ranged her and then squeezed the shot off like a benchrest shooter . All she did was hop a time or two and look around ! I watched her for 15 minutes after the shot and Im sure I missed her clean . Im shooting a Phoenix that I can Hit 2 in. spots all day long off the bench . All confidence is now gone ! LOL !!! never seen the arrow becase I was concentrating on the trigger so much and dont know if I shot over or under her . Do I need a rangefinder that compensates for angles ? My bow is probally only shooting around 300fps I may have to invest in something with a little more speed If I keep hunting over these fields But I guess thats why they call it hunting instead of killing !

[Zap]

Better luck next time!

[Hester0305]

My guess is that if you made a good shot then you probably shot over her. I've killed a lot of deer with a bow and hit a few high when I was holding dead center because the deer react to the arrow as it approaches. I always hold in the lower heart area now especially at anything over 20 yards and I have very few misses now. I do the same thing with the Excal, your Phoenix is plenty fast enough to get the job done but some deer react differently than others and may be real edgy. I would keep doing what your doing by ranging the animal and wait for a perfect broadside shot and then hold in the lower heart area and that should give you a dead deer the majority of the time if you limit your shots under 40 yards. Good Luck and happy hunting.

[Zap]

My $.02.

If she stuck around for fifteen minutes after she was not too jumpy.
At twenty feet up a 35 yard shot requires little compensation for angle.
Shooting from a bench rest is different than shooting from a treestand.
Cheek weld may be different.

As far as squeezing the stock excel trigger goes, I have found that if I baby it from an unsupported position I shoot low right.
Good firm pull, not a jerk gets it done for me.
Same as I shoot a firearm.

As I said earlier, I wish you better luck next time.

[8ptbuk]

Thanks guys ! All these does Ive been passing up MIGHT not of been in as much danger as I thought they were ! LOL ! I'll take my target over there and shoot a few out of the stand and see if I can figure out what happened . I think I'll try shooting 37 and 43 while sighted in at 40 and see how much its high and low . Anybody tried this ?

[Zap]

Thanks guys ! All these does Ive been passing up MIGHT not of been in as much danger as I thought they were ! LOL ! I'll take my target over there and shoot a few out of the stand and see if I can figure out what happened . I think I'll try shooting 37 and 43 while sighted in at 40 and see how much its high and low . Anybody tried this ?

Sounds like a great plan.

[awshucks]

I think I'll try shooting 37 and 43 while sighted in at 40 and see how much its high and low . Anybody tried this ?

I did. 30 yds is about it for me, but my figures were 1" per yard w/ Ecet.........inch high at 29, same low at 31. YMMV........

[8ptbuk]

Shot today at 30 yds ( See pic ) and was a little high . Same amount high at 40 also . Still not enough to miss a deer but I would say as some suggested I shot over her . Thanks for the info guys . What speed are you shooting Awshuck ?
[URL=http://s154.photobucket.com/user/1longb ... 7.jpg.html]

[OkXbowHunter]

I'd bet that in your excitement you used the wrong aiming point. I"ve shot deer out to 53 yards with my Axiom, all from 15 to 20 ft treestands, and their isn't a lot of variation in the POI when they're out past 20 yards.

[awshucks]

What scope? If it's an Excal scope you need a click left and two down. If it's dead nuts at 20, make sure it's still dead nuts at 20, if so, adj your speed ring for deadnuts at 30. For the ranges you are seeing, I'd try 40, use the speed ring, not the turrets. This will apply to vitually all Excal scopes that move poi 1/2" at 20 yds.

If you took my favorite double lung shot at 35, you probably got string jumped and it flew over her back. Take a heart shot next time.

Best wishes!

[8ptbuk]

i got it back down with speed ring . Thanks Awshucks

[awshucks]

Yer Welcome!

[taz3]

I had a similar issue at Boofest with my Phoenix at the 3D range, I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, yet I've damaged 3 bolts because grouping was so close at 35yrds in my backyard. Heck, I hit my target at 80yards looking over the scope. I was having an issue with the string not cocking centered and my scope was off a bit too. The cocking was operator error but it did the same to me, took a lot of my confidence away. That was until I recently took a pheasant at about 20yards.

It might be worth while bringing a target out to your tree stand and shoot it from 30yards just to see what's actually happening.

Good luck next time, hopefully it was just a hiccup.

[DuckHunt]

I'd bet that in your excitement you used the wrong aiming point.

I'll admit it. I did that Wednesday with my compound bow. My daughter gave me grief and called it 'doe fever'. My issue was that I was hunting high (~27ft) and the draw angle was a bit odd for me. When I drew back I was in the middle of my pins (20, 30, 40, 50). Since the doe was at ~25, I just placed her between the bottom two pins and let it fly. And fly it did. I tossed a 45 yard shot at a 25 yard doe. I should have placed her between the top two pins. It happens. At least it was a doe.
DuckHunt

[Aero320]

I missed a doe shot at 40 yards last week and I had ranged it with the Vendetta (which compensates for angle). I don't know what happened but I found the arrow and it had nothing but dirt on it! Going again in the morning. Probably last trip out as next weekend the muzzleloaders will be out followed shortly by the rifle guys. Have a buck and doe in the freezer along with a tom turkey. Been a good season, time to get back to fishing though.