tips for judging yardage in steep terrain?

[Rod]

Most of us trad guys will not be carrying a range finder, so how do you do it? It is something that us flat land guys cannnot practice enough. Any tips from you guys that have done it or live out there will help.

 

[fire arrow]

The way learned was to use the yard markers on the ground at the archery range. Start of with twenty yards, then go to 30, ect. Then for fun, that your buddy or kids or who ever and go out stump shooting to practice your new skill. It with take a bit of practice but stump shooting will make it fun.

 

[rye_a]

Two words: Pythagorean theorem.

 

[Rod]

Did i mention that the closest mountains to pratice in are 1000 miles away & im not packing a calculator

 

[Thomas Hermann]

in NE Iowa there are several good bluffs that you should be able to get similar angled shots on.

 

[rye_a]

Primitive rangefinder?

 

[JNDEER]

I believe most Trad guys use instinct. Like a pitcher throwing a baseball.

When I shot with no sights and fingers it was instinct, but when you put a sight and release on your focus is on the pins and what yardage your taget is.

It would come down to practice judgeing distance, with and without your bow. Walk around picking objects, guessing distance and rangeing them. As far as shooting angled shots (up or down) without a rangefinder. You would first have to guess how far (line of sight) the animal is. Than useing the Pythagorean theorem can come up with an estimate. I would toy with the theorem for a while and angles so you can get comfortable with it. Basically really steep and really far you deduct a lot of yardage, medium range and angle deduct a smaller amount and slight angles deduct very little unless very far.

 

[larryschwartz]

Rod,

You are shooting a traditional bow, not a rifle, so your shots are going to be at most 40-50 yards so you don't need mountains, just 10 to 30 feet of elevation depending on the slope you are trying to simulate. Try shooting from a treestand set high and go for targets that are 20- 40 yards away. Another method of simulating the slope will be to shoot from the top of a small hill at targets set on the hillside or at the bottom of the hill; you can also go to the bottom and shoot up. There is always a way to do it, just be creative.

 

[Rod]

Thanks, I do & have done all of what has been suggested. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but it just seems like it is a little more challenging estimating yardage (out west). Maybe it' s just more open & the elevation (11,000 ft) that make it seem different. If I can get a big slobbering bull to 15 yards then no worries!!

 

[Rick Seymour]

I would think you could go to a train overpass or some obscure road that is less traveled with a large berm/hill. Shoot out of a hay loft etc etc. Makes good practice...luck

 

[bearguide]

i shoot off of our balcony