Bowhunters must consider the angle of the shot
Bowhunters must consider the angle of the shot
By Tyler Frantz
Perched in the stand so diligently placed, right in the heart of a pre-scouted woodlot, a hunter’s eyes scan for flickers of movement. Suddenly, his ears reveal a soft cadence of footfalls approaching from his flank. He slowly turns, with bow in hand, to observe a tall-tined buck feeding its way along a trail past his stand.
Instead of continuing on, the buck strays from the path and heads directly toward the base of the tree from which the hunter attempts to steady his nerves. Just paces away, the buck nibbles a small maple leaf then casually feasts upon white oak acorns nestled on the forest floor.
As the hunter prepares for a shot much closer than anticipated, a twinkle of regret crosses his mind. He never expected a deer to walk this way, so he hadn’t practiced this shot before now. Questions materialize: “Is the shot angle too steep? Should I aim lower or higher?”
A moment of self-doubt breeds hesitation. The buck flicks its tail and disappears into the brush behind the stand, from which it never returns. The hunter shakes his head in disappointment, acknowledging his missed opportunity; but perhaps it’s for the better. Living, breathing whitetails are unpredictable creatures. They are certainly a far cry from the stationary, foam 3-D targets or blocks at which archers typically shoot most of their practice arrows. Real deer, by contrast, are constantly on the move, presenting shots from various angles, conditions and distances. Hunters should always consider the angle of the shot before letting an arrow fly.
Though today’s 3-D targets boast unrivaled realism, not all are equipped with proportionate vitals for practicing the diverse shot angles one might experience in the field. For example, the aiming point on a broadside deer will vary drastically from one that is quartering away.
If a hunter were to aim for the “ten-ring” target vital area on a real quartering deer, they would likely only catch the front shoulder and one lung, risking an inefficient, prolonged expiration or a lost and unrecoverable deer.
A better option would be to line up with the far side leg- moving the aiming point back along the nearside flank to the rear of the vitals, ensuring a clean double lung pass-through, even if it might not earn top score at a 3-D shoot. The same could be said for elevated shot angles. If a tree stand is one’s primary hunting location, be sure to shoot from an elevated position. If possible, hang a stand in the backyard to practice downward shots regularly.
A closer, more steeply angled shot is often more difficult to make than a farther one because the margin for error shrinks based on elevation. The higher a shooter is positioned, the tighter the angle becomes from the arrow’s release point to the target. Wide vitals become narrow, and a quality shot situation quickly diminishes. It is important to note that tree stand shots are different than shots at eye-level. Archers should practice bending at their waist instead of at their knees to maintain a consistent anchor point. If shooting from a seated tree stand position, knees should be as square to one’s midsection as possible, and shooters should attempt to keep both arms level on a straight plane while at full draw to avoid slumping.
It is probably best to try to avoid exceptionally steep downward shot angles, as well as straight on or quartering-to angles if possible, as these are not the most ethical or efficient ways to cleanly harvest a whitetail with archery tackle. Though hunters may get lucky and slip an arrow into just the right spot, these shots are very risky and could result in a wounded animal.
The most appropriate advice would be to differentiate practice sessions to mimic the variety of shot angles one might encounter while hunting.
Whenever possible, try to line up for a double lung or heart shot, no matter the angle. Experiment with aiming points on foam prior to the season to become more comfortable and better prepared if a real deer does something unpredictable, furthering the need for precise shot placement. As hunters and keepers of the land and wildlife resources we pursue, it is absolutely imperative that we do all we can to become highly proficient with our hunting tools. By always considering the angle of the shot, hunters will find more success, and they’ll have more confidence knowing they’ve done their best to ensure a quick, clean, responsible harvest.
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