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, a soft cadence of footfalls approaching from the side is detected. Turning slowly with bow in hand, a tall-tined buck is seen feeding its way along a trail past the 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 on a small maple leaf then casually feasts upon white oak acorns nestled among the forest floor.
As the hunter prepares for a shot much closer than anticipated, a twinkle of regret is felt. When the stand was erected it was never expected a deer would approach from this direction, so this shot was never practiced. Doubt now replaces anticipation as to the shot angle being too steep and if the point of aim should be low or high.
That moment of self-doubt breeds hesitation, and the buck flicks its tail as it disappears into the brush behind the stand. It never returns. Shaking his head in disappointment, the hunter acknowledges the missed opportunity; but perhaps it is for the better.
Living, breathing whitetails are unpredictable creatures, and they are certainly a far cry from the stationary, foam, 3-D or block targets that bowhunters typically shoot most of their practice arrows. Real deer, by contrast, are constantly on the move, presenting shots from various angles, conditions and distances, and as such, 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 “10-ring” target vital area on a real quartering deer, they would likely only catch the front shoulder, risking an inefficient, prolonged expi-ration or a lost, 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.
This is much the same for elevated shot angles, so if a treestand is one’s primary hunting location, practice shots from an elevated position. If possible, hang a stand in the backyard to practice downward shots regularly because 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.
Angles become tighter the higher a shooter is positioned from the point of arrow release to the target. Wide vitals become narrow, and a quality shot situation quickly diminishes.
It is important to note that treestand shots are different than shots at eye level, so bowhunters should practice bending at their waist instead of at their knees to maintain a consistent anchor point. If shooting from a seated treestand 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 take a whitetail. 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.
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, so experiment with aiming points on practice targets prior to the season to become more comfortable and better prepared when a real deer does something unpredictable when it really matters.
By always considering the angle of the shot, hunters will find more success and have more confidence knowing they have done their best to ensure a quick, clean, responsible kill.