Post by lockmaster on Feb 1, 2006 11:31:42 GMT -5
One of the very important things to practice as a hunter (new or experienced), no matter what type weapon you're using is being able to judge distances whether it is 15 yards or 250 yards. (Rangefinder are very nice if you can afford them) It can mean a big difference in a good hit, bad hit or complete miss. Over the many years I have been hunting, I have tried to master it by judging and then measuring at different times whether hunting or not. The perspective will be different when judging in an open field, in open woods, in brush and in long narrow clearings....up hill, down hill and on level ground. Just to give you and example, go to where there is a large (24-36") drain pipe running under a road. Go and look through one end of the drain pipe and see how far you think it is to the other end..then measure it if you can. You will find it is not nearly as far as you think because of the perspective of looking through a "tunnel". You will find that the same applies when you are hunting and look down a narrow ravine or long narrow clearing (brush or trees on both sides) to a given point. Try that....find a small ravine and stand in the lowest part of it, pick out an object (tree, rock, limb etc.) and decide how far you think it is and then measure it. 
Surprised? You can train yourself to judge distances better with practice.....all year long and in different terrain. If you hunt from a stand, have your dad take his decoy or target buck out and stand it 20 yards from the base of the tree where your stand is, then get up in your stand and look at it. If you are up 15 ft., the decoy or target may "appear" to be 30-40 yards away. (this is a good way to practice too...actual shooting...at a "target" (placed at different locations) from your stand. If you judge the distance to a "real deer" wrong from your stand, you can easily shoot over top of it or get a bad hit. Note:When you are shooting down from your stand, the best way to judge the distance is NOT the distance from you to the deer, but from the base of the tree you're in to the deer....or judge the distance to the top of a tree near the deer that is level with YOU in your stand. In other words, if the top of the tree is 20 yards from you, then that is the pin to use even though the deer "appears" to be further. A good way to make sure of the distances from your stand is to place your scene bombs or other visible "markers" at 20, 30 & 40 yards from the base of your tree. If you can find "vinyl ribbon" the same color as your sight pins you can tie the different colors up to avoid confusion. (Example: red ribbons at 20, green at 30 and yellow at 40 or same colors as your pins for the different yardages.) You will find these methods very effective. 
Another point to ponder is, if you are in your stand, 15 ft up, and a deer walks beneath your stand (yes it does happen) and provides a good shot for you when it is standing 15 FEET from the base of your tree, how far is your actual shot going to be? It will be the equivalent of 15 ft. based on the effect of gravity on your arrow! With this shot, you are now getting in to the proper placement of the shot, passing through the animal at the right angle for an effective kill....which in itself is another thing you must learn to be successful in making a good shot!! 
Surprised? You can train yourself to judge distances better with practice.....all year long and in different terrain. If you hunt from a stand, have your dad take his decoy or target buck out and stand it 20 yards from the base of the tree where your stand is, then get up in your stand and look at it. If you are up 15 ft., the decoy or target may "appear" to be 30-40 yards away. (this is a good way to practice too...actual shooting...at a "target" (placed at different locations) from your stand. If you judge the distance to a "real deer" wrong from your stand, you can easily shoot over top of it or get a bad hit. Note:When you are shooting down from your stand, the best way to judge the distance is NOT the distance from you to the deer, but from the base of the tree you're in to the deer....or judge the distance to the top of a tree near the deer that is level with YOU in your stand. In other words, if the top of the tree is 20 yards from you, then that is the pin to use even though the deer "appears" to be further. A good way to make sure of the distances from your stand is to place your scene bombs or other visible "markers" at 20, 30 & 40 yards from the base of your tree. If you can find "vinyl ribbon" the same color as your sight pins you can tie the different colors up to avoid confusion. (Example: red ribbons at 20, green at 30 and yellow at 40 or same colors as your pins for the different yardages.) You will find these methods very effective. 
Another point to ponder is, if you are in your stand, 15 ft up, and a deer walks beneath your stand (yes it does happen) and provides a good shot for you when it is standing 15 FEET from the base of your tree, how far is your actual shot going to be? It will be the equivalent of 15 ft. based on the effect of gravity on your arrow! With this shot, you are now getting in to the proper placement of the shot, passing through the animal at the right angle for an effective kill....which in itself is another thing you must learn to be successful in making a good shot!! 
