Sunday evening I had a doe walk into the far end of my shooting lane to my left. I was in a 17 ft ladder on the side of the ridge. The end of the shooting lane was probably another 15 ft downhill from the bottom of my ladder. It was a shot I probably should not have taken, but I had an itchy finger. She was slightly quatering away and it was starting to get dark. I ranged the spot before and it was 26 yards. I have a I put my 20 and 30 yard pins on her, planning to hit the gap and let the arrow fly. She didn't jump the string, but the arrow just shaved her back, no blood, she ran off and blew me. My rangefinder does not compensate for angle and I'm pretty sure that's the only reason I missed her because I have been hitting good at the range. How much should I compensate on angled shots like that?

I've made the same mistake before. You should have put your 20 pin on her. Always use less pin when shooting steep downhill and more pin when shooting up a ridge or bank. GRAVITY

in a situation like that, the 20 pin would be the one to use

To answer your ? Though, I would say one pin would be enough. Especially downhill.

Thanks for the responses. I don't have the money to drop on one of those ARC rangefinders. Lucky it was a does, and got the learning experience from it though.

I wouldn't count on that. I spent the extra money to get one with the ARC deal on it and it's not ever (that I can recall) changed the distance more than a yard or two, unless it was some freakish angle. And I do mean a freakishly steep angle. Nothing like a normal treestand even on a hillside would cause.

Same here, it has never given me more than a 3 yard difference

If you cut my shirt tail I can cut yours. I missed one today text book how I would want her to walk in but she winded me as she slowly walked away I tried a grunt and let a arrow go. I think I caught a branch but really don't know. No arrow or blood just a white tail in the wind. Second time this year I missed a doe. Looking for my first now kill but it isn't coming easy.

I missed a doe at 5 yards today..... still not sure how...

From now on I am taking my time and thinking out my shots. I think that is my biggest mistake is rushing it. Sorry I don't know the key to it by any means but from now on my personal goal is deep breaths think deep breath think deep breath think some more aim think some more aim and think even harder then shot. Good luck to all I will be in the woods

Make sure you bend at the waste to make the angle on those shots. If you drop your bow arm to make the angle you will shoot high. Also on an Alabama nannerhead, you better aim low, for the heart.

Thanks for the advice my shot wasn't on a angle but I will remember that. In years of your guys experience do deer come back the way they came if you missed a few days before? I am in the same stand again hoping the universe gives me a replay.