I missed a good buck a 2 years ago that was prob 5 steps from the bottom of my tree by shooting over him. Ive always wondered what went wrong. I was recently told that with a deer that close use your 40 yard pin. Seems to make sense what yall think ?

There was a similiar question and 5 pages of responses on Archerytalk not too long ago. What pin do you normally use when you practice at that distance? I have an HHA one pin slider and have shot targets from 5-50 yds by just sliding to the appropriate distance marker and trying my best to maintain my form.

I hit one low last year as well. I was told by a few folks that you need to actually aim high because the arrow starts out four inches below your sight line and the arrow doesnt have time to travel and rise to your ten pin. ElkHunter or Spoiler will be able to chime in on this as well..

I'm not going to get into physics or what "should" work, but I've killed a pile of deer within 10 yards of my tree. I shot everyone of them with my first pin. Place it on the heart and let it rip. I'll take that within 10 yard shot everyday over the 20+. I try not to take a shot STRAIGHT down though.

Don't listen to that. Learned by experience over the past 18 years. If it's that close put it on the bottom of the deer. I don't know what pin you guys shoot so I can't tell you what pin. I shoot one pin zeroed at 25 yards. As low on the deer as I can put it without leaving site of the body. Bullseye every time for me. You have to compensate the angle it's travelling while shooting at a smaller target with such a steep trajectory. Other than that... climb a tree.... shoot a target and you will find out.

There used to be a local archery range that would set up one of there targets at a range of about 8-10 feet. The ten ring was very small on this target. Most misses of the ten ring were low. You had to use your longer yardage pins to hit the ring. Obviously, that was shooting on flat ground.

If you shot over him with your top pin, you'll definitely shoot over him with your 40.

Yep

IIRC, I used my 60 or 70 yard pin at 2 yards during some shoots.

Shot a deer at 3 steps this past Saturday. I put my 20 yd pin low on him (bottom of hairline) and hit him perfect. You really need to shoot out of a tree before season to see exactly where you are going to hit. A lot of people practice at long distances but forget to practice up close. It's just as important and I've taken way more shots within 10 yds than I have over 30 yds.

What they said. At that close range, literally almost straight down, some people drop their arm instead of bending at the waist. It will cause you to shoot high. Always bend at the waist and aim in the lower part of the vitals.

Actually, it's true that you should aim high when shooting straight down, but which pin makes little difference. If there's 1" to 2" between your top and bottom pin, you'll only be making a 1" to 2" adjustment to arrow impact. The arrow leaves the bow about 4" below line of sight, so when shooting at a steep downward angle that trajectory doesn't change. If you're shooting straight down, or nearly straight down, raise the nock point to eye level and sight down the arrow.

well i assumed i missed over him by looking at this i guess it would have been under

Angle Range Compenstion is the term for this issue, to better understand it check out the Bushnell scout 1000 arc video clips. I don't own one but it helps you understand that due to angle of the shot being steep you have to compensate by shooting shorter because the distance is actually shorter. So yes placing the 20yd pin lower should solve the problem, however I don't know your setup. 3D shooting from a treestand is your best bet to know how to place your shot with your setup!

CD I think you might be off on this? Get your bow and take 3-5 step's back from your target.Shoot your first arrow at the dot with your 20 yard pin.Then take the second arrow and shoot it with your 40 yard pin.If you hold each pin in the center of the dot .I be willing to bet the 40 is closer to the center.

This^^^^ I have 2 pins one 15 and one 30. From bout 20-25 ft up if deer is 10 yards or closer I put the 15 yd pin as low as I can get and still be on the body.Practice up a tree at close distances,then you'll be ready.

I shot mine at a target 2 steps from the tree. I have a 25 & 35 yard pin & the 25 was dead on. I guess each bow & archer would be different.

Close shots is where you gotta think about where you want the arra to exit. Maybe it has to do with anchor point. At 20 ft up or so and a deer 10 yds or less, if I put my close pin center of the kill I'm cutting the hair off his back or cutting his spine.

I agree. See my post about the ultra close shot at the local range. However, if he missed high with his top pin, I can guarantee he will miss higher with his 40 pin. Agreed?

I'll agree CD, I learned bout shooting the really close ones out of a tree from our brick layer friend. He's told me several times that you gotta think where you want the arra to come out. He just kills bout a dozen a year with a bow.

I won't dare try to speak for all but, I use my 40 yd pin when shooting deer straight down. Works for me.

Get in a tree and practice it. Also shoot a few shots from the ground at 1-3 yards.

Same concept. Your sight is a few inches above your arrow. It takes distance for the arrow to rise.

Gravity doesn't work on your straight down shot. There is none other than straight down. Your arrow will stay a few inches "below" your pin.

Below is not really the correct word when aiming straight down. It is actually to the side of your pin. LOL

Whatever you do, don't take somebody's word for it. Every single person's form and anchor point is different and there isn't a one size fits all solution. The whole using the 40 yard pin at 3 yards works fine for me when I'm standing on the ground, but is DOES NOT work when I shoot at a target at 3 yards from my tree at 25' up. For that shot, I have to shoot my 20 yard pin and aim a touch low (I'm guessing because there is the extra distance due to vertical elevation). Won't know for sure what you need to do until you practice it AT VARIOUS elevations.

Agree with Boydawg on the exit thing. People say they want the deer further out so they can get both lungs, but I'll take the 6 yard shot over a 20 yarder all day and twice on Sunday. You've got to picture where the heart is and make the arrow go through it (you'll also get one lung too). Money in my book.