When an animal is directly below my stand I usually wait until they move away 18 to 20 yards then take the shot. Having shot a lot of 3D I can tell you that an extreme downward shot may have to be shot with a 30 or 40-yard pin to bring the point of impact up. I would consider a 10-yard shot from 30 ft up an extreme downward shot. A diffrrent bh wont fix the issue

 

It depends. Ideally a straight down shot is ill advised in my opinion. I would wait for a broadside shot. Super steep.angles make it considerably harder to perforate both lungs on anything but broadside. I hunt a similar stand and have had to pass on a few due to the poor shot choices

 

Look at some deer anatomy photos and ask yourself how you can hit both lungs shooting nearly straight down. Wait for the deer to move into a better shot position, or let them walk.

 

Good input, thanks guys. Still learning. That doe I shot Saturday was only my 5th bowkill. Only my 2nd year on this mountain property (lost access to my hayfields and hardwoods property last year due to it being sold). Based on the travel route along this ridge, the point at which I'm shooting is when they're broadside. If I wait until they're further away, it'll be a much more quartering away shot, but that might be preferable because what I'm doing obviously isn't working. Thanks again for the help guys!

 

I make a conscious effort to set my stands as such to hopefully get a quartering away shot, or to put the arrow in the pocket right behind the front leg for a heart shot. A quartering away shot elongates the kill zone, think of a broadside shot as a "circle", quartering away makes it an "oval". Quartering away shot, aim for the opposite front leg.

 

I personally have a really hard time shooting steep angles with good form. Directly below would mean a serious bend at the waste, and it would be difficult to not pivot the front arm, stay hard against the back wall and pull through the shot.

 

Do you have vultures in your area? 3-5 days of volatile putrescene and cadaverine will bring them if your deer dies…

 

In the unlikely event that I start a heavy metal garage band in my 50s, I'm naming it Volatile Putrescine.

Cadaverine might even be better. ☠🎸🤘

 

If the deer is right under the tree I always shoot under the spine for a blood exit out of the brisket, I never take a frontal shot that could be a gut exit, the intestines will plug the exit and you will have a bad blood trail. There is a higher chance of only hitting one lung on a straight down shot but I have never had a bad outcome from a Brisket exit, always good blood trails.

 

The deer I’ve shot straight down. Put it between the shoulder blades and break the spine. Then try and get another arrow in it.
Sometimes it’s your only shot.

 

That’s what I was going to say. It’s definitely not “ideal,” but if your freezer’s empty and your kids are hungry, take that shot KNOWING that your objective is to get the animal on the ground and follow up with a quick, well placed second shot. Some newer hunters don’t have the stomach to do what’s necessary to put the wounded animal out of its misery, but it’s a blood sport, and it might not be for everyone.

 

I’ve shot plenty straight down or close to it. Definitely need to get it up towards the base of the neck almost and between the shoulder blades. Kinda rough to think of it that way, but you essentially need to aim for a spine shot.

 

Non fatal huh… keep telling yourself that. Your up too high as well, not sure why your 40’ above your target, thats kinda nuts, especially with a bow. Learn to respect the animals, twice is sloppy.

 

This right here is why I almost didn’t ask the question. Ok Mr Perfect, sorry I’m not as good as you. Heaven forbid someone try and learn and improve. And it’s 30ft above the ground. The deer was downhill. Guess what, on the other side, it’s uphill so the deer are only 20ft down.

Geez some people’s kids.

 

Steep angled shots are the most difficult to hold good form, no doubt.

Best strategy on any angled shot is to shoot for the exit.

Maybe practice that shot more….

 

I only use the pin to get the left/right alignment and look to the side of the arrow itself to get the other angle, aiming for the heart. Has never failed

 

Question for you, how often do you practice shots from an elevated position?

I set 3-4 targets at different distances and angles from a practice stand and shoot out of a tree at least a month out from hunting season to start getting back in the groove.

Practice how you hunt.

 

I take that shot all day everyday, my Rage head is deadly in that scenario.

 

After two lost deer it's time to quit taking that shot. Expecting to hit your target 1 inch away from your previous hits is insane. Find a spot where the deer aren't at such a steep level when moving through. If directly below you wait for them to get out a little ways.

 

You probably got a single lung hit.

They can survive a single lung hit, but most the time die a few hours - few days after being shot

 

my advise would be set small items to aim at and take sevral shots at these items to see where you are hitting and that will tell you where you need to aim so when the next deer comes thru you will be ready. i like you lost a great buck one year because of that steep angle buck was in the creek below me and my shot went high even though i aimed 3 inchs low.

 

Yes, practice the shot, my 20 yard pin hits dead on straight down from 20 feet. That shot isn't a give me, at that angle you have to be precise.

 

Based on the fletching,that would be a back strap hit and no other BH would have changed the outcome.

 

As someone mentioned, it is hard to keep good form when shooting straight down. Most shots will tend to be high and you may be hitting above the spine in the backstrap meat... (blood, sometimes meat, fat and a few hairs on the arrow... blood trail is steady then gets weaker and weaker, blood is often watery in appearance). The way it was explained to me, is whatever your best shooting form (grip, bow arm, anchor, etc) is from the waist up should always kept consistent... so if you can bend at the waist and keep everything above your waist consistent... then you should hit where you are aiming. It helps me to put my butt against the tree to achieve this. i think the tendency for most is to just lower your bow arm... this is changing your best form and usually causes the shot to impact high. Practice at home from a stand is good advice too

 

I've apparently made the same mistake twice now. Once last year and again this past Saturday. Shooting a 100gr Slick Trick Broadhead, deer at 10-12 yds. I'm 30ft up in my tree and the ground sloping down, so the deer is probably more like 40 ft below me (I hunt in the mountains). In both cases, based on type of blood on the arrow (deep red, not pink, no bubbles), white hair at the point of impact, and no dead deer (despite tracking dogs, etc) I have to assume non-fatal hits. I did at least get a doe this weekend, but shot her with a Swhacker expandable, great blood trail, deer dead 60yds away in the creek.

Anyway, how/where do you hold to try and hit both lungs and/or a fatal hit with a nearly straight down shot like that? And would the expandable Swhacker (bigger cut) have potentially changed the outcome?

This is Saturday's arrow (from the non-fatal Slick-Trick deer)

Straight Down is a difficult shot for a number of reasons. Often you have to aim low, and if you're not well versed in that is difficult for some of us. I've only shot one animal that was significantly lower than me and have missed several others.

 

30' is crazy high. Don't go above 20' and it should lessen the chance of a bad shot angle

 

I'm not saying you did the wrong thing, heaven knows, as bowhunters, we all screw up & yes, I sure have BUT NOW In my 65 years of bowhunting (yes, I actually started in 1956) I like to think I have "learned" a few things. 1-I no longer hunt from more than 15 feet. Why? Getting higher decreases your chances & angle of a good "vitals" hit. 2-IF right under me, have the patience to let the critter get farther out for a larger vital area to hit. Why? Straight down & if not the spine a one lunger. Heart, we all get lucky once in awhile. 50-50 is not good odds if your a gambler. 3-vitals are the goal when bowhunting for a quick kill & decreasing the angle decreases that outcome.. I know my Southern bowhunting friends like to get "real high" by my standards (I've bowhunted several S. states & have been exposed) & I did just fine at 15 foot.. Movement is your biggest enemy, regardless of height (YES, we should all know about "the wind" if we're going to bowhunt). All I can really say is, when it's me, I hold off for the shot "I WANT". Good luck & as you travel that journey of learning, know you'll screw up BUT you defiantly are not alone in that category. Top 2 photos are 12 feet (notice how much vital area at 12 foot)Next 2 are 15 feet right under & last is 12 foot where I had SIX does all around me 5 to 15 yds feeding for half hour.. I no longer shoot Does but have taken at least 30 from 15 foot & less. My daughter is afraid of heights & I have 10 & 12 footers for her. We've taken Deer out of all of them.

, Newbie or veteran.

 

30' ....holy crap!! The higher you go the smaller the kill zone is! I have tucked it right down the crease in the neck to get the heart but you still need a bit of angle to pull that off. In my opinion there is no ethical shot straight down.

 

Not an ideal shot by any means. Some have have stated to aim between the shoulder blades or even further forward? Not sure I follow that one...

 

As stated previously, it's a good idea to place your arrow more forward for that almost straight down shot. Forget about going for a double lung and instead go for the heart and all those arteries in the front of the chest cavity.

Not to beat a dead horse but practicing that shot is critical. At that angle the vital zone is about the size of a baseball. Hit too high, missing the spine, and you have a non recoverable wounded deer.

Oh and forget the mechanical. Straight line penetration is very important here. None of that deflection off the scapula crap will help.
And in case you don't hit the spine, you'll want an exit wound so there's some blood to follow. No mechanicals on that shot!