Steep Angles: Shot Placement Guide
Idaho outdoor intelligence and field strategy from Roam Idaho.
Idaho is steep. Really steep. Shooting uphill or downhill changes the physics of your arrow or bullet flight. Miss high, and you shave hair. Hit high, and you might wound an animal. Here is the geometry of the kill.
The Physics: Gravity doesn't care about the hypotenuse
When you range an animal at a steep angle, the "line of sight" distance is longer than the "horizontal" distance. Gravity only acts on the bullet/arrow over the horizontal distance.
Rule: Always shoot for the horizontal distance.
Example: A buck is 60 yards away at a 40-degree angle. The horizontal distance is only 46 yards. If you aim for 60, you will shoot high.
The Solution: Angle Compensation
Most modern rangefinders have an "ARC" (Angle Range Compensation) mode. Turn it on. Trust it. Aim for the number it gives you, not the line of sight.
Anatomy Changes
The vitals (heart/lungs) are a 3D box inside the animal. The angle changes where you need to enter to exit through the vitals.
- Broadside Level: Aim for the lower third.
- Steep Downhill: Aim HIGHER on the body. The arrow needs to enter high to pass through the center of the lungs. If you aim low (like normal), you might exit quickly through the brisket (single lung).
- Steep Uphill: Aim LOWER. You need to enter low to exit through the vitals.
Roam Idaho Pro Tip: The Spine
Watch the Spine. On steep downhill shots, hunters often "spine" animals because the spine is much lower in the body than it appears from above. Visualize the exit hole on the far side of the animal and aim for that line.
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