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Accuracy while in saddle

E

Ehlusive

Active Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Messages
145
Location
Missouri
So, I know you will all say practice practice. Yeah I get all that but i shot today at 40 yards from saddle, not impressed with grouping. My 80 yard groups are better from stand than my 40 from saddle. Any tricks? I've made some margin shots last couple years while in my saddle that I don't think would of happened from a stand. Love the saddle but I can't give up much accuracy.
 
Couple of things I really focus on are.
1. don’t lean back.
My natural position when I’m in my saddle is to be slightly leaning back so I focus on bending at the waist into the tree so my back and shoulders are straight. Think perfect posture when sitting in a chair.
2. if at all possible get at least one knee into the tree for stability. By doing this it keeps me from swaying plus in forces me to lean forward slightly helping me with number 1.

If at all possible set up a video camera an record yourself shooting. That’s how I figured out I was leaning back which was making me have to torque the bow to get my bubble level.
 
For some reason I shoot well from the JX3. But who knows in what ways your form might be compromised while shooting from a tree. To kyler1945s point my buddy clean missed an 18 yard chip shot on a shooter last year from his climber.

I don’t know exactly how to fix your issue but here’s a collection of thoughts (1) time at the range is good but practicing from the elevated saddle might be even more important, multiple shot angles, (2) I wonder how many arrows - particularly fixed heads - are perfectly tuned at the range and then fly poorly in the field due to in tree variables, and (3) I wonder how many “max ranges” are established at the archery range and never vetted from the tree, resulting in lost deer.
 
Setup your saddle on a tree with your feet on the ground to practice. That'll allow you to figure out angles, foot positioning, torso movement, etc without having the added pressure of climbing repeatedly (along with the little angel on your shoulder questioning the life decisions you've made by hanging off the ground by a rope).
 
Here is what seems to work for me so far. I shot my 68" longbow out of the saddle a few days ago after some discussion on here. I put shotgun shells out at various ranges all around the tree from 6 to 25 yards or so and took one shot each at them. I hit within a couple of inches of even the farthest one. That's plenty good for bowhunting. Aim small miss small. I also never shoot groups. I try to put the first shot where it counts because that is all I'm going to get for hunting. Twenty-five yards is also my self imposed maximum range to shoot at an unwounded deer.
 
Stability is the key. Make sure that when you position yourself for a shot, that you feel stable and secure. If you are fighting gravity or engaging your abs to try to steady yourself, you will tense up. Another thing that I find helps greatly is to have someone record your shooting. This way you can decipher if you’re dropping your lead arm, or leaning out to much. Shaking ect…. Watching videos of you shooting, can help you recognize what you are doing different or incorrect. And finally a lot of guys coming over from the tree stand world, do better if they look straight ahead and draw their bow at the horizon, then pivot at the waist to take your shot. It helps with t form, until you get more used to rolling your rope through your carabiner and then drawing. Hope this helps
 
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Fl Canopy Stalker said:
Stability is the key. Make sure that when you position yourself for a shot, that you feel stable and secure. If you are fighting gravity or engaging your abs to try to steady yourself, you will tense up. Another thing that I find helps greatly is to have someone record your shooting. This way you can decipher if you’re dropping your lead arm, or leaning out to much. Shaking ect…. Watching videos of you shooting, can help you recognize what you are doing different or incorrect. And finally a lot of guys coming over from the tree stand world, do better if they look straight ahead and draw their bow at the horizon, then pivot at the waist to take your shot. It helps with t form, until you get more used to rolling your rope through your carabiner and then drawing. Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Completely agree about stability. For me adding a ros to my set up makes a huge difference for stability and accuracy.
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
Stability is the key. Make sure that when you position yourself for a shot, that you feel stable and secure. If you are fighting gravity or engaging your abs to try to steady yourself, you will tense up. Another thing that I find helps greatly is to have someone record your shooting. This way you can decipher if you’re dropping your lead arm, or leaning out to much. Shaking ect…. Watching videos of you shooting, can help you recognize what you are doing different or incorrect. And finally a lot of guys coming over from the tree stand world, do better if they look straight ahead and draw their bow at the horizon, then pivot at the waist to take your shot. It helps with t form, until you get more used to rolling your rope through your carabiner and then drawing. Hope this helps
Click to expand...
X2 on the draw horizontal, anchor, then aim. I would move my anchor point drawing down and be shooting high.
 
Get a knee or both against the tree when shooting.
That will give you multiple points of contact between your feet, your tether and knees which should keep your position rock solid in terms of stability.
How comfortable are you with being in the saddle? I'm talking confidence in trusting the saddle with your life not comfy like your favorite recliner comfy.
 
slonstdy said:
Get a knee or both against the tree when shooting.
That will give you multiple points of contact between your feet, your tether and knees which should keep your position rock solid in terms of stability.
How comfortable are you with being in the saddle? I'm talking confidence in trusting the saddle with your life not comfy like your favorite recliner comfy.
Click to expand...


Extremely. Doesn't bother me at all., do things I shouldn't
 
I wonder if someone who's tried it both ways could comment on the impact a back support has on archery. Without trying it, it seems to me that some sort of back support which would minimize torso movement, like a back band or Dryad Drey or JX3, would result in a more stable platform than a standard, un-augmented saddle would provide. Like the difference between shooting a rifle offhand, vs. supported kneeling.

Am I off-base?
 
Iron_llama said:
I wonder if someone who's tried it both ways could comment on the impact a back support has on archery. Without trying it, it seems to me that some sort of back support which would minimize torso movement, like a back band or Dryad Drey or JX3, would result in a more stable platform than a standard, un-augmented saddle would provide. Like the difference between shooting a rifle offhand, vs. supported kneeling.

Am I off-base?
Click to expand...
Dunno, but I have to drop the backband to shoot if I’m using it. I mostly lean so I pretty much quit using it all together. I feel pretty solid shooting my bow from the saddle, but I do prefer a knee against the tree. I need to learn how to shoot a rifle from it though
 
Back
Iron_llama said:
I wonder if someone who's tried it both ways could comment on the impact a back support has on archery. Without trying it, it seems to me that some sort of back support which would minimize torso movement, like a back band or Dryad Drey or JX3, would result in a more stable platform than a standard, un-augmented saddle would provide. Like the difference between shooting a rifle offhand, vs. supported kneeling.

Am I off-base?
Click to expand...
back stability and core stability help while shooting but your feet, knees and hips are the anchor point. Even in a JX3 you need a ROS or something to position your feet on while leaning out for a shot other wise that little fork is doing all your positional stability and in my experience that doesn’t work. I tried the JX3, I didn’t mind shooting a normal (10 to 11 o’clock) strong side shot. It was like shooting from a chair in a ground blind. I didn’t like the strong side shot that was around 7 or 8 o’clock angle though because twisting outward wasn’t really nearly as easy as a normal saddle nor was walking the steps while seated. A Drey would be similar to shooting a pleated saddle with a back band. As long as the material is below the tether angle where you draw, it wouldn’t interfere at all. However again non of this is relevant unless your feet or knees are firmly planted so that you achieve lower body stability. No one shoots as accurately while hanging out unbalanced with their hip flexors and abs tensed up.
 
Best accuracy:
Feet on ground flat shot
Feet on ground up hill shot
Feet on ground down hill shot
Feet on a Platform
Feet on something and in a Saddle
(you get my point)
Every time you introduce an angle of some sort the shot gets more difficult. Thats why that bubble on the sight is so important.
 
Also making sure if you have that option to set your second and third axis
 
Ehlusive said:
So, I know you will all say practice practice. Yeah I get all that but i shot today at 40 yards from saddle, not impressed with grouping. My 80 yard groups are better from stand than my 40 from saddle. Any tricks? I've made some margin shots last couple years while in my saddle that I don't think would of happened from a stand. Love the saddle but I can't give up much accuracy.
Click to expand...
Gap shooting might help
 
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