Bullet Trajectory When Hunting in Steep Terrain

The effects of bullet trajectory when hunting in steep terrain can be quit annoying. Having moved to Colorado from the flat lands of western New York, I was in for a rood awakening. When hunting back east I never had a problem knowing where my arrow or deer slug was going to hit and never really thought about it.

Everything was as it should be, arrow and bullet trajectory were normal as there was only slight variation in the terrain that I hunted and distances were very short.

When I first moved here archery hunting was my true passion for many years. I would practice out to 70 yds and became quit good at hitting a pop can at that distance. I always carried a range finder on my belt and was proficient with it.

No matter how good of a shot you are when hunting in steep terrain there is always the chance of an easy miss.

I shot at animals that I thought would be impossible to miss, but I did. Big, broadside elk, like billboards, usually shooting low. Nothing is more pronounced than the looping trajectory of an arrow.I even went the overdraw route, trying to flatten my trajectory so that it would increase my success, it did help some, but not really worth it because of more touchy arrow flight.

When standing on a really steep slope picture the animal that is 50 yds down hill standing next to a tree. That tree top is 20 yds away from you when looking level straight out. That 20 yds is your sight hold. Its real tempting to hold high with a different sight pin but don't because over the back it will go.

When an animal is uphill for me its even harder because there are no tree tops to help judge distance so you are left to your own judgment. Up or down the effects are the same.

With a rifle, bullet trajectory will act the same as with an arrow. An animal might be 400 yds uphill but you will hold as if that animal was dropped straight down and level with you. More than likely on a really steep hill that animal is probably only 200 yds away so do not aim high. A range finder or range finding scope will not save you. They only work on flat, level ground.

What a range finder can do is give you some idea as to what distance the animal is but you will have to guesstimate where you think you should hold.

Just because the animal is a 200 yd hold, does not mean that your bullet has the same energy as at 200 yds. Your bullet still has traveled 400 yds so ask yourself, can I humanely kill this elk with the power that my gun has at that distance. Also what kind of group can I shoot at that distance with a good rest and not breathing hard from hiking up a steep slope.

When a person can see for miles, and with high power rifle scopes and super magnum cartridges, keep in mind that your equipment might be up to the task under perfect conditions at the range, but are you, after hiking up a steep mountain and shooting off of something besides a sandbag on a concrete shooting bench.

Recently there have been some manufacturers that have come out with range finders that will compensate for steep terrain at long ranges. These most certainly would be worth looking into.

Look here for more information on Bullet Trajectory.

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