Arrow Drop at High Elevation

Joined
Dec 13, 2021
Messages
50
He folks,

Just curious if any of you have noticed a change in arrow drop (lack of) from sea level to say 10,000 ft. I'm sure it's minimal....but I'm sure it's also there. Just curious if one should sight in say 2" low at given yardages at say 600ft knowing they will be hunting at 9-10.5k ft in Sept. ....or just sight in normal and then make changes when you get to camp and check your bow.....basically knowing your gonna be moving sights down a bump?
 

CJF

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
388
Location
CO
You definitely need to shoot at your max effective range at elevation in order to make this determination prior to hunting. If you have practiced and set up your bow at max poundage and you are hitting high at your max effective range then a simple solution is to slowly turn your poundage down until you are back on target. The other articles will suggest this as well.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
8,820
Location
Shenandoah Valley
I won money in camp shooting beer cans at 75 yards. Bow was sighted in at 1280', camp was around 9200'.

It could be an inch, maybe 2, but it's nothing to concern yourself with inside 100 from my standpoint.


I'd likely be considered an above average shot, and I have never taken note of any changes, and generally shoot a fair amount in camp.
 
OP
B
Joined
Dec 13, 2021
Messages
50
Thanks a bunch folks,

With 1 Sept fast approaching these are the kinds of things that I'm pondering about these days. Probably not as important as I want to make it. back to e-scouting, 10 day out forecasts and a myriad of other things that probably won't really affect things.....lol
 
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
529
Take a target and shoot at the trail. 2 years ago I was hitting about 4-6” high at 60 yds at 10k vs sea level. Some of that may have been me though? Last year was about 1/2 that. Vanes, heads, diameter all factor
 

rclouse79

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
1,726
It is hard for me to imagine the 4000 ft difference between where I practice and hunt making enough of a difference to worry about. I have shot targets at the trailhead. If there was any difference, my precision level was not sufficient to see it.
 

BucksNBulls

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Messages
201
Best solution is to take a target to camp. We always take 1 or 2 if for nothing else to make sure that nothing got bumped etc during the trip there.
 

Elk97

WKR
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
767
Location
NW WA & SW MT
My son was just here (sea level) for a visit from Bozeman (4500'). His bow was shooting dead on at home but his groups (4-5") at 60 yards were almost 6" low. That seems too extreme to just be the elevation change, but it was at all ranges (less at shorter distance, more at longer). He's going to check it when he gets home. I've never noticed any change going from here at 1' to where we hunt at 7-9000'.
 

Super 91

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
123
Location
Roanoke, VA
For me, I live at 1000' above sea level. We set up camp at 10,000. If I shoot lighter arrows in the 350-400 range they hit a lot higher at 50+ yards. My normal 550-600 grain arrows only end up being slightly higher, but just barely enough to notice. Most of the time I shoot to hit where my pin is at. When I get to Colorado at hit elevation, it's more like I have a 6 o'clock hold on the target and I end up hitting just above my pin hold.
 
Top