# Tactical Question-Up Hill/Down Hill Footing?



## field14 (May 21, 2002)

Jbird said:


> As a general rule of thumb most people are taught that ideal foot position would have your feet spread at near shoulder width. My question. When shooting a *severe* uphill or down hill with marginal footing are you better off shooting with your front foot higher than your back foot on an uphill and your front foot lower than your back foot on a down hill, bending a knee to keep your shoulders level, or kicking out a small spot and shooting with your feet together? This is a general "rule of thumb" question. I have seen all of these methods used and kicking out a small flat spot and shooting with your feet together seems to work best for me. What produces the best for you? Since 20's are less than automatic for me on these type shots, I am here to learn.
> Jbird


Here's my "semi-qualified" take on it Jay.....

The rule of thumb is.....take the BEST STANCE YOU CAN GET! As you well know, not all uphill downhill courses have "flat shooting platforms" cut out or logged in for you like most of them at Waverly, Iowa do, hahaha.

So...if you need to do some construction...do it. I've even found rocks or pieces of log/brush and used them for support under the lowest foot to try to get a better stance.

I, too, have been forced to shoot with my feet together, but do that only as a last resort. Of course, once in a while someone else's "construction" works just fine....but oftentimes not.

However, here is one more field shooter's RULE OF THUMB: ONCE you have established that foot/standing position on a field course..NEVER MOVE YOUR FEET AGAIN (unless you're falling down, or realize that what you just shot from as a stance was WAY WRONG). DO NOT MOVE YOUR SHUFFLE YOUR FEET AROUND ON A FIELD COURSE BETWEEN SHOTS...unless you have to move to the next block, hahaha. Over the years, I've seen so many shooters lose countless points...they'll shoot the first shot and nail it...then MOVE THEIR FEET so that they can look thru their binoculars, then try to find the "stance" again....this is fine if you have something to show you where your feet were...but most times...this isn't the case. A lot of the time, they've lost that "stance" and their next shots are sloppy...and most from poor footing that they gave up to look and see. The looking and seeing is fine...but I don't personally think the moving of the feet is the "best thing".

I think that is one of the most basic things I learned from my first ever "official" field round in 1968.

I've shot such steep uphill or downhill targets...and some really close ones too, that make the angle so bad....you have no choice but to bend a knee and you CANNOT keep your shoulders level...but you sure learn about the bend at the waist technique in a hurry...or you cannot shoot a decent shot! hahaha.

I guess I was fortunate to learn to shoot on a pretty rugged 28 hunter and even more rugged 28 field target course on Casper Mountain in Wyoming. When I say 28 targets...that is what I mean...28 STRAIGHT...at target 14 your are as far DOWN the place as you can get...and then you get to crawl right back outta there! So until recently, I never gave much thought or consideration to all this stuff being sort of complained about when it comes to course layout and toughness. I was spoiled from the beginning with lousy footing, wind, cold, muck, and severe uphill/downhill shots. So perhaps that helps you understand why I seem so "intolerant" at times about course ruggedness?? I don't mean to be that way..it comes from having to learn the ropes on rugged, windy, hilly, and steep courses with NO BREAKS after only 56 shots.

There was a 23 yarder so steep down that the limb tip of my recurve bow, even when shooting top target, was well between my short stubby legs the lower bowstring almost hits you in the crotch!....and some uphills that you felt you were falling over backwards...and sidehills that didn't 'read' right...

one in particular...bad stance, 65 yards, Stake position angled to the right sidehill...bale downhill angled the opposite direction...target "reads" high right misses...but target "looks" like no biggy bubble-wise...well...if you cut it by TWO yards like it reads, AND THEN forget to give some top limb left for "bubble"....you will STILL shoot a "4" on the blasted thing...out to the RIGHT! Some wind is always blowing....and there is a open gap (You can't see it from the stake) about 2/3 of the way to the target filtering between the two slopes, and that is the way the target shoots. That 23 yarder "cuts" for just a nudge over 20. There is a 40 yarder uphill that you CUT to 37 yards unless you like shooting high "3's"!!

Sort of like the supposed FLAT 80 on the Presidential on Sugar Hill...It looks FLAT...but it first, if I recall shoots a yard LONG and also...if you don't bubble top limb left...you will shoot a "4" or worse out the RIGHT SIDE.

Hope this helps, Jay...but I guess the answer is, "ALL OF THE ABOVE"...get the BEST FOOTING that you can FIRST, trust the BUBBLE, and then TRUST THE SHOT, and ONLY MOVE YOUR FEET IF YOU MUST.

Like I said...this is a THINKING PERSON's GAME...that is what makes it so much doggoned fun...it isn't complicated...it just takes practice, experience, love of the challenge, and the great people that are "field shooters"...and it is ALWAYS worth your time to shoot...even if it is the same course every day...you learn something every target...every time out.

field14


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

I usually just go with the best I can get....I will do a little digging or building up or whatever I need to do to get as good of a feel as I can get. But I don't like contorting or trying to do anything that really feels akward. That is just a 4 waiting to happen for me.


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## XQuest (May 5, 2003)

*Who you kidd'in*



Jbird said:


> As a general rule of thumb most people are taught that ideal foot position would have your feet spread at near shoulder width. My question. When shooting a *severe* uphill or down hill with marginal footing are you better off shooting with your front foot higher than your back foot on an uphill and your front foot lower than your back foot on a down hill, bending a knee to keep your shoulders level, or kicking out a small spot and shooting with your feet together? This is a general "rule of thumb" question. I have seen all of these methods used and kicking out a small flat spot and shooting with your feet together seems to work best for me. What produces the best for you? Since 20's are less than automatic for me on these type shots, I am here to learn.
> Jbird


Jay.....just get as comfortable as you can and crank it......everybody's got to shoot it so get with the program and put it behind you.


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## Jbird (May 21, 2002)

*LOL Dean*

You definitely don't want to over think it. 
Jbird


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