I have seen this done in videos but can anyone out here shoot there bow laying down or, have you ever been in a position to have to do so and done it? I know its extreme however I have always pondered this question.
I need to learn to do that too.... I'm always falling asleep in the woods.... Just getting old...lol !!! Seems the deer are interested in my snoring ... Kind of crazy !!
Yep! I can shoot my bow laying down. Never had a need to do it though except for just showing off.
If you are a spy and in a fight you could shoot the bad guy's shins under the car.
Worm hunting are ya?
Me and a fellow club member was shooting laying down a while back after a 3D shoot. It was fun and I was surprized we hit as well as we did.
I really don't see me having to use it in a hunting situation, unless like gspbowhunt above and fall asleep, but it's fun to play!
I have done it a few times just to say I could. I found that arching the back enough to handle the shot making (lying on the belly) is for much younger and stronger guys than me. Us older shooters just don't need to strain that much!
I can't imagine a need to really use such a shot in a real hunting situation, though.
One of the local trad 3D shoots always has a laying down shot; many people do fairly well at it. But the big surprise is seeing a guy with an ataltl hit the 10 ring on that target.
Guy
Was in the panhandle of Texas once out in the wide open and if I had known how to do this, could have taken a shot! I watched a doe feed for about an hour till it got dark. There was no way to take a shot.
I did hear a story one time about a guy who would walk out into a field and lay down. When he shot at deer from that position they were so close he actually shot up into them.
No idea if it was a true story or not.
Guy
spot and stalk mulies in sage brush country, as well as speed goats, this has come in handy. I even got an elk this way several years back, he came in on the wrong side of a deadfall I was kneeling next to. Though it isn't a true laying down flat.... I lay flat on my belly then pull one knee up against my chest, then draw horizontal. that helps me be more stable then with both legs flat, and its still very low to the ground. IT works good And is surprisingly accurate, though always to the right at first.
Me and a buddy used to do it alot to show of at shoots. We would wait for a crowd of wheel bow guys than take the belly shot always freaked em out. Works good if you can lay your chest on a big rock or hang your bow out over a cliff. My buddy had the built in elevation with his gut. Longbow with no quiver works great.
Did it for a little trial in a weekly shot competition with the guys on TBH.com, was surprised that I could shoot reasonably accurate in that position, trick was really to focus on calming down during the shot sequence, not just straining up and shooting quick. Not sure I'd do it hunting, but nice to know it's possible.
I have done it many times from may back. You have to roll the string is the best way I know how to describe it to you. When I first tried I could not keep the arrow on the bow.
I've tried it a few times.Just need to find a consistent place to anchor and it could be as accurate as any other postion.
I've done it a few times playing around but not something I would think I have a real need for other than the fun factor.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/laydownsquirrel.jpg)
How is that arrow staying on the shelf?
Charlie that is too funny.
QuoteOriginally posted by kbetts:
How is that arrow staying on the shelf?
You have to roll the string in a bit to hold the arrow on. Try it. It is a lot of fun and everyone always asks, "How is that arrow staying on the shelf"?
I used to do a lot of shooting from the prone and other positions back when I was doing shooting demos.
Here's a video clip that I did for an outdoor show in 1980.. :scared: ...The Bear was a bionic steel target with a hole in the kill zone. The stake in front of me was where the target was normally shot from, I was shooting from around 20 yards with a 70# Big Horn bow made by Ron Maulding. I was slimmer and more agile back then.. :biglaugh:
http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-2.wmv
I would not do it in a hunting situation but I can shoot pretty accurately out to about 15 yds on my back or belly.
It's easier for me if I am lying on a bench. I dont have much practice from the ground. I find I wasnt great at it but not terrible. If it was a close hunting shot I would take it. By close I would say 15 yards or less.
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu197/TradBowKid/TG5.jpg)
Nice Cody, I was wondering if we would see a pic of you doing the above mentioned :thumbsup:
I would try it but it might take all day for me to get back in a vertical position...PR
Funny way to shoot a cat!
we were goofing around with that at Sawmill (PA) this past year. Both on your back, and on your belly.
Made for lots of laughs
I use to employ the laying down shot a lot when ground squirrel hunting... squirrels out in a meadow with no cover near. Walk up until they go down the hole. Move up within range and make yourself comfortable. Twang, plop!
Results of the first photo.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/13linedgsquirrel.jpg)
Keeping the arrow on the string is simple. Let it lay on your finger as you draw. About half way back it will stay on the rest all by itself... unless you shoot off the very tips of your fingers.
Practiced shooting off of stomach for a few years. Missed a nice pronghorn that way in CO. Always practiced in short sleeves and hunted in long sleeves. Hit the sleeve, arrow went under buck. He was only 10 yards away. Good fun!
A few of us shoot off our bellies at our local 3d shoots and during winter league nights. We have a lot of fun and are reasonably accurate. I never needed it hunting yet.
Ahhh, gotta get half way back for the arrow to stay on huh? I tried earlier and no dice. I thought my nocks were too loose. Gotta try again.
yeah, for me its always been on my stomach. First I've heard of being able to do it the other way. I'll give her a go! heaven knows my dad needs to be able to do this with all the midmorning siestas he takes! course, he shoots wheels
Mr. Lamb, that brings a whole new meaning to "aim small, miss small".
I think I'm gonna try this out. I could have had a great shot on a whitetail a couple of seasons ago, had I been able to shoot laying down.
Ok, so it can be done! I'm going to try it so next time I'm in the predicament I was in up in the panhandle, I'll have another option. Thanks for all the input.
At a archery shoot on Camp Pendleton here in So Cal one of the shots for traditional archers was to shoot under a string stretched between two posts at a height of approximately 15 inches. Archers used various techniques to try this shot with mixed results. I used Charlie Lamb's method had the best result in my group.
QuoteOriginally posted by Ron LaClair:
I used to do a lot of shooting from the prone and other positions back when I was doing shooting demos.
Ron, I have witnessed you shooting off of your back with your feet. You said you learned how to do this when you broke your arm. I think it was on the first Masters of the Bare Bow. I've not tried this yet. Maybe I will tomorrow. :thumbsup:
When I was a kid in the late 50s I saw a film of Howard Hill shooting on his back. I took my fiber glass Ben Pearson out and used it to shoot ground squirrels in the grave yard open grass area, all graves now. I shot one doe on my back with a heavy longbow. I was using a badger dig on a hillside for a place to sit, while I had a cup of tea and a cigar. The doe came from above to the left. when it turned away, I laid back with bow and arrow in hand. It got curious and came over to check me out. When it got to within 15 feet of me, it decided it had seen and smelled enough and turned to leave. My shot was good and my first doe tag was filled.