Who even uses rangefinders?

T

Tenderfoot

New member
May 8, 2014
86
I have been researching rangefinders and stressing about my hunting budget this year... now I am starting to wonder if a rangefinder is even a necessity for archery hunting. I went to the range twice in over the long weekend and did perfect at \"ranging\" the 3d targets with my eyeballs.

Who uses em?
How much?
 
I use my rangefinder at each and every call set. I even range elk as they are coming in.
Take your bow out to the woods and do some stump shooting with real conditions.
I think you\'ll find a rangefinder is a useful tool, especially further than 40 yds
 
I\'m with Brad. I range every time I sit down.

It takes the guesswork out of the shot. One less thing to worry about.
 
At the least borrow one and bring it scouting, practice estimating things and then verify with rangefinder, some folks are better at it than others. Sooner or later you?ll have a shot come up that doesn?t allow you time to use one. The more you practice the better you?ll get, but constant environment changes and elevation deviations will screw with your perception. When time allows I always use mine, and like is mentioned before if I?m sitting still a while, ill range and mark a few trees for reference.

But the short answer is no you don?t have to get one, the long answer is, hunt without one long enough and you?ll curse the day you skimped out on it. Shooting under little to no pressure is way different than on a critter that is walking, looking and alert.
 
I for one use one. It is attached to tmy binocular harness and is ready at a moments notice. Like my binoculars, I choose to not hunt without it! I would no sooner leave camp without it than my bow or release!

>>>>-------->
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I have hunted for 2 years now without one... I will be picking one up in the coming weeks.


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The biggest mulie buck I\'ve ever had a shot at was lucky I did not use the rangefinder in my pocket :downthumb: That buck was killed by a rifle hunter a couple weeks later & scored 230 something. I got so excited watching him come in that I forgot all about the rangefinder & misjudged the yardage BAD. I would put rangefinders down as the # 1 piece of equipment that has helped all hunters deliver more accurate shots at game. I have a Nikon 440 that does great at all bow ranges & picked up a Leica CRF 900 for longer range rifle work. Shop the archerytalk classifieds as well as eBay & you can pick up a used one that won\'t break the bank. I can honestly say I\'ve never ranged an animal that I shot, but have ranged objects before they arrived that helped me close the deal.
 
i range when i sit down, but have a hard time remembering the yardages after i sit there for awhile. im not sure i could remember to range an elk, or if it would be to much movement wasted time in the heat of the moment. get em within 20 yds an shoot away. lol.
 
I have been thinking as you do, bnsafe! the way I have my rifle scope set up is 1/2 in high at 100yds and 3 in low at 300 yds... I never even think about drop or distance or anything... I can definitely tell if my target is more than 300 yds and won\'t shoot, I just put the crosshairs in the middle of the vitals and voila!

I haven\'t even drawn my bow on an elk yet in 2 seasons to see what their vital area looks like through a bowsight at 20 yds but I guess I just figured my arrow drops a couple of inches over 50 yards as long as I am not aiming too low it should end up fine. :dk:

After saying that outloud to myself and typing it up I am even more convinced that a rangefinder can only help me in the elk woods. Thanks again fellas!
 
Although I haven\'t actually used a rangefinder during an elk hunt, I use mine year-round to set my mental \"sights.\" When I\'m scouting, hiking, stump shooting, or even just out walking, I\'ll often carry a rangefinder. As I\'m moving along, I\'ll guess a distance, then range it. Repeat, repeat, repeat. If you do that regularly throughout the year, you might develop a more instinctive sense of what different yardages look like in various terrain and in different light levels (and all the other things that play tricks on your eyes). People might look at you funny, but it\'s worth the confidence. Or at least it has been for me!
 
That is a terrific trick Chica :clap: I\'m constantly estimating yardages when I\'m out & about. If I don\'t have my rangefinder with me, I often step it off just to see. Practice your range estimation enough & you can get to where your quite accurate in time.
 
When I sit down I range everything around me, so if something comes in quick, I have a good idea of their yardage.
If it comes in slow, I am ranging a lot!


I use the Leupold and it\'s phenomenal!
 
I use the Leica and love it. I don\'t ever go hunting without mine. I have missed plenty of animals cause estimating wasn\'t good enough. I think with archery equipment it is a must for me. Lot more margin of error with bow than rifle when it comes to rangefinders.
 
Awesome! Thanks everyone. I will have to try some out and pick one up. I really like Chica\'s method and will probably get some good looks as I range everything this summer!
 
good luck james, if ur gonna get one spend a few bucks extra an get one with arc, is it needed, not really, but might as well have it. i bought the bushnell scout 1000 last year an like it. if money is an issue, an im sure it is, look on the classified of the hunting sites an you should be able to find something for a better price.
 
I use Chica\'s methods and do occasionally get the looks from people. It doesn\'t bother me. So far, no one has the nerve to ask me what I am doing. Before I started using the pacing method on walks, my estimating was terrible.

So far, I am only good at estimating up to 35 yards for varying terrain. However, my effective elk hunting distance is only 25 yards for my setup.

I use the Opti-Logic Micro II Laser Rangefinder. It is a no frills model with ARC which is a must have feature IMHO. I like the model because I have small hands and the display is not cluttered.
 
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