range finders

[Doc]

My ability to range distances simply using my own senses varies from one day to the next, but never is good enough that I would risk a bow shot without having done some preliminary  ranging with my Nikon rangefinder. I have seen studies that show how terrible humans are at distance estimation.

 

Here in our hunting areas, when using rifles and even a shotgun, distances are usually so close that it doesn't pay to pack a rangefinder (most of the time).

[Al Bundy]

Nobody ranges houses with theirs?

[beachpeaz]

Unless you are on one of these hunting shows that portray unrealistic hunting expectations, ya know, the ones where a 180" deer walks out in broad daylight, completely uncaring that the hunter and cameraman are talking and moving and gives the hunter 5 minutes to range find him and wait for an ideal distance.......then you don't need one.

 

Don't get me wrong, you have to know distances, but actually range-finding a mature deer prior to shooting it is extremely difficult.  I, like other people have made comment, range find all the objects around me and are prepared for any shot before the deer actually arrives. 

 

There is no chance I am going to risk additional time and movement range-finding a mature buck after it comes in range.

 

My largest bow deer to date, my 151" in my avatar snuck in behind me and gave me zero time to do anything other than shoot.  I knew he was 38 yards because he was standing in front of my 40 yard tree.  Had I not known that info and needed to range-find him, I would be telling you the story of the big buck I saw walk by.

[BizCT]

I use a rangefinder out west more than here in Ny, but I still use it. Not so much on deer but more so on specific trees ahead of time so I know certain distances so when a deer walks out I don't have to check. I use it more now with the Xbow. With the shotgun I rarely used it in NY.

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[philoshop]

My ability to range distances simply using my own senses varies from one day to the next, but never is good enough that I would risk a bow shot without having done some preliminary  ranging with my Nikon rangefinder. I have seen studies that show how terrible humans are at distance estimation.

 

Here in our hunting areas, when using rifles and even a shotgun, distances are usually so close that it doesn't pay to pack a rangefinder (most of the time).

 

I've seen many of those studies too, Doc. Almost all of them involve people who have never really practiced and developed the required skill. It's not that difficult to train yourself to accurately assess measurements, but it does require continuous practice/affirmation.

 

Before rangefinders became available and relatively inexpensive I spent a lot of time walking the woods shooting judo points at leaves, twigs, pinecones, etc. I didn't care about the actual distance, only that I was able to hit the target consistently with the arrow. It was short-range stuff, but I got to be pretty good at it. Transitioning to longer-range varmint shooting was a matter of studying misses and adjusting accordingly. And thinking, "How many foot-ball fields, or fifty-yard shooting ranges". It's a learn-able discipline.

 

A gunsmith friend of mine can immediately tell you whether a piece of metal, or a gap, is 0.004" or 0.005". And my land surveyor, 'chuck-hunting friend is able to immediately see the difference between 275 yards and 300 yards without even thinking about it.

It's a skill.

[fasteddie]

Two years ago I had a Sheriff's deputy waiting for me when I came out of a field in Walworth when I was using a Crop Damage Permit . He said he got a call that there was a lot of shooting close to homes and asked if I got a deer . I told him I shot once , missed and was over 200 yards from the road . Houses were on the opposite side of where I was parked 

He asked how I knew and I told him that I ranged the distance to my car at 200 yards and the houses were 50 yards or more beyond that . Then I showed him my single shot 25-06 .I told the deputy that I could show him where I had set up my chair blind that I shot from . He said it wasn't necessary as he saw me break it down and start walking to my vehicle . The deputy said that I had all the right answers and that he had to respond to the call and was on his way . 

 

Glad I had the Range Finder ! 

Where I felt bad is the land owner had to be called and was there also . Farmers spend enough time working that they don't need this sort of thing to bring them out . The farmer told to to stay at it as the deer were devastating his soy beans . 

[Lawdwaz]

I have been using a Leica CRF 800 for about ten years now.

No complaints........

Battery life is great and I just stash it in the right pocket of my coat when bow hunting. That way I can have my bow in my left hand and range a deer quickly if need be. I'm not a long distance archer, I just want to confirm my limits. 20 and in is my goal.

[dbHunterNY]

Nobody ranges houses with theirs?

 

I did this year from someone else's treestand.  lol  104 yards.  might have been coincidence but once it was discovered it disappeared quick.  we still don't know who it belonged to.

[dbHunterNY]

Two years ago I had a Sheriff's deputy waiting for me when I came out of a field in Walworth when I was using a Crop Damage Permit . He said he got a call that there was a lot of shooting close to homes and asked if I got a deer . I told him I shot once , missed and was over 200 yards from the road . Houses were on the opposite side of where I was parked 

He asked how I knew and I told him that I ranged the distance to my car at 200 yards and the houses were 50 yards or more beyond that . Then I showed him my single shot 25-06 .I told the deputy that I could show him where I had set up my chair blind that I shot from . He said it wasn't necessary as he saw me break it down and start walking to my vehicle . The deputy said that I had all the right answers and that he had to respond to the call and was on his way . 

 

Glad I had the Range Finder ! 

Where I felt bad is the land owner had to be called and was there also . Farmers spend enough time working that they don't need this sort of thing to bring them out . The farmer told to to stay at it as the deer were devastating his soy beans . 

 

taking woodchucks out of a hay field on my parent's farm one summer.  had a guy just move into house bordering the one corner of the field.  he and his buddy heard the shot.  they walked up over 200 yards into our field.  his buddy who is a hunter referenced the set back laws and tore into me enough to make a sailor blush.  also treated and referenced me to being a kid (I'm 32).  no part of me, my bullet path, or its impact was within 500ft of any structure of his property let alone his house.  I stayed very reserved and quiet during the grill session.  I had my rangefinder and everything was in order.  wouldn't have made any difference though I tried to show them.  had an ECO or cop shown up, I wouldn't have hesitated to state my case.  it's always with me and I've even printed a google aerial map before when near developed areas.  heck we've written off the field to be a chuck hole laden mess and due to that only cut the hay there once now just to avoid some hassle.

[G-Man]

I use to take a 100 ft tape out into the woods and pin it to my treestands tree and then measure out 10 yard, 20 , yard 30 and would either stick a broken arrow in the ground or actually spray paint a tree 1 for ten 2 for 20 and 3 for 30.. I did this in august when season opened mid october.

Worked well and ranges were easy to see. After getting a 1st gen range finder no angle compensation I would stand at base of stand and range trees and then mark them the same way.

Today's angle compensation range finders are great especially on slopes no more aim high or aim low..just shoot for the range ..

Again deer never get ranged , trees and land marks are before the hunt begins and no I try to remember what I range things at. But the old permanent stand still have trees marked and no ranging nessary, no forgetting how far was that tree..

Edited April 1, 2016 by G-Man

[Nomad]

I just use an app on my phone to measure distance to roads houses , how far I walk , measure acrage and so on . Easy to show a cop a photo of the area with distances to a yard or so,if needed.

Here's where I did the acrage of one of my hunting spots.