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Range finders, what do you recommend?

Bionic
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Bionic Rising Star

Bionic

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Good morning all,

As I sit in my blind, I am needing a range finder, I typically take a 100' tape, and attach it to my tree stand seat, and measure 10, 20, 30 yards.  However, I havr this crossbow now, and I am already in a different spot, so I NEED one now.

I do not EVER hunt fields,  THICK woods, I will need to be careful ranging, by not ranging limbs, etc, I imagine.

What do you use?

Recommend? Even if you don't own it....

Do not recommend? 

As always, I appreciate the input.

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Robhuntandfish Grand Master

Robhuntandfish

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I have a Nikon I bought 4 years ago and haven't even had to change the battery yet.  Don't need to spend a fortune in my opinion.  They all do about the same. Price goes up if you want arc calculation etc.  But how often so you really need that within 40 yards.  

I actually picked mine by size.  Something that was small and can go in jacket pocket.  

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Engraver99 Enthusiast

Engraver99

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8 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Yep that’s what I have.  Works fine.  

was looking at them this weekend trying to decide if I wanted to get a smaller version of the 1996 Bushnell (Binocular) type that I have and still use. Decided to get a new e-caller instead (for now) for coyote hunting after dear season. Will probably pick one up next year for archery season tho so I don't have to carry the "huge" one around. Going thru a technology upgrade moment here.

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philoshop Newbie

philoshop

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I have a twenty+ year old very basic Bushnell that has seen as much service in construction as it has in hunting. When I first got it I used it as a learning tool. Walk through the woods every day and guess at ranges to stumps, flower clusters ,ferns, or whatever, and then check with the range finder. It's surprising how quickly you'll be able to tell the difference between  18 yds and 22 yds. It's a tool in your kit, but it doesn't need to be really fancy.

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tommyc50 Newbie

tommyc50

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last Monday I was out in this mist then rain up where I hunt and my range finder was useless so was my binos I couldn't see anything except with the naked eye . I was sitting there and to my left I see two deer come in the field [forget about ranging so I could take a shot all my rangefinder said was 12 yds] one was so dark almost chocolate color  well they played for a little bit then the smaller one the doe I would soon find out lays under a pinetree and man it started to rain[again and again] well the other deer  [the buck]comes out and goes in the high grass in the middle of the field[ its been so wet up there they couldn't brushhog the fields only around the edges] it was funny watching him scratch himself w/ his hind leg. Well I watched well over an hour he got up and went in the woods and then she got up and took a piss and went in the woods too this was all about 80 yds away . Bowhunting can be frustrating sometimes but anyway you don't need a rangefinder with all the bells and whistles and it helps to teach yourself to judge yardages with out a range finder, well within 40 yds atlest

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ApexerER Mentor

ApexerER

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I have a simmons that I got used off of Ebay like 5 years ago for 30 bucks. I have never even put batteries in it. It is about the cheapest range finder you can buy new (I have seen them at Walmart)and it seems to work perfectly fine for bow ranges. I have ranged farther things as well but never compared with another range finder for accuracy.  I would think anyone you purchase would be fine for bow ranges.

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Bionic Rising Star

Bionic

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30 minutes ago, tommyc50 said:

last Monday I was out in this mist then rain up where I hunt and my range finder was useless so was my binos I couldn't see anything except with the naked eye . I was sitting there and to my left I see two deer come in the field [forget about ranging so I could take a shot all my rangefinder said was 12 yds] one was so dark almost chocolate color  well they played for a little bit then the smaller one the doe I would soon find out lays under a pinetree and man it started to rain[again and again] well the other deer  [the buck]comes out and goes in the high grass in the middle of the field[ its been so wet up there they couldn't brushhog the fields only around the edges] it was funny watching him scratch himself w/ his hind leg. Well I watched well over an hour he got up and went in the woods and then she got up and took a piss and went in the woods too this was all about 80 yds away . Bowhunting can be frustrating sometimes but anyway you don't need a rangefinder with all the bells and whistles and it helps to teach yourself to judge yardages with out a range finder, well within 40 yds atlest

I do agree with you, but this is for my crossbow,  and to be plain simple I cannot afford to screw up a shot.  I hunt A LOT, and my place at home here, I have not been presented a shot at a legal buck here since 2015.  

Also, I want to practice out to 50-100 yards for fun with this crossbow,  and do not want to drag my 100 foot tape.

What you do with estimating is about what i do now.  

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mlammerhirt Mentor

mlammerhirt

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Nikon 440....have had it for well over 12 years and have put two batteries in it. This thing has taken a beating.....fallen off my hip and recovered weeks later when the snow melted and it was working fine. Also has fallen from the treestand a few times and is still ticking.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

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Jdubs Newbie

Jdubs

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Agree with the others that there are many adequate choices out there.  I picked up a Nikon Aculon that works well enough for ranging.  It isn't the best at a picking up objects in low light, but other than that I have no complaints.  I also wrapped it in black sports tape to deaden the plastic sound in case of any inadvertant knocks while hunting.

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cdbing Rising Star

cdbing

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I been uding the archer's choice by Nikon with angle compensation for the past 9 or 10 years. Not sure if they still make it, but i haven't had any problems with it. You may get false readings if there is stuff in the foreground, but it works for me and fits easily in a pocket.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

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cdbing Rising Star

cdbing

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I been using the archer's choice by Nikon with angle compensation for the past 9 or 10 years. Not sure if they still make it, but i haven't had any problems with it. You may get false readings if there is stuff in the foreground, but it works for me and fits easily in a pocket.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

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nyslowhand Enthusiast

nyslowhand

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I'm the world's worst judge of distance there ever was! So I bought same RF as above ^^^ several years ago when going $$ was ~$150 and up. That model is only 100yrd max RF!  Found using one during the moment of truth when a deer/buck is coming in to be a PITA and creates a lot of xtra movements. Although I still carry mine & rarely get it out, I typically only use it setting up yardage makers (25 & 40yr) with orange surveyors tape in September. JMO, Rangefinders aren't that useful as substitute binoculars. They have generally 6X mag, but field of view is a lot less than binos.

Borrow one, s/u yardage markers, return it to owner, carry less crap to the stand and use ~$100 for some other toy. Or look for one on Black Friday or Cyber Monday at a bargain $$.

Edited by nyslowhand
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