Rangefinders in the Hunting Fields

[DGY]

I’ve used them, in the bast a bushnell arc something and now I have a pair of bino with range finder in them! Like them, but I don’t know if they are really essential!

 

[WhelanLad]

its always in the hip pouch in my exo.
bow / gun / close or far/ its there. very handy just to use to get really familiar with distances....
mine is justa redfield raider 600m, picks up 500 or so i rekon, which is plenty for me. when i was dabbling that far, i would need to upgrade soon to get better readings when it is 500+ to 600m, an even just knowing if i was 700 or 800 away to get closer would help sometimes. but thats if an when ya pushing things.

now days i dont use it much, mostly to be in 300 or less, an when it is just over the gulley, i like to know exactly how far over there. no dials, just hold on or over here

 

[duncansuds]

Ive exclusively used range finders for most basic glassing for around 13 years now. I find binoculars hard to get my eyes looking through quickly. Single eye is better for me. Glass is 7x which is about right. Decent glass in it makes a big difference. Huge difference in ID capabilities between a Bushnell and a Swarovski. They both range roughly the same accuracy, but you will have a clearer image.

Buy once cry once.

 

[PSE]

I use a Nikon Laserforce 10X32 (Bino/Range finder) and have come to depend on it as a vital tool to make the longer ethical shots. The most important single piece of info you can have as a hunter to make an ethical shot is exact range to target and this piece of kit gives it to me instantly without muss or fuss.

No fumbling for an additional piece of range finding equipment - just press a button on the binocs and instantly the range is displayed. From there just dial in your come ups on the scope elev turret if you have time or hold off the correct amount in the scope if you don't.

Well worth the money IMHO.

 

[South Pender]

...just press a button on the binocs and instantly the range is displayed. From there just dial in your come ups on the scope elev turret if you have time or hold off the correct amount in the scope if you don't.

I'm with the latter. Don't want to twiddle the turret or peer through a complicated ballistic tree reticle. I think I'd trust my hold-over or -under without those scope features more than with them.

 

[.22LRGUY]

I have/use a rangefinder and binoculars, but for groundhog hunting (and gophers) where you drive right to the field, and then go for a walk. I didn't use either for years, and relied on the rifle scope for finding targets...or confirming them. Older now=binoculars are easier to hoist than a big varmint rifle. I even use the binoculars to scout new properties. If they're target-rich, I'm knocking on the door.

The rangefinder isn't a fancy one (simmons) but it's been excellent. Still has the original battery, I bought it at Le Baron about a year before Le Baron closed...and they closed about 5+ years ago. lol Most of the use it sees is during range days, so I can set-up my targets at a fixed/known distance. I've even shown some people what 100 yards actually looks like. If I pull it out hunting (if I even remember to bring it) it's because I'm not sure of my confidence reaching out to what I imagine the distance is. "know your limits, play within it"

 

[eatredmeat157]

I have one, and use it regularly for target setup when practice shooting.

I have carried it hunting in the past, but have never used one on a hunt... typical hunting shots have always been less than 300 yards for me and I havent had the time or the thought to actually pull it out while on a hunt. I no longer carry it on hunts as it is just adding dead weight to my pack.

As others have said, I take my rangfinder out when boating, camping, etc. and I will take guesses at objects and then verify the true distance with it to help train my estimation skills.

 

[iron cat]

I consider my Geovids one of the most important pieces of my hunting gear and would not coonsider going afield without them.
Cat

 

[hawk-i]

I'm with the latter. Don't want to twiddle the turret or peer through a complicated ballistic tree reticle. I think I'd trust my hold-over or -under without those scope features more than with them.

If you're using a 2nd focal plain scope, you better be on max power setting or your holdover hash marks will not be the same.

If you going by guess by gee, I think that's fine out to 300 yards or so

 

[emerson]

I'm with the latter. Don't want to twiddle the turret or peer through a complicated ballistic tree reticle. I think I'd trust my hold-over or -under without those scope features more than with them.

There really is no substitute for understanding the reticle and turrets of a scope. They are incredible tools once you use them a bit. Up to 225ds or so most hunting with common cartridges doesn’t need a real precise range, but beyond that a basic laser rangefinder and knowing exactly what your reticle hash marks mean takes a lot of guess work out of play. Rangefinding binos are great, considering they allow glassing something without pointing your rifle at if. I shoot a lot of 22 with an FFP scope for practice.

 

[littlehughey]

Its perfect if you know your Maximum Point Blank Range, especially when setting up on a hillside or overlooking some terrain. Range a few objects at your max distance, and know that anything closer than that is within killing distance without holdovers.

 

[john-brennan]

Don't go hunting with out it, only use it for longer ranges.

 

[trevj]

That thing about range finders - how far will you take a shot at a game animal - do you need to know is 1600 yards away? What is that - 11 or 16 feet into the wind? Sometime have to put all together for what it is that you really want to do - can you hit 12" diameter at 300 yards - cold barrel, first shot? Maybe that sets what your hunting range might be - Internet videos not agreeing with that thought, for sure ...

Internet and "Long Range Hunting" TV shows are a pretty big thing. I doubt they have done the wildlife any favors.

I carry a Leica range finder rather than Bino's. Aside from the top quality glass, it pretty much just gets used to scan around so I know what the ACTUAL ranges are to this feature or that. I don't feel the need to stretch out to hit something, well, or badly, but I do like knowing where my normal limits of Point Blank Range are.

It's a good time waster, when nothing is moving, to be scanning around and guessing range, then measuring it. Esp. when someone's "300 yard shot" was 75 measured!

 

[156821]

I have used a leupold one for several years. It is a must when up in wide open sheep or goat country.

 

[pete dobinson]

It's a tool like anything else. You might not need it much but when you do it's a game changer.

 

[scruffee]

I wouldn't bother with a range finder (other than for archery) in a scenario where all my shots would be under 150m.

Personally, I always have one on my regardless of season as I hunt the open Prairies and shots over 300m are not uncommon.

 

[USPfan]

I use a range finding bino, wouldn’t hunt without one.

 

[mikeyb]

I use a rangefinder to establish known distances in the field. I usually use a BDC-style reticle and shoot off that but my new rangefinder is supposed to work with my CDS-equipped VX-3HD and give me a number to dial up. Not sure how I feel about that, I just have a ton of familiarity with the Vortex Dead-Hold reticle. probably 60% of the time I don't range at all (shooting out of a stand up to maybe 200m) otherwise if I'm walking along a tree line in a Hydro cut I do it for confidence.

 

[Dogleg]

Geovids. Done.

Until you try the Swarovskis.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

I've used one where I am in a good vantage point to have opportunities at varying distances, and measured the distances ahead of time to various tree lines so that I don't have to take a measurement when a deer comes out. After that I rely on, 1) It's close enough that I don't need to compensate 2) It's beyond 200 yard and I know ahead of time what holdover I need to use should the opportunity arise.