How many of you take and use rangefinders while hunting? It obviously depends on the kind of hunting and hunting terrain you are involved in. For the Eastern whitetail hunter hunting in wooded areas where almost all shots are 150 yards or less, there's no need for a rangefinder. But what about the hunter in open-country terrain where long shots may be needed? I've never used a rangefinder while hunting even in wide-open country, so I'm wondering whether others find them useful.
Rangefinders in the Hunting Fields
- Thread starter South Pender
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
For some years, I have used a Leupold RB800 - is an 8X binocular and a rangefinder in one unit - I wear it on my neck when hunting - open area or in "big bush" - news flash - if you think you are seeing everything there with bare eyes in heavy bush, you are not - even 7X Bino will reveal a whole pile of stuff that you do not see - even way back through leaves and branches that is watching you - is almost scary first time that you do that. I doubt very much that such combo binocular plus range finder is still sold - maybe $3,000 plus European brand, perhaps ...
My younger brother (he is now 64 years old) wears Leica 10 X around his neck for that area West and North of Grande Cache, Alberta - and has a Bushnell monocular range finder in his pocket.
To be honest, after shooting deers and elk since 1970's, I do not need to know the precise range - with my eye, I will know if I will kill it or not with my 308 Win or 7x57 - comes with time, and comes with various "misses" - but sooner or later comes together - you need to pass your bullet through about 12" diameter kill zone to take a deer or elk - is not actually a difficult shot out to 300 yards or so - Internet stories, notwithstanding
My younger brother (he is now 64 years old) wears Leica 10 X around his neck for that area West and North of Grande Cache, Alberta - and has a Bushnell monocular range finder in his pocket.
To be honest, after shooting deers and elk since 1970's, I do not need to know the precise range - with my eye, I will know if I will kill it or not with my 308 Win or 7x57 - comes with time, and comes with various "misses" - but sooner or later comes together - you need to pass your bullet through about 12" diameter kill zone to take a deer or elk - is not actually a difficult shot out to 300 yards or so - Internet stories, notwithstanding
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I have carried and used a rangefinder while hunting and shooting since first acquiring one in 2008 (Bushnell Elite 1500), regardless of where or what I am am hunting, and for both archery and rifle hunting. It is a very useful tool, and you would be surprised how handy it is in terrain types where shooting distances are less than 200 yards, or even 100 yards. Today, I have the Leica Geovid and find it much handier to have it built into the binocular. The models that provide true shooting distances for up or downhill shots are very handy, and if you do hunt in this type of terrain, or ever plan to, is a worthwhile investment.
I spend a lot of time in the field using it to practice range estimation on a variety of objects in various location and terrain types to hone my range estimation skills. This is very useful for those circumstances where game appears suddenly and you do not have time to put the rangefinder into use before taking the shot and not losing the opportunity. Surprising how quickly your skills will build with this tool. Even more so in up and downhill scenarios, across ravines, and down cutlines, where it is more difficult to judge distances. Even more so in low light, or when these areas are in the shadows on bright sunny days.
As always, buy the best you can afford. The investment will provide years of good performance.
I spend a lot of time in the field using it to practice range estimation on a variety of objects in various location and terrain types to hone my range estimation skills. This is very useful for those circumstances where game appears suddenly and you do not have time to put the rangefinder into use before taking the shot and not losing the opportunity. Surprising how quickly your skills will build with this tool. Even more so in up and downhill scenarios, across ravines, and down cutlines, where it is more difficult to judge distances. Even more so in low light, or when these areas are in the shadows on bright sunny days.
As always, buy the best you can afford. The investment will provide years of good performance.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I used a nikon for years. Actually used it more for golf. An exact reading to the hole when someone bends down to retrieve their ball.
The good things. Small, much smaller than any decent binoculars. Much easier for people who wear glasses. Literally wear it on a lanyard around your neck and check out every stumpopolis, and shadowopolis. If optic quality isn't able to make out what it is, or get a range......it's definitely too far away.
The good things. Small, much smaller than any decent binoculars. Much easier for people who wear glasses. Literally wear it on a lanyard around your neck and check out every stumpopolis, and shadowopolis. If optic quality isn't able to make out what it is, or get a range......it's definitely too far away.
ALBERTA BOY
Regular
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
Sometimes it's not about the shooting distance but rather just how far away an animal is that you plan to stalk.
yes and for most of the same reasons others have mentioned.
It's hard to judge distance the best of times without one and I have found it extremely valuable and a key element in the hunts success at least twice over the years for shots at or exceeding 300 yards in rolling terrain.
I also find in invaluable when setting up an ambush site so I know my shooting lanes and true distances from the treestand elevation and angles and same goes for ground hides.
Necessary kit? No not really but a very useful tool that could give you an edge one day.
It's hard to judge distance the best of times without one and I have found it extremely valuable and a key element in the hunts success at least twice over the years for shots at or exceeding 300 yards in rolling terrain.
I also find in invaluable when setting up an ambush site so I know my shooting lanes and true distances from the treestand elevation and angles and same goes for ground hides.
Necessary kit? No not really but a very useful tool that could give you an edge one day.
I have used a rangefinder for several years now. Very valuable in open country where
range "guesstimation" can be iffy.
I now have a set of binoculars with the built-in rangefinder...the best of both worlds,
IMHO. Dave.
range "guesstimation" can be iffy.
I now have a set of binoculars with the built-in rangefinder...the best of both worlds,
IMHO. Dave.
Butcherbill
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
+1, I use it when I set up and wait at the edge of a field or cutblock. I’ll range some key landmarks to have a better idea of my shooting lanes and distances depending on where an animal will walk out from.
I also use it when I’m trying to sharpen my natural guess/estimation of things in the bush, the more I use it for this the better I get at it.
For me, I guess it would be the next step along the technological trail. I've resisted rangefinders because they seem too advanced on the technology continuum and in some ways seem unsporting. On the other hand, incorrectly estimating range and, as a result, wounding, but not killing game, is not very sporting either. I may start looking at getting a good rangefinder. The Leica CRF compact rangefinders are very small and can easily be carried in a shirt or jacket pocket and are not too too expensive--something like $600-$700 for the 1600 yard model.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
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 ...
I always thought I could by without one and I have for 25 years but i bought my first one last year on a trip to town during Babine lake moose hunt.
We were hunting from the boat and range estimating on water has always been tough. I want to know how far an animal is so I can make an ethical shot..... not because I think having one lets me stretch my shooting abilities further than my skill or equipment would normally allow. I bought a Leupold rx-1400i tbr/w ..... because it was leupold and because it was an on sale display model. I got it for 40% off retail which I thought was too good to pass up at the time LOL
I made on longish shot on a 4pt mulie the week before back at home and I figured it was 300 to 350 yards out when I took the shot. Dropped that buck on the spot with one round and it crumpled with it's legs under it. Went back to that spot with the range finder and sure enough 295 yards
having a rangefinder is also handy when you go camping with friends and want to set up targets at measured distances for fun or for sighting in before a hunting trip. This is where I think rangefinders in our group of hunters has been the most valuable and most often put to use..... range day on crown land.
Around where I live, crown land is everywhere and opportunities for deer can come reasonably close to occupied buildings/barns/cabins/homes so having a rangefinder to know for sure you are more than 100 yards from those buildings is handy. I would think the same goes for ensuring you are obeying no shooting areas that are measured from a trail or roadway.
Rangefinding binoculars sounds good too..... haven't looked at those in a few years and thought the early ones were far to pricey and kinda seemed like a gimick. Gonna check those out for future additions to the gear.
We were hunting from the boat and range estimating on water has always been tough. I want to know how far an animal is so I can make an ethical shot..... not because I think having one lets me stretch my shooting abilities further than my skill or equipment would normally allow. I bought a Leupold rx-1400i tbr/w ..... because it was leupold and because it was an on sale display model. I got it for 40% off retail which I thought was too good to pass up at the time LOL
I made on longish shot on a 4pt mulie the week before back at home and I figured it was 300 to 350 yards out when I took the shot. Dropped that buck on the spot with one round and it crumpled with it's legs under it. Went back to that spot with the range finder and sure enough 295 yards
having a rangefinder is also handy when you go camping with friends and want to set up targets at measured distances for fun or for sighting in before a hunting trip. This is where I think rangefinders in our group of hunters has been the most valuable and most often put to use..... range day on crown land.
Around where I live, crown land is everywhere and opportunities for deer can come reasonably close to occupied buildings/barns/cabins/homes so having a rangefinder to know for sure you are more than 100 yards from those buildings is handy. I would think the same goes for ensuring you are obeying no shooting areas that are measured from a trail or roadway.
Rangefinding binoculars sounds good too..... haven't looked at those in a few years and thought the early ones were far to pricey and kinda seemed like a gimick. Gonna check those out for future additions to the gear.
Well the advertised distance of rangefinders is a little misleading. The Leica 1600 yard model will range a highly reflective object out to 1600 yards, but will not range an animal at anywhere near that distance. From what I've read, you need to cut the advertised range in half to get to the practical ranging ability on an animal or any really non-reflective surface.
I have Leica 1600B & 2800B rangefinders and have the ballistic program set for whatever rifle we are using. Typically my wife gets setup on the gun, and I'll range and give her the hold over and wind call. This has worked well for the last couple years hunting with my wife and ensures clean ethical kills. I have been using this system for the last 20 years to ensure ethical kills and ranging on open slopes or fields where there isn't a whole lot for judging distance.
Last year we got into an area and I figured we were about 800+ yards to a game trail on the side of a slope. After ranging, we were only 400yds. The difference between not even considering a shot and knowing I can make the shot.
Last year we got into an area and I figured we were about 800+ yards to a game trail on the side of a slope. After ranging, we were only 400yds. The difference between not even considering a shot and knowing I can make the shot.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
I used to use one all the time for shooting groundhogs, and when predator hunting I'd range the distance to the decoy.
But after you've been using them for awhile you get pretty good at judging distances -- so now it usually stays at home.
I think they should be a part of everyone's kit until you learn to accurately judge distances under different conditions.
But after you've been using them for awhile you get pretty good at judging distances -- so now it usually stays at home.
I think they should be a part of everyone's kit until you learn to accurately judge distances under different conditions.
I've been using a LRF for years. Apart from ranging animals they have lots of other uses including ranging practice targets at various longer distances and determining how long it will take to hike over to some other area.
Even at shorter distances they can be quite useful. For instance we were set up on a perch overlooking a clearing a few days ago while bear hunting. I had a new hunter with me and I wanted to be sure anything we could see would be a responsible shot so I ranged a few areas to let her know the distances, none of which were over 200 yards. She and I have been shooting together quite a bit out to 465 yards and we recently stretched it to 625 so I was confident in her ability.
In the end she shot a bear at about 50 yards. No LRF needed at that point!
Even at shorter distances they can be quite useful. For instance we were set up on a perch overlooking a clearing a few days ago while bear hunting. I had a new hunter with me and I wanted to be sure anything we could see would be a responsible shot so I ranged a few areas to let her know the distances, none of which were over 200 yards. She and I have been shooting together quite a bit out to 465 yards and we recently stretched it to 625 so I was confident in her ability.
In the end she shot a bear at about 50 yards. No LRF needed at that point!
I am terrible judging distances, even though I am in the east clear cuts can be big and judging them I find is a challenge. I keep a range finder at hand and have had to pull it out a couple times for those longer shots. Old one bit the bullet been running a vortex as it was priced reasonable, has the warranty and one of the few when I was looking that was "waterproof".
I use a Bushnell Bow hunting range finder... works well enough for me. Often find myself using 'Rainbow Trajectory' cartridges... long as I can discern that it is or is not in my range ( basically 300 yds max sorta thing), that is sufficient.
Often I'll pick a given point...try a visual then confirm or reject my efforts with rangefinder... seems like a reasonable plan.
