Judging Yardage
04-20-2004, 07:27 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Ocean Springs, MS
Posts: 4,103
Judging Yardage
Anyone have some tips for judging yardage? I just can't estimate it. I will be shooting 3d so marking off distances isn't an option. I have a carpenter's wheel so I can measure them.
04-20-2004, 07:52 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 39,060
RE: Judging Yardage
I don't shoot 3d but I did start out 3 yrs with out a deer, not without a shot. What I did do was to measure with paces from my stand to my scent drops then took this in my mind with a circle when up a tree. Now with the expiriences racked up this isn't needed. 3D however is different.
04-20-2004, 07:57 PM
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 881
RE: Judging Yardage
Practice. Practice. Practice. I use a very complicated way to judge with the distance between my pins. You just have to learn all of the targets and at what distances they are as tall as the pins are, this is from Belly to back.
04-20-2004, 08:09 PM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: LOUISVILLE, SLEEPER TROPHY STATE
Posts: 195
RE: Judging Yardage
I TEND TO THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WALKING FROM YOUR CAR INTO WALMART OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WELL THAT CAR IS ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY. THEN PACE IT OFF AND SEE IF YOU WERE RIGHT. MY WAY IS THIS, I GET MY RANGE FINDER OUT AND RANGE SOMETHING. SAY IT'S 20 YARDS AWAY. THEN I START OFF WITH MY LEFT FOOT AND COUNT PACES EVERY TIME MY LEFT FOOT HITS THE GROUND, WHEN I REACH THE SPOT I RANGED I KNOW HOW MANY PACES IT TAKES TO GET 20 YARDS. SO THEN WHEN YOU ARE IN A PARKING LOT AND YOU TAKE YOUR GUESSES YOU CAN ACTUALLY PACE IT OFF TO SEE IF YOU WERE RIGHT AND THEN YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE A DUMMY WHEN YOU ARE COUNTING EACH STEP TOE TO HEEL.
04-20-2004, 09:37 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Spring Grove, Pa. USA
Posts: 2,120
RE: Judging Yardage
An easy way to estimate yardages is to do it in increments.I'm sure you know what 5 yds looks like.Range off 5yds,then another 5,then another 5.After awhile,you'll get the hang of it and get pretty good at longer distances.
04-20-2004, 09:59 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: HENDERSON KY USA
Posts: 6,634
RE: Judging Yardage
ewolf
Just so you know that your method is against the rules of the IBO and the ASA so it may not be a good idea to give a young person that type of advice without pointing it out.
What JimPic said is the best way to do it.What I have done is buried bricks ground level in 5 yard increments out to 60 yards on my shooting range.This gives me a visual of 5 yard increments to the target eveytime I shoot.Eveytime you are practicing you need to make it a habit to judge those markers each and everytime to get it down to a fine art.Also try to invest in a rangefinder and go out in the woods and start trying to judge different landmarks and check yourself against the rangefinder.Also, learning the targets is crucial.They are all different sizes so you need to make as many shoots as possible to learn what they look like at certain yardages.
When I have done my best shooting was when I was able to just look at a target and I knew the distance before ever judging the ground.That is another step,always look at the target first and ask yourself how far is it.Then start judging the ground all the way to the target.Then,judge to halfway and then double.If all of these methods come out with the same number,then shoot.If they don't come up with the same number,take an average and poke and hope.
Seriously,I don't usually take an average because one numbver will stick in my head as the one but there are time when I have no clue and have to take an average or just an educated quess which is all we do anyway.
Just so you know that your method is against the rules of the IBO and the ASA so it may not be a good idea to give a young person that type of advice without pointing it out.
What JimPic said is the best way to do it.What I have done is buried bricks ground level in 5 yard increments out to 60 yards on my shooting range.This gives me a visual of 5 yard increments to the target eveytime I shoot.Eveytime you are practicing you need to make it a habit to judge those markers each and everytime to get it down to a fine art.Also try to invest in a rangefinder and go out in the woods and start trying to judge different landmarks and check yourself against the rangefinder.Also, learning the targets is crucial.They are all different sizes so you need to make as many shoots as possible to learn what they look like at certain yardages.
When I have done my best shooting was when I was able to just look at a target and I knew the distance before ever judging the ground.That is another step,always look at the target first and ask yourself how far is it.Then start judging the ground all the way to the target.Then,judge to halfway and then double.If all of these methods come out with the same number,then shoot.If they don't come up with the same number,take an average and poke and hope.
Seriously,I don't usually take an average because one numbver will stick in my head as the one but there are time when I have no clue and have to take an average or just an educated quess which is all we do anyway.
04-20-2004, 10:06 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wellsville, Pa
Posts: 514
RE: Judging Yardage
As far as 3d shooting this won't be much help but when it comes to hunting- I find about 4 softball size rocks and spray praint them white in the off season, making sure to give the paint months to dry and time for the scent to disperse. When hanging stands, about a month or so before the season, I'll place the rocks 20yrds due north,south,east, and west of my stand; making sure they are visible from the stand. It's been my experience that it doesn't bother the deer at all they hardly seem to even notice them if you place them out well before the season. It gives you an easy reference point when the big fella steps in your shooting lane.
04-21-2004, 12:32 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norman OK USA
Posts: 3,318
RE: Judging Yardage
Zak, I also agree with judging in increments. It is generally a little bit easier while shooting 3d, because you can use the colored stakes. Five yards to the white 5 more the the green etc. That's what I do, it has worked well so far.
04-21-2004, 05:22 AM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mertztown, PA
Posts: 970
RE: Judging Yardage
This technique works well and accounts for error in any one method. It involves the average of three differently acquired estimates:
1. The simplest........just look at the target and make a guess.
2. Look at a point halfway to the target, guess that smaller range, then double it.
3. Look at a point ten yards in front of you, and similar to the above posts, increment that ten yard "image" up to the target.
Now just take a rough average of the 3 estimates and shoot for that range. This seems to work particularly well when the target has an obstruction that lies between it and the shooter that would make it hard to rely on one estimate.
1. The simplest........just look at the target and make a guess.
2. Look at a point halfway to the target, guess that smaller range, then double it.
3. Look at a point ten yards in front of you, and similar to the above posts, increment that ten yard "image" up to the target.
Now just take a rough average of the 3 estimates and shoot for that range. This seems to work particularly well when the target has an obstruction that lies between it and the shooter that would make it hard to rely on one estimate.
04-21-2004, 05:35 AM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SC USA
Posts: 1,434
RE: Judging Yardage
Now , I judge in increments as well ! I have a pretty good idea of where 20 yrds is in just about any terrain (open fields still get me a little).......and just double it for 40 and so on........and typically I'm within 2-4 yrds !
When I first got started I tried to do the same, tried guessing and stepping off, tried a rangefinder, etc. ........all helped ! But I got a tip on throwing arrows randomly around the yard.......and shooting from where ever they landed and starting out ....it helped me the most ! I stretched things out after I got that down !
One more tip........use real expensive arrows.......I used A/C/C's in the beginning ! After you lose several of them at $12 bucks a pop.......somehow ......the learning curve speeds up quite a bit !!
Good Luck !!
When I first got started I tried to do the same, tried guessing and stepping off, tried a rangefinder, etc. ........all helped ! But I got a tip on throwing arrows randomly around the yard.......and shooting from where ever they landed and starting out ....it helped me the most ! I stretched things out after I got that down !
One more tip........use real expensive arrows.......I used A/C/C's in the beginning ! After you lose several of them at $12 bucks a pop.......somehow ......the learning curve speeds up quite a bit !!
Good Luck !!