Assume for all examples you are 20 feet up in a treestand.

1. Shot distance of 20 yards. Difference between real distance and ranged difference is exactly 1.08 yards.
2. Shot distance of 40 yards. Difference is exactly 0.55 yards.
3. Shot distance of 3 yards. Differece is exactly 3.3 yards.

Example #3 would certainly be a difference worth worring about, except for the fact that at such short range, there is no need for a range finder, just shoot the darn thing. For anyone that would overthink it and worry about a 1.08 yard error at 20 yards...keep in mind the stated accuarcy of any rangefindersI checked was + or - one yard.

And yes, there is a "trick". If you range trees around you before any deer show up, range them horizontally at the same level you are sitting and you will know the true horizontal distance, which is the distance that matters for the shot.
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Excellent reply and breakdown about why "angle compensating" is just another catch phrase that is used to separate bowhunters from their money and giving them nothing much in return.

A decent rangefinder and the "trick" are all you need.
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could not have said it better myself, pretty good explination of the workins. Unless you hunt out west and have steep up or down hill shots or stand hunt at the 30+ ft level angle corection is just a added frill to drive up the price on the range finder, IMO.