MOhunter46

Im failing to see how having one pin is gonna help judge yardage? Anyway to the op, going to 3d shoots is a really good way to practice judging yardage. Since ive been going to shoots, ive become a lot better at judging yardage.

wallhangr

When sitting in your stand, try breaking distances down in 5 yd increments. I started doing this up to 40 yds and then checking with one of those cheap rangefinders I got on ebay for $20. It wasn't long before I didn't need to use the rangefinder.

AF Hunter

Exactly how I do it.

HardwoodHunter

That is simply the easiest and quickest way to judge a deers distance.

Fieldmouse

Why don't you try it before you knock it? It all has to do with size, simplification and practice.

MOhunter46

I wasen't knocking it i was just asking. I dont see how shooting with one pin is gonna help things. You still have to know the yardage weather your shooing one pin or 5.

*twodogs*

Nikon Archers Choice....I carry with me when scouting and pick out trees and try to determine distancem then I range it to see how far off I am.

phil_pick

I mentally count out 5 yard increments when practicing. Gauging a 35 yard shot in seven 5 yard increments it way easier than just trying to guess 35 yards in one lump sum. for weird or really tough stand placements, I also place florescent clips at 5 yard increments. You can get them at most sporting goods stores.

joshen520

not sure if you played football in your life but thats how i judge. i played from 5 years old-18 years old so i try and think of how far the yardage markers (sticks) were and apply it to hunting. so im doing it in 10 yard increments. and like the other guys said...3D shoots help so much

MountainHunter

I don't claim to be great at judging distances, but here's how I do it:

I sit in a different tree almost every time I go into the woods. After I get my sticks and tree stand set up, I go out to what I think is my best shooting lane opportunity and pick a landmark tree/bush, etc. Then I pace to the tree where I'm set up. Sometimes I do this for a couple of what I think will be my most likely productive shot spots. Then I get up in the tree and the first thing I'm doing when it's light enough is picking out those landmarks and slowly turnign my head, mentally making a circle around my stand at those distances and seeing other landmarks. For some reason I find that, once I have a good bead on a specific distance, it's easier to just draw a circle (mentally) around my stand and I feel much more confident in my distance judgment.

I should probably also point out that I am fanatical about scent control, so I haven't had problems with deer scenting me along my "pacing paths". Also, I won't shoot at a deer that is more than about 25 yards from me. And I generally stay within 20 yards, unless it's just a perfect shot at a relaxed deer. There are just too many twigs, etc. in the woods I might not see if they were further than that, and I really don't want to wound a deer unless I kill it. I mention this because it means that my distance estimates are going to be fewer and simpler than people who shoot out to 30 or 40 yards.