Who all uses Rangfinders?
08-07-2006, 08:45 AM
#21
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
To answer your question........
BECAUSE I AM AN ETHICAL HUNTER
I know my limitations. I also know that I hunted likely 30 times last year.....and I took one shot (on a day that I DIDN'T take my Bushnell Yardage Pro). It was a miss. 2 Things I took away from that hunt: #1 - I did NOT aim for the exit hole....and my aiming point was too low. #2 - I had to get pretty far up in the tree to get cover in this spot.....and when I did....THINGS LOOKED DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY DID ON FLAT GROUND. I thought this one tree was about 20 yds. I shot low.....but walked it off to nearly 30 yds when I got down.
I shoot 3D's......and we're not allowed to use range finders. I DO use it when I practice, though.....to get a feel for the yardages. I'm not bad.....on flat ground.I don't hunt without therange finder unless I'm hunting this one stand. Like someoneelse said....if they come byTHAT tree.....it's a one pin shot.
Jeff
BECAUSE I AM AN ETHICAL HUNTER
I know my limitations. I also know that I hunted likely 30 times last year.....and I took one shot (on a day that I DIDN'T take my Bushnell Yardage Pro). It was a miss. 2 Things I took away from that hunt: #1 - I did NOT aim for the exit hole....and my aiming point was too low. #2 - I had to get pretty far up in the tree to get cover in this spot.....and when I did....THINGS LOOKED DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY DID ON FLAT GROUND. I thought this one tree was about 20 yds. I shot low.....but walked it off to nearly 30 yds when I got down.
I shoot 3D's......and we're not allowed to use range finders. I DO use it when I practice, though.....to get a feel for the yardages. I'm not bad.....on flat ground.I don't hunt without therange finder unless I'm hunting this one stand. Like someoneelse said....if they come byTHAT tree.....it's a one pin shot.
Jeff
08-07-2006, 08:50 AM
#22
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Columbia, Md.
Posts: 1,211
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
That's an honest question.
The best answer I can give is that I do not want to guess what the yardage is when the moment of truth is there. Too many people at too many times have misjudged yardage only to miss or wound an animal. The animal deserves more than that. I know many people who can judge distances well and I'm not bad myself but in the end, it is still a guess. The technology is there, so why not use it?
Me personally, I use mine when I get up in the stand or at first light to mark trees. Then I put it away. I know how far a deer is because I have already ranged trees around my stand. I also use it to verify my yardage guesses. It helps me practice.
The best answer I can give is that I do not want to guess what the yardage is when the moment of truth is there. Too many people at too many times have misjudged yardage only to miss or wound an animal. The animal deserves more than that. I know many people who can judge distances well and I'm not bad myself but in the end, it is still a guess. The technology is there, so why not use it?
Me personally, I use mine when I get up in the stand or at first light to mark trees. Then I put it away. I know how far a deer is because I have already ranged trees around my stand. I also use it to verify my yardage guesses. It helps me practice.
08-07-2006, 09:59 AM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LaPorte, IN
Posts: 1,111
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
After many years without I finally picked up a Nikon Monarch 800 Realtree on ebay for $250. Reason was I drew both a Nevada elk tag and a Colorado rifle mule deer tag. Plus I always bowhunt deer here in Illinois. So I'll have several chances to test this thing. I like it so far. Nowwish I'd had it last year when I could have ranged across a creek from my stand at a 160 class buck. Passed when I wasn't sure of yardage. It was about 35-40 yards. Looking forward to playing with this toy andbeing confident on yardage in some situations.
08-07-2006, 10:48 AM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location:
Posts: 2,555
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
I have three
1) Bushnell, yardage pro 400 Its very big and old, plus it doesn't range much beyond 300 yards anymore. It has a very hard time ranging objects that are black or dark in color.
2) Bushnell yardage pro Trophy 800Its semi compact, not ascompact as the bushnell scout, but it gets the job done and its cheaper in price than the scout. In most stores they are going for right around $200 but on Ebay you can find them as low as $140 new. It will range most objects up to 700 yards with no problems, farther than that things have to be just right. Its perfect for my bowhunting needs, and my only wish was it could be just a bit more compact. It was given to me though so I am not going to complain.
The only downside of this rangefinder is the price, it costs $699 give a take a few bucks depening upon where you buy it. It very compact and would serve its purpose for bowhunting but its just too nice and expensive to beat up in the daily grind of bowhunting.
3) Leica Rangemaster 1200 This is my brand new one and its by far the cream of the crop as far as rangefinders go. Its ulta compact and can range objects with ease all the way out to 1200 yards but it will pick stuff up all the way out to 1600 yards plus depening upon the reflectiveness and angle the object is. The only downside of this rangefinder is the price, it costs $699 give a take a few bucks depening upon where you buy it. It very compact and would serve its purpose for bowhunting but its just too nice and expensive to beat up in the daily grind of bowhunting.I am going to gunsmithing school next year and will be testing out guns that I make on a 1000 yards range. I also rifle hunts some so this range finder will be only used for that purpose.
1) Bushnell, yardage pro 400 Its very big and old, plus it doesn't range much beyond 300 yards anymore. It has a very hard time ranging objects that are black or dark in color.
2) Bushnell yardage pro Trophy 800Its semi compact, not ascompact as the bushnell scout, but it gets the job done and its cheaper in price than the scout. In most stores they are going for right around $200 but on Ebay you can find them as low as $140 new. It will range most objects up to 700 yards with no problems, farther than that things have to be just right. Its perfect for my bowhunting needs, and my only wish was it could be just a bit more compact. It was given to me though so I am not going to complain.
The only downside of this rangefinder is the price, it costs $699 give a take a few bucks depening upon where you buy it. It very compact and would serve its purpose for bowhunting but its just too nice and expensive to beat up in the daily grind of bowhunting.
3) Leica Rangemaster 1200 This is my brand new one and its by far the cream of the crop as far as rangefinders go. Its ulta compact and can range objects with ease all the way out to 1200 yards but it will pick stuff up all the way out to 1600 yards plus depening upon the reflectiveness and angle the object is. The only downside of this rangefinder is the price, it costs $699 give a take a few bucks depening upon where you buy it. It very compact and would serve its purpose for bowhunting but its just too nice and expensive to beat up in the daily grind of bowhunting.I am going to gunsmithing school next year and will be testing out guns that I make on a 1000 yards range. I also rifle hunts some so this range finder will be only used for that purpose.
08-07-2006, 03:58 PM
#26
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 20 feet up in a tree
Posts: 147
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
I have 2 as well;
Bushnell yardage pro which crapped the bed, everytime it gets in a little heat the display goes black so I bought a Leupold RXII and absolutely love it once I found out how to use it...
Bushnell yardage pro which crapped the bed, everytime it gets in a little heat the display goes black so I bought a Leupold RXII and absolutely love it once I found out how to use it...
08-07-2006, 08:17 PM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,200
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
I found the Leupold RXI on sale at Bass Pro, so I went ahead and gave it a try. It seems like it has a lot of options that I probably won't use, but I had heard some mixed opinoins about some of the cheaper ones.
08-07-2006, 08:41 PM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: St. Cloud MN USA
Posts: 1,757
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
Out of all the THOUSANDS of dollars I've spent on equipment, my rangefinder is proabably the best money spent. If you hunt the same couple stands all the time its not that big of a deal.......but if you hunt many stands, are fairly mobile, and or hunt lots of differant properties they are extremely valuable! If I had to guess, the number 1 reason hunters miss or wound an animal is because they misjudge distance. One stand they hunt is 12 feet and the next one is 20 feet. Some are in thick brush and others in the very open. This makes distance judging very tricky. I have rarely actually ranged a live animal......but as soon as I get into my stand I'm spottting targets and rangeing them to make sure I'm right. A very valuable piece of equipment!
I have a Nikon 440 and I've used the Bushnell's also..they both work good.
Good Luck!
I have a Nikon 440 and I've used the Bushnell's also..they both work good.
Good Luck!
08-07-2006, 09:38 PM
#30
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 34
RE: Who all uses Rangfinders?
I dont mean to steal another persons topic but i want to get one also but i didnt know how they would work in a trees stand. Because you see some new ones have designed options that help you in a tree stand. and i wont spend that amount for the new types...