I have been looking at rangefinders lately, and have been wondering if they are really necessary. Of course, the high price has alot to do with my reluctance to purchase one. I have been looking at the new models with the true ballistic technology. Pretty cool, but still really expensive.
So....do you own and use one.
For hunting of course, not golf

YUP, have two of them and do use them. Would really like to buy a better one but really could live without any of them. It's just one those things, a boy can never have too many toys. I ought to have a garage sale.

yes i do use one ., never had onetill 2years ago, and i really like it and it really helps.,i use a nikon prostaff laser440 ., more then plenty for the way i hunt., i get up in stand weather bow unting or muzzlehunting and i range and range., i never range at a deer cause i dont have the time to ., but it really helps when i range all possible areas that the deer would come in., 199.00 good investment for me!!

I have a Bushnell,don't remember the model. I range trees and other objects when I get into my stand so I know how far they are. Then if a deer comes by it is easier for me to tell which pin to use.

I also use it during ML season and have ranged the deer itself a couple times before I shot it.

I like mine but they are kind of expensive.

I always have mine. I put a nice strap on it to make it comfortable around my neck, and then I slip it down the front of my jacket, so it is out of the way. I wouldn't leave home without it. I can judge yardage very well, but I like the extra insurance.

i have a older bushnell and it works great, i would like a new more compact version but the price scares me too.

I also have an old bushnell.It still works perfectly so I cannot see buying a smaller one.When it dies I will.I have found it to be very helpful in ranging objects around my tree stands.I am pretty competent with judging yardage on flat ground but depending upon the height of your stand or how the terrain around your stand is,the use of a rangefinder is an extra measure of certainty which add's to confidence at the time of the shot.
Even one of the rangefinders where you manually align the images inside the lens is not a bad idea,they are inexpensive and suitable for most tree stand hunting.

I have a bushnell yardage pro. Won't go in the woods without mine. It gives me that extra confidence knowing the yardage is dead on. And confidence is what it is all about.

If its a matter of necessity, then no. It isn't a necessary item you just have to have.

Will it make things more convenient and easy for you? You bet! If you can afford it, I would definitely pick one up.

A near miss is still a miss if you guess the yardage wrong.

I borrowed a buddy of mine's rangefinder, climbed up in the tree, shot everything around me (within my range) and wrote it all down on a piece of paper for "record-keeping." That way I'll know the yardage when season comes and can leave the rangefinder at the house. (Keeps the pack lighter, and I don't own one anyways--it's a heck of a lot cheaper that way.)

Honestly though, I can usually estimate within close enough yardage, up to about 150. After that it get's tougher and my margin of error increases. I would say you only really need one for rifle hunting. Bowhunting you're usually close enough to the deer to estimate accurately.

Where you are, pick something out, say how many yards you think it is, and then step it off and see how close you are. It's kinda fun and it'll help your "eyesight yardage" get alot better.