Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Well do you... I am wondering becuase my step system failed me this morning and I was considering breaking down. I don;t mind missing cleanly ona doe but if over shoot a nice buck it may be a diffenrt story

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I do to know the distance to the game.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Nikon 440 Everytime.......I range obvious landmarks, and keep it on my belt at all times if I need it in a pinch.

Confidence is a big part of shooting a bow accurately let alone accurately under pressure, from heights, weird angles etc......if you know an exact yardage rather than just adding another component to worry about or make a mistake with it will help your confidence immensely.

I use mine religiously and I am a pretty serious 3D shooter who has LOTS of practice judging yardage.

I would rather know......than guess.;)

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Yes I do. After shooting 3D for many years I still use one. I trust my yardage judgements however I want to be positive. I have my rangefinder on the Crooked Horn bino system on my chest. I range several areas around my stand and I can even range quickly when necessary.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

When I hang my stand I mark distances and never use a range finder.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

As these guys said above, yes I have one. I also am pretty competitive in 3D on the state and regional level as well however the range finder is critical IMHO for hunting. Last season I had a doe come in and I guessed her at 35 yards from my tree and I let fly and she was only at 30. I ended up clipping her in the backstraps.............[:@]. If I had been patient and used my nikon she would have ended up in my freezer.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I use to years ago. Ive got to where I can jugde distance pretty well. I also use my sights to calculate distance. You can use the distance between your last pin and first pin to estimate the distance due to the size of the deer as it appears between the two pins. With a little practice it is pretty easy to do. I also practice all over my yard with out ranging the distance. I put up my 3 d and practice judging distance and making shots. Like I said, with a little practice it is easy to do.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I don't use a rangefinder. All my hunting is done on the ground, so I don't have to worry about how differenteverything looks from a treestand. With many, many years of practice behind me,I'm very good at judging distances within 30 yards.And I never take a hunting shot beyond 30 yards.

But I highly recommend using a rangefinder to anyone who can't (or won't) dedicate themselves to learning how to judge yardage and practicing it whenever they have the opportunity.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I use one when I set up a stand to distance mark surrounding trees. At 20yds I wrap two orange strips at 30 yds 3 strips etc...

Tom

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Yes I do, I always range certain landmarks around my stand just after getting there so I know in a pinch an approximate distance the the game i'm hunting. in some stands I also hang some ribbon to specific distances in my shooting lanes.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

No, my wife says I have spent too much money on hunting crap already. So maybe next year.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

yep, just got one this season , i love it....i used to borrow one and flag all around me before a hunt ...

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Yea its a must havefor me , I gotta know the range around my stands and blind so when that moument of truth comes around I'll have more confidence to pull the release.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Last week a member on here sent me one as a gift. I love it.
C7

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

i dont use one simply because im 15 and cant afford it..........

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Exactly!

No, I don't have/use one. Never felt it had to be a requirement in my fanny pack...enough stuff in there as it is! Of course if someone wants to send me one as a gift, I'd certainly try it to see if my opinion changes. LOL

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

why because i dont own one

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I don't own one either. One of these days, I'd like to, but the good ones are still $$$$$.... [:-]

I just pace off 20 yards and use something natural as a marker/guidance and even pace out 30 yards and do the same. It seems to work great, where I'm pretty good at judging distances.

Butch A.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

All I do is scan a few markers around the stand/blind then I'm good to go. I'm still pretty decent at judging yardages if a deer comes in from an unexpected area but I do get at least a few markers first.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I wouldn't hunt without one. It takes out all of the guess work. When that buck of a lifetime walks out, I find comfort knowing that I won't miss due to a misjudgement in distance.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I picked one up a few years ago and seem to use it quite a bit. Like most guys here said I tend to scan several landmarks in every direction once i get into my stand then put it away. I use it just as much with rifle hunting as i do bow. If you know the exact distance and exact zero of your rifle you can do some math and take those 300-400 yarders.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Yup, I love it for all the reasons stated above. The better question is who wouldn't use one if they did not have to pay the bucks for it.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

BTW the bushnell scouts have a $50.00 rebate right now and you can buy one outright for about $220 ( minus 50= 170) so it's not too bad. Mine should be here Friday:)

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I've never used one. Most all my shots are close enough if I am off a yard or 2 it doesn't matter at all. HoweverI do own a rangefinder I bought to use out west. I've been taking it with me and when I get bored look at stuff with it, but my hunting style is such that if its in the open its in range. rarely do I get an open shot farther thna 25-30 yds.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I will not go in the woods without mine. I too do pretty well at 3d judging distance, but knowing the exact yardage gives me total confidence to take the shot. I range objects around my stand and make mental notes of their distances. I then usually recheck them a couple times to keep it fresh in my mind for when the big boy comes in.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Absolutely. I use the Nikon 440. I range key points around my stand prior to getting up in the stand. If using scents bombs, I usually set various ones around the stand at 20, 25, and 30 yards for reference points as well. Once in the stand I keep it accesible if I have the opportunity to range the deer. If not, I have my reference points to work from.

Last year it came in handy when a doe was hanging around my stand and she was outside my normal range that I set for myself. She was hanging around for about 30 minutes and I ranged her at 43 yards. By then, I was calm and was able to make a great shot on her. Probably my best shot ever and it may be the farthest shot I will ever take considering the circumstances.

For me, it is a must to get that last minute reassurance and extra confidence prior to making a shot.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I have had one for many years.Just an additional source of confidence,to know exactly the distance to the area's surrounding your stand.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

no...right now I cannot justify the expense and I do not hunt in terrain that needs it. Ave shot is under 20 yards....I know I will wish I had one though someday.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

i use one cause it's 6X and smaller, lighter then binos
perfect for bow hunters

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I just borrowed one from a buddy and I have a question. When ranging distances from my stand should I range from the ground right under my stand or range while i'm in my stand. Or does it matter. I thought you always wanted to use actual distance which would be from ground level to your target not from up in your tree to your target. Just curious.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I shoot one pin out to 30 yards. I don't like to shoot at anything further than 25 yards from my treestand. Most of my stands are setup for 15 yard shots. I don't need a rangefinder at these distances. The only decision I need to make is if it's it bow range or not. For me that's 25 yards max and it's just one pin so it's pretty simple. If it's so far away that I need a rangefinder, it's too far to shoot.

By the way I shoot 4 inch groups at 60 yards in my yard with broadheads. Also, I've never wounded an animal yet with my bow (5 for 5).

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I hunt many game animals, in different states. I'm not in a tree stand, most of the time. I will take longer shots, if the situation is right, and if I know the exact yardage. SO, I use the range finder often. Shot my spring turkey at 35 yards, my doe antelope this fall at 47 yards, my bull elk at 22 yards although I didn't use it before I shot him[8D]

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Varying terrain and longer than typical shots: uphill, downhill, wide open, trees, brush, cross-canyon all make a rangefinder a very nice accessory up here. Oh and there's the fact that wounding a brown bear has drastically different consequences than wounding a whitetail!

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

always

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I also have shot 3-d at the state and national level thus becomming proficient at estimating yardage. However, I bought a range finder last year and love it. My biggest reason for liking it is because I can get the yardages without scenting up my stand site by pacing everything off. On a cautionary note, be careful when ranging from your tree with the older rangefinders. You will be ranging the hypotinuse (long side of the triangle) from there. I've found that when I'm 25' in the air, a True 20 yard shot will range at 23 yards. Practice with it and know what is happening. Try ranging a tree at eyeball level then range the same tree at its base. You'll then see the difference. The true distance to shoot is the eyeball level distance. Some of the newer models make the correction for you. I hope this info is useful to somebody. Good luck.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

KodiakArcher nailed it. I too am pretty good at estimating range, but distances on those downhill shots can be deceiving, especially when 20' up in a tree on the side of a hill. I take my rangefinder with me all the time and like others have said, I use it to determine distance to known landmarks so I am certain of the range. Also, I hunt from climbing stands about 90% of the time and move around frequntly, so the rangefinder really helps from the many new perches I find myself in.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Here is my motto - it has served me well:

If you aren't sure how far it is, then it's too far to shoot with a bow.

This has worked well for deer hunting in the thick woods where I hunt. I go for 15 to 20 yard shots. 25 yards is a long shot for me. If I need a range finder, then it's too far and I shouldn't be shooting it with a bow anyway.

Guys that need range finders are guys that take 30, 40, and 50 yard shots with their bows. To me that's not bowhunting - that's gun hunting.

It aint how far you can shoot em, it's how close you can shoot em.

There's alot of people who have no business shooting past 25 yards at an animal. The rangefinder can give mediocre archers a false sense of confidence to take shots beyond their effective range resulting in wounded animals.

I say most of us should save the range finder for rifle season and stick to 20 - 25 yard shots. Therewould be alot less wounded animal threads.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I said no because I pace off 20 yards and make a mark. (I also do this while siting in so it is the same distance even if I am off on my measurments) From that 20 yards I can judge the distance back toward my tree or out to 40 yards and thats as far as I will shoot and even that has to be perfect conditions (enought light and no wind)

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

I use my rangefinder to get a range on nearby trees. That gives me visual markers if/when a deer should come by.

RE: Do you use a range finder why... why not
 

Yes and so I know how far away the animal is :D:D:D

Seriously, I always carry my rangefinder. It is hard for meto accurately judge distance from a tree, and when I am spot & stalking it helps me with my confidence.