Rob/PA Bowyer

I feel my mechanics of shooting a bow are there, the rest becomes a mental game.

buttonbuckmaster

Thats a hair low?Looks like right on the money to me.

I really do need to invest in a range finder. I'm old school, I have a measuring wheel from my surveying days in HS/college . It works, but I do it well in advance of the season to keep from stinking up the area.

GMMAT

Rob's another member I trust and respect his knowledge and views. Another valid point.

I hunted 46 times, last year.....and likely took my range finder on 40 of those hunts. Maybe it's the understanding of the places I hunt.....but i'll likely use it less and less. I know the distance to the back of my indoor range from the shooting line.....and I don't range in there anymore, either.

I've gotten to know the SMALL parcels I hunt pretty extensively. If I were hunting new, unfamiliar ground.....you BET I'd have my rangefinder handy.

In MY situations (most of them) though........well...you know.

davidmil

I carry one because I like to be precise as I can. I don't like to leave it to "close enough for government work" mentality. I always guess ranges and then range them to verify. I range to several trees a full 360 around me. Besides that, my arrow is slugging along at 252 fps. A few yards can mean a lot. Even if I had a flatter shooting rig I'd still not rely on one pin to 30 yards. I'd want to know 33 or 27 or 25. There are enough variables in bowhunting without accepting those we can do something about. A rangefinder is a simple tool that can help and can't hurt. I hunt a lot of different places, different terrain and different elevations. The first time in a place on hill side or something is not the same as climbing in your permanent stand hung on a tree for the season. I don't have favorite stands. I rarely hunt a spot more than once or twice a year, even in years where I've hunted 55-60 days.

GMMAT

AGAIN....David's successes are well-known. I'm happy to hear your views, too. For all of the guys starting out (and those who've been at it a while).....understand that he gives GREAT advice.

Although I hunted close to 50 times last year....I DO hunt small tracts. That being said....I still hunted the same tree only twice. I move around with my climber a LOT. Having said even that.....I KNOW I've ranged different trees in ALL the areas I hunt. I know how far 30 yds is in THESE areas. Honestly.....the difference between 24 and 28 yds. wouldn't do me much good. I'm honestly asking how you can know where that deer's gonna be when he stops and offers you the shot. I find myself calculating his distance as he's walking (i.e. he's at 25, now.......now 20......now 15, etc...). "I" sometimes feel that by the time I had the chance to range him.....the shot opportunity may have been passed up (in some situations).

It's a situation we all likely handle a BIT differently.

I am NOT suggesting that people don't take a rangefinder. I want that to be clear. I'm just saying that in MY situation(s).....I find myself using one less and less (and will as I move forward). I'm also at the luxury of knowing my hunting spots REALLY well (by virtue of the size of parcels I get to hunt).

Idon't think there's a wrong answer. I really don't.

Cougar Mag

Please don't take this as being cocky, but I am darn good at ranging using my eyes and experience up to 50 yards using the graduation method. Spot a tree thats at 20 yards, find another tree or sapling that is another 10 or 20 yards. Maybe not on the button at 50, but within 2-3 yards at 50. I even checked it in Colorado when we were shooting practice targets. A buddy had his rangefinder to verify after my "guesses". Besides, in the areas I hunt whitetail most of my shots are at 20 yards and less. Shooting 3D really helps, main reason I shoot 3D these days.

I am not suggesting a rangefinder needn't be used by those who use them. Its just a matter of who needs them.

kshunter

I try to use a rangefinder if possible. A lot of the country I hunt is pretty open, where long shots are needed.

MichaelHunsucker

Why not take advantage of technology and know EXACTLY how far they are. It can only help

Legacy357

I use one everytime I am out...even when I am still hunting the same tree. I hunt between 20-25ft up and sometimes ranges get to be a little tricky. Now that I work full time, I don't have as much time to shoot my bow every day. I am confindent in my range but it always seems like the deer come from the place I did not range off. Its a security blanket I guess.I have friends that just started to bow hunt and he stalked a buck in field. He shot atit 3 times andhad no idea how far the shotwas. Judging distance in the woods is one thing but in the fields, its alot different. I also use it for groundhog hunting to pick off hogs at 400 yards.

Rick James

I carry one because I will and am comfortable with out to a 50 yard shot in the perfect scenario. These scenarios are very rare, however when everything is right I want to know the exact number. Bow speed doesnt much matter really in a hunting setup either, in 3D it may get you an extra x ring or two but in hunting it doesn't in my opinion. I am very confident in my yardage judging ability, however that just isn't enough for me when I am aiming down on a live animal. I have learned from 3D that you must have absolute confidence in the number you picked to really have confidence in your shot. To give you an idea, below are some numbers to look at.

280fps arrow - Judged 47 yards - Actual 50 yards - 3.29" low

310fps arrow - Judged 47 yards - Actual 50 yards - 2.63" low

That's less than 3/4" at 50 yards, how many of us are really good enough to see that 3/4" in drop? Speed doesn't fix that problem, but a rangefinder would. If I don't have the time to pull out the rangefinder and click that animal then I don't have any business shooting at it, it was too rushed of a situation for a 50 yarder.

Now another reason, this a bit more realistic for my setup and the woods I hunt.

270fps arrow - Judged 33 yards - Actual 24 yards - 4.12" high.

Now that is quite possibly a deer you are going to have to chase all night long or may never recover. It's easier for me to just bring the rangefinder and click everything when I first settle into a stand so I know without a doubt how far things are and it helps build my confidence. It also gives me something to do when I am bored, I sit there sometimes and just practice picking numbers. I have 14 treestands on my little 120 acre patch and don't get to hunt all of them in the same year most of the time, so when I sit in a stand I usually don't remember how far everything is, so it helps me to just reassure myself a bit with the rangefinder.