Bino's or Rangefinder?
 

I have about $150 that I can spend Should I buy a pair of binoculars or should I get a range finder? I don't have either one so. Anyone have any first hand experience they can pass down to me?

Thanks again
Ryan.

Unless you're hunting spot and stalk out west, my vote goes for a good pair of bino's. They'll be much more useful. When I set up my stands, I pace the distances to various trees or other features so that I have built-in range markers when I'm hunting. I'm not convinced that you'd use a range finder all that much for bowhunting.

I agree with wingbone. You can always pace off yardage and set up markers. You cant do much as far as looking at a buck out there a couple hundred yards with out binos. Im very particular on what I shoot so a good quality pair of binos is critical in judging bucks for me, but your better off saving your money and getting both.

Good binos are a must for me now. I will see deer I never would see otherwise. I can pick deer out in thick cover that the eye cannot see into. I can focus right into the cover. I love my rangefinder also

The places I hunt bino's are not a necessity when I see them they are normally less than fifty yards away. I have both, and I never carry out the binos, but I do have my range finder with me, I don't like to pace off the distance. I like to stay off the trails, and not give a chance to leave scent!

i would say rangefinder hands down! we are talking bow hunting here, so i would say its more important to know the range of the deer thats maybe.. lets say 50 yards max? than being able to see what a buck will roughly score at 200 yards.

your not going to be shooting that far so you should be able to see how big of a deer you're shooting with a bow without the use of bino's.

i dont even use bino's personally.

i have both but if i had to choose i would agree with the guys that say rangefinders. i would rather have it than binoculars.

Hands-down.......Binos.

I stopped carrying a rangefinder, couple years ago. If I forget my binos, I feel naked.

I use them to look at deer I might not necessarily be able to shoot, THAT day. but, if I see a good deer, I know more about "him", having glassed him.

It's also saved me from maybe shooting a BB a time or 5. Around here, the BB's are bigger than their mamas, late in our season. What looks like a nice, plump doe is often times a BB. Identifying this, early, is good woodsmanship.

I use my binos all year long....and for things outside of hunting. Besides my bow and climber, they're my most cherished piece of hunting equipment to have with me.

I'd buy a 100 dollar pair of 10X42 bushnels and save the 50 towards the rangefinder. I love having both, but given the choice, I'd have the binos. In most situations, you don't need super expensive binos, but you notice the difference by having something more than the 20 dollar walmart ones. Good luck.

the only time I use one is to mark out distances before I hunt a spot. Then Ill make a small indicator (Cross two branches, etc) to show different distances. Then just use binos to see the deer coming and prepare for the shot:cool2:

BigBuck95:sign0016:

i would try and save up 150 more dollars and purchase bushnells out and back combo, where you get an awesome rangefinder, decent 10x42 binos, and a mini 3 location gps(great for trailing). $299 at cabelas....i love the rangefinder and use the binos in my truck, although i use nikon monarchs in the tree and the gps is handy as well!

I totally agree...

I have never really used binos very much in the woods, but I use my range finder quite a lot honestly...

I am not the conventional 30yd and under type of guy so being precise in yardage for me is absolutely necesarry.

Go to ebay and see if you can find em both used at decent prices. If not go with a rangefinder for sure. You owe it to the animal to do all you can to make a clean quick kill. For me its a big difference between 32yds and 39yds!

Ryan, tough call, but honestly when bowhunting my binos don’t really help me kill animals which is the real goal here, where a rangefinder will absolutely increase my odds of killing animals. I almost feel at some point you need a rangefinder to bowhunt either for practicing, or hunting. How are you going to range your practice shots on the ground or in a tree? Even if you eventually dont need a rangefinder, you need one to get your guessing distances down to verify your right or not.
Your question was IF I had to choose one over the other, a Rangefinder would be my first choice. A rangefinder also increases my confidence level after getting in a stand and marking a few spots, even if I’ve been in a stand before, I always do a quick refresher around my stand. I can honestly say using Rangefinders to practice with, and to hunt with, has absolutely increased my success.

^diesel pretty much stated my own opinion. I bought a rangefinder a couple years ago and I feel it's made a great difference. You don't always have a chance to mark off how far your shooting lanes are in each direction, and with bowhunting 5 yards can make the difference. If you take a few minutes to range things around you when you climb into the stand it really adds to your confidence level and will help more with the ultimate goal of putting one on the ground.

Well can anyone suggest a good range finder for what I can afford? Those wild game halo"s are like 140 locally and I think cabelas has a good deal on them also. Anyone got any suggestions for a broke college kid hahahaha. I'm looking for something that is good up to like 60 yards and is waterproof.

Ryan.

binos for sure

Binos... no question.