Sniper151

Something for BHFisher to consider. I shoot all year a least 3 times a week including winter 3-D shoots. I consider myself a better than average bow shooter and very good at estimating yardage. I have found that in certain situations, as shooting from an open area to a narrow, in the woods shot or snow on the ground may cause a second guessing on yardage. I think that you owe the animal you are hunting a clean, quick kill. When you range the animal with a rangefinder, you have exact yardage and can make an exact shot not estimation or guessing. I have been very fortunate to have harvested some nice animals with a bow. I will not take a chance or questionable shot. I'll leave the animal go by before risking a poor hit. I also long range hunt with the rifle. An accurate rangefinder is a necessity.
Good Hunting...

Ken/WV

I have the Bushnell 800 and it's a awesome rangefinder. Two thumb's up for sure, you won't be disappointed.

QTompkins2005

are there any decent less expensive range finders? I just bought a new bow, shotgun scope, and some camo so the funds are kind of low, i sure would like a range finder for shotgun season but they are all over a hundred bucks.

Paul L Mohr

I am not saying that BG is wrong. Most shooting for deer comes in close in a lot of states, and you can sort of control it with stand placement to a point. None of my friends use a range finder when bow hunting, but they have been doing it for many years and judge yardarge fairly well (not as well as they think however as I have proved with the range finder). I can't though so I use one when I set my stand to check things out. I bet I could do with out it if I had to, if I limited my shots to 20 and in. 30 seems pretty far away when I'm in a tree. And he is right, the typical shot here is closer to 15 to 18 yards. However I set up on field edges quite often and the deer could be any where from 15 to more than 50.

And I use a muzzle loader to gun hunt with, I forgot to mention that. My max yardage is 150 yards with that rifle. It's 2 inches high at 70-80 yards and 2-3 inches low at 150. And if it's more than 150 I won't take the shot, I don't really like to do it that far away any way. Besides the property line ends at 147 in the far corner of the meadow I hunt over, and I can't shoot over it. The rifle is set up so I can harvest a deer if it is anywhere in the meadow. Most of my shots are at a tree line directly in front of me 80 yards a way.

If you judge yardarge well, a range finder is sort of an expensive luxury item, not to mention one more thing to drag along. If I was confident enough to judge yardarge from a stand I wouldn't bother with one. You could get a bow for what some of these range finders cost. I like having one though.

Paul

drstalker

I have wanted one for a few years now and am glad that I held out and found out about the many on the market.Yes I range yardages pretty well,but have to admit the confidence that I get using it,hunting from a treestand is a plus.I settled on the Leica 900 model.I found it on ebay for a great deal less than any retailer.Well worth the money no doubt.I love my bow practice sessions with it too.Bill D>

mdrbowler99

Although I have not used one,Leupold has a rangefinderthat sounds awesome.Can supposedly mark a deer to within a yard out to 550 yrds.The only reason I mention the leupold is that right now,if you buy a rangefinder,you get a free 3x9x40 scope worth $200.The rangefinder is in the $650-$750 range.Just look online for your best deal.

SapperLohr

I need to get a rangefinder. Every year I justify not having one-but I REALLY suck at judging close yardage, and it is going to cost me someday--it will cost some unlucky deer even more, though!