Just wondering how you guys go about judging distances. I'm guessing alot of you have just shot so much that you just know, but i guess kinda what i do sometimes is just have an idea of how far 5 yards is and i try to count how many of those there are between the target and me. I use a range finder while hunting but at the 3d shoot i went to this weekend i didn't and i had a heck of a time judging the distances. Any hints, tips, or suggestions?

There are a couple of "tricks" but basically it just takes practice. You really need to learn what 10 or 20 yards looks like. Then go from there.

Here's a few "tricks" you can use to help though:

- Find the mid way point and judge to that, then double it.

- I find I do best going from me to the target in 10 yard chunks, when you don't have
room for another 10 yard chunk you guess how short you are.

- After some practice you will learn when you can no longer see the target definition with targets like mcKenzie HD, the detail lines are visible until you get x yards away, you just need to find "x" for your eyes.

- You will learn that under some conditions you over/under judge. For me, I ALWAYS under judge in fields.

Takes practice. One thing you can do is to take your range finder, tell the check in table you want to "donate" your scores and ask if you can use it. Everyone in the group will probably need to agree to also donate to do this.

--Bob

I do like Bob mentioned.Also another that helps me too,is when I am on my two mile morning walk I pick objects up ahead quickly, and figure the yards in my head ,and as I am walking I count the paces.It is an excellent way to get good at figuring distances and doing it quickly.I'll pick a tree,a fire hydrant or a car bumper.it works for me.

When I scout or walk in the woods or on power lines, I will pick a spot and look directly at that spot. Eliminate everything on each side and the lay of the land. I then estimate and use my rangefinder for an exact distance. At one time I would try to split the yardage or break it up in 20 yard increments. This didn't work for me, especially when shooting in the snow or from a wooded area into an open field or power line. Look directly at the target, even if you must cup your hands along side you head, like a visor, to eliminate all clutter that may throw off your estimate. Once you have estimated yardage, use your binoculars to eliminate small branches or obstructions in the arrows path. After a season of practice I'm making very accurate estimates. A quality range finder is a valuable asset when stalking.

I think your headed in the right direction. Just keeping going to those shoots week after week and after a while it will become second nature.

What ever you do don't be the guy at the 3D shoot that keeps asking what pin to use. After about the third time I hear that I go insane.

I use alot of the same methods with a twist.If there are trees and brush or other objects that you can project from,try and pick a tree or something prominent that you have the yardage down on and then try and project that to something much smaller at the same distance and get the percieved difference.Also go and pace off 40 yds through a good wooded ridge and see just how far away that distance is.Ron

With a Bushnell Yardage Pro Scout. .
Sometimes it takes quite a few hunts and 'many hours' on the stand to get a deer up close.
When the chance comes, I certainly don't want to be 'guessing' what pin I should use.
Estimating distances is for my 3D shoots..
The guessing stops when the real thing starts!!!

I like the "half-splitting" idea. That might work pretty well since shorter distances are always easier to judge.

Don't worry about what 5 yards looks like for hunting.
Learn what 20 yards looks like, and how far high your bow shoots at 10 yards with your 20 yard pin.
When you get a point blank shot in the woods, you'll have no time to guess, just aim a bit high with your 20 yard pin.

If you already have a rangefinder, use it. Use it to measure yardage to an animal when you can. Use it to measure a few landmarks while in a stationary stand so you can estimate accurately when an animal comes in. Use it all the time, to practice your estimating skill. If your max shot distance is 40 yards, then again just learn 20 and know your drop to 40.
I take that a step further. I'll set a pin at 20 yards, learn how high it shoots midrange, and then set another pin at my max range.

For 3-d shoots, you can go about it two ways depending on your goal.
*If you want to get the highest possible score and have the least chance of damaging or losing an arrow, then have many pins set on your sight and learn to judge very closely.
*If your goal is like mine, you can use a 3-d shoot to TEST your estimating ability and just use a few pins to keep it realistic and similar to a hunting situation.
I don't think there is anything wrong with archery sports for the sole purpose of sport and recreation, but I shoot everything with my hunting setup, and take every shot as if it were real.

Good luck.

I am in a career where I am required to know the distance of my pace (which is one step with each foot), so this has really helped me in judging distance. For instance, when I hang a set I will pace out distances in directions where I expect to shooting. I then just pick out a tree or log to remember the distance.

Of course, I would rather have a lazer range finder!

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