Range and angle
 

Does the difference in angle on your shot really make a difference? I ask this b/c atm i am planning on purchasing a rangefinder, but idk if i should spend the extra money and get one with the ARC technology, or save the money and just get one that doesn't compensate for the shot's angle.

I use the regular one! At twenty feet up a tree and shooting out to 30yds exact I aimed for a leaf on the ground and hit it. I took a deer out at 38yds that I ranged at 40yds. That is due to me ranging the ground where the trail was no the deer itself. Short yardage is no difference, I have shot leaves before leaving the stand, something I do, straight down with no difference, but my form stays the same, and I bend from the waist.

That is pretty much correct. For the average whitetail stand hunter, the minor angles encountered will not be a problem using a rangefinder that does not account for them. At 20' up a tree, you will be only "off" about 1 yard at 20 yards.

However, if you may take extreme shot angles in very rough terrain (over cliffs, river banks etc), you have to account for angle. At a 30 degree angle from horizontal, for every 1 yard 'line of sight' the target is away from you, the actual horizontal distance is 0.87 yard (at 30 yards 'line of sight', this means the horizontal distance is actually 26 yards).

At a 45 degree angle from horizontal, the actual horizontal distance is only 0.71 yard for every 1 yard 'line of sight'.

Hope that helps!

Get the ARC. IMO it is worth the extra $$. when you have 15 seconds to make that shot of a lifetime, you dont need to screw with figuring out how much to compensate for angle. but it is all personal opinion. =)

I could see it if you were sheep hunting
 

and making 400 yd shots. but to the average deer hunting shooting at 30 yds or less from a tree stand.... it is not going to matter.

This comes up a lot . Just remember , the distance yoy are concerned with is the HORIZONTAL distance .
When shooting from an elevated position , bend at the waist so you don't drop your bow arm and visualize where you want the arrow to exit .

I supposed it depends on where you're hunting and the terrain. From a tree stand, most guys will never need the "ARC" unless they hunt ridges, and intend on shooting down a LONG ways. That being said, I'm one of the guys who hunts some places where it would be beneficial, yet I've not yet ponied up the $$$ for one. Elk hunting in mountains would be a prime example of where one would be beneficial, yet at the same time, when the size of the kill zone it 2-3x that of a deer, then I think we start wondering whether it's really that useful. I DO believe that it IS quite useful, but that is just my opinion.

Yeah i hunt in WI and its fairly flat where i am.. thanks for the input guys, looks like ill save my money and get one without the arc!!! Just means i can spend a little extra on other things haha

imo (take that for what it's worth) i think that ARC and BDC's are messing up optics in general. i have worked very hard at developing my skill at judging distance, using mil dots correctly, and knowing points of impact for my rifle at whatever range and load i'm shooting. i have it all MEMORIZED which to me is faste3r that pushing a button.

the BEST advice i ever got when i started hunting was no matter what, never take a first shot where your pin or crosshair is not covering fur. i followed that advice and i have developed a reputation as a guy that hit hard targets. practice makes perfect, not idiot proof equipment.

i really don't mean to sound so opinionated, but i just had to special order a scope without a bdc reticle. i live next to a stinking cabelas and bass pro shops, and i couldn't find a nikon scope without it that was in stock.:bash: