Do you ever use a range finder in practice

[pinshooter]

I have never owned one but I shot a practice round with a man this weekend that had one. Since we were both rusty on judgment we decided to use the range finder. We judged our targets and then used the finder to verify we were close. It seems to me that a finder is good for level ground but not for up and downhill shots. I went against the finder on several occasions and came out for the better. Like I said I don't own one so I want feedback from others.

[justshoot]

yes, I would estimate yardage, shoot , then check the rangefinder
up against what I thought yardage to be.. I almost always went
out to practice with a rangefinder, really helps in your judgement
of yardage(and that's where most tournaments are won and lost).

[SageCreek]

Don't have one,

but wanting to get one.

You need a protractor to go with the range finder for up hill and down hill shots to figure out what to take off of the shot.

[Dave2]

In practice I start out ranging it first to make sure my bow is shooting exactly the way I sighted it in, then I switch around to estimating and shooting and then ranging.

[Preacher]

I always use a range finder when I’m just practicing. It let me know what fooled me in my original judgment. I can range different spot or objects between the target and the stake and get a better idea of what causes my estimation to be off. On real steep up or downhill shots you may have to make some sight adjustments that differ from the range finder. The range finder just tells you how far it is to the target on the plain that you are viewing the target, it doesn’t take into account that the flight of the arrow will be affected by gravity.

On say a 45 degree downhill shot at 40yd. The target may range 40yd with the range finder but on a horizontal plain it will only be 32yd away. Gravity works on the horizontal plain so always figure the horizontal plain when estimating yardage on real steep angles.

I hope that makes sense. :)

[CHAMPION2]

I sure like my Leica 800's. Double as a nice little bino in the treestand. Are nice when judging target distances in the back yard, or yardage markers from the treestand also.

Champion2
Full Draw Outdoors
Richwood/CSS

[12x]

I use one alot when ever I go on scouting trips in the woods , when I go and shoot a shops 3-d course I do the same as you did, shoot then check yardage this the range finder

[pinshooter]

Thanks for the feedback. I may eventually get one but a good set of binocs will come first. My $80 pair of Bushnell’s just isn't getting the job done.

[SPECTRE]

I use a rangefinder EVERY time I practice, but when I practice judging..... I don't have a bow in my hand.

I practice shooting......

I practice judging......


I don't mix the two :wink:

[Big Country]

At alot of local shoots I don`t turn in my scorecard, so I judge, shoot, then use the rangefinder.

NOTE: I still stink at yardage guessing! :cry:

[SageCreek]

Thanks for the feedback. I may eventually get one but a good set of binocs will come first. My $80 pair of Bushnell’s just isn't getting the job done.

Yep, my Nikon's are OK, but sure wish I was sponsored by Brunton or something!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

[pinshooter]

Yep sure would be nice Sage.

[SPECTRE]

Yep, my Nikon's are OK, but sure wish I was sponsored by Brunton or something!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)



I know a guy who can get you a pretty good deal on Brunton stuff....... 8)

[fishslayer1963]

sPECTRE ARE THOSE bOWTECH rANGEFINDERS? GOTTA LUV THAT SPELLING Kirk

[field14]

I use my rangefinder for practicing judging nearly everytime I am shooting a practice field round...I just use trees, rocks, benches, and other things that are OFF the shooting paths...write down my 'guess' then take a pair of sightings and write those down...then enter them into an excel database I built and come up with MY PERSONAL correction for each given 5 yard increment of yardage from 15 thru 60 yards...

The doggoned thing is pretty accurate for me...and MY personal tendencies are VERY consistent! I have several thousand sightings in that database, and it has become very consistent and isn't changing much with additional data.....a good indicator that my tendencies are REAL and aren't varying much...EVEN WITH THE EXTRA PRACTICE!

So, I'm believing that each person has tendencies and their eyes are set and while practicing MIGHT help some people....my data indicates that in MY CASE, with my vision, I am going to guess 2 yards SHORT at 50 yards if I'm in the open and the target is in the woods; pretty consistent with this, so if I think it is 50 yards....I shoot it for 52, and will hit the 8 ring for sure, and mostly 10's and some 12's when I aim for the right spot!

I also don't turn in my scorecard for local stuff either...just judge, write it down, rangefind it, write it down, set my site, and shoot.

Works for me...3-D is my FUN STUFF.

field14

[Bowdiddly]

In the off season scouting I carry one to work on my yardage. I have not practiced with one shooting 3D. There has been times when I could have used one.

[Straightline]

I always carry mine at the local shoots and I spend a lot of time on my course at home with my range finder. I've got 10 targets at home set up so that it is actually a 20 target course (shoot them front and back).

If I was going to buy one it would be the Nikon. My brother has a Nikon and I've got a Bushnell, I feel the Nikon is better built and I like the half yard accuracy.

[Fletch Helical]

Alot of times at local shoots I'll bring a rangefinder and range the target after I shoot to see how close my guess was. Other times I'll just go out in the woods and just guess the distances to trees, rocks, etc. to work on my yardages.

[Daniel Boone]

I use my Nikon 400 in practice all the time. Take the shot then range the target.

Must have for 3d. We actually have competitions rangefinding. Just something one has to be able to do for 3d.

[Straightline]

I always carry mine at the local shoots and I spend a lot of time on my course at home with my range finder. I've got 10 targets at home set up so that it is actually a 20 target course (shoot them front and back).

If I was going to buy one it would be the Nikon. My brother has a Nikon and I've got a Bushnell, I feel the Nikon is better built and I like the half yard accuracy.

I forgot to mention I only use it after the shot to see how accurate I am estimating. I feel it’s the best way to improve you accuracy.

[mike-uswest]

I practice with mine whenever I can. Especially when hunting, I set up an area of ranged spots for anything that comes in for shooting. I am the worlds worst when ranging, so I need practice for the 3-D shoots. Couldn't live without one.

[Walleye Joe]

Yes. Only after the shot.

[rcher54]

After the shot to check why the arrow isn't in the 12 ring? :oops: :o :shock: :roll: ](*,) #-o

[dkoutdoors]

I always practice with my rangefinders and I use them at the first couple of 3-D shoots after I shoot I range it to verify what I came up with.

[mike-uswest]

Optilogic, and I believe Pentax now have models that will compensate for up and downhill shots, and let you know what you should set your sights for to take care of the angle off of horizontal. I don't have one of these, but I have heard they work great.

Mike

[pinshooter]

Optilogic, and I believe Pentax now have models that* will compensate for up and downhill shots, and let you know what you should set your sights for to take care of the angle off of horizontal.* I don't have one of these, but I have heard they work great.

Mike


If I get a pair I will buy those because I shoot a lot of up and downhill shots.

[CA_Rcher12]

I want one, but they're not worth the money. I'm good at guessing, anyway. 8)

[Archeryaddict]

Ya my range finder is a tape measure PDT_Armataz_01_11

[ldfalks]

Opti-Logic makes a great angle compensating range finder. It automatically copensates for the difference between the "angled measurement" and the "flat yardage". It measures in feet or yards and is accurate to 1ft. Makes practice much more productive than trying to tie the tape measure to a stick, streatch it to a target then back up and shoot :shock: