I have one and use it when I go out west, but here in PA for whitetails I have yet to need it and most days don’t carry it. With today’s modern bows, and a 25 yd max range, the deer is either in range or not. You don’t need to know if its 14 yds or 18 yds. It don’t matter. I will probably be one of the few to tell you that you don’t need it. But you don’t. All you need to do is figure out that 25 yd circle & you are fine. And as always, if you aren’t sure, don’t shoot. Now if you choose to take shots 30+ yds, you better get good at guessing yardage if you don’t want to miss.
I will use it when I climb up into a stand I have never hunted before and start ranging different trees, stumps, ect.
I've used one but don't own one. I generally hunt the same areas every year so its not needed in most of my hunts. When I hang a new stand, my friend helps me and we range it. My dad has an OLD one that looks like a Kodak 110 camera, knobs on it?? I get a headache trying to figure that thing out. He still uses it and it seems to work for him lol.
Like others, I use it when I first get in the stand to establish a range using specific landmarks, then it's put away. Is it necessary? Certainly not. Does it help me (even if only reassurance)? Sure. That's all that matters. Use what YOU want.
I do not use one, never have..I dont shoot past 30 yds and i have my yardages marked with trees around my stand. I would use one i guess if i had the opportunity, i just cant get myself to spend the coin on one though...lol
Yes I do and I love mine, I don't use it as the deer is walking in I use it right when I get in my tree and range what ever I have to so I know my 30 and 40 yards. If you ever hunt in the woods and then go sit on a picked corn field it will blow your mind what you think is 20 yards is really 35.. That is why I love mine. Walt
I use it more for yardage estimate practice than anything else. I estimate the yardage to trees, stumps, bushes, or whatever and then use my rangefinder to check my accuracy. I haven't had to and I don't plan on trying to range an animal...too many things can go wrong. They can be entertaining and good for passing time as well.
Yes, I use rangefinder - mostly to get some yardages when first setting up for those few longer shooting lanes I may have...again - anything out to almost 30 yards shouldn't require ranging if you hold center on big game.
I do. Heck the last 5-6 deer i've shot, i ranged them just before shooting just to be sure. I keep mine on a Nikon retractor thing on my hip at all times while hunting.
Maybe you didn't read my entire sentence Steve. I don't care if anyone's a purist... but there is something a TAD bit hypocritical about a guy/gal who preaches purity and doesn't use a rangefinder.. than sneaks off and puts his/her trail-cam up. Some purist.
I use one because I rarely hunt from the same tree twice and because my arrows are very slow so a couple of yards makes a difference. The challenge for me is to remember what I ranged the various landmarks at. 'was that tree 22 or 25 yards??' I generally don't range deer when they're around because I'm too busy trying to kill them and just generally too klutzy to mess with multiple gadgets before a shot.
Thanks rybo.This kinda did occur to me although as someone else said who knows if I'll remember what 20 yards looks like in the moment. Hey ,by the way as a Flyers fan I can't actually congratulate you on your Pens win but Im glad it wasn't the Wings.
Thanks everyone for the insight. its cool to hear different points of view. I guess for now I'm leaning toward getting one,when the budget allows,both for confidence and practice.thanks again. Jim
I started using one last year and I don't think I would be in the woods without one, unless I was sitting in one or two sets that I could easily have yardage markers.
