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Rangefinder?

Boone

*Supporting Member*
833
96
N.E. O-H-I-O
Do you use one for bowhunting? What kind do you have? Recommend?

I have never had one, but have been sitting in some new stands in new areas and one would be helpful to have.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
Boone,

I use a Nikon Archer's Choice for bow hunting. It has the "Arc" technology for elevation changes. Do you hunt flat land or hill country?

I have found that even at 25 feet up in the tree the "Arc" technology doesn't differ more than a yard on flat land. So if I were to buy another, I wouldn't pay any extra for one with Arc.

Now if I were in hill country, where you may have 25' tree stand, then another 15-20 feet drop off a ridge or something, then the Arc may come in handy, especially when you get out to the 35-40 yards range.

I have zero complaints about my Archers Choice though.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
I have the Bushnell Yardage Pro 500. It is a good range finder. Works everytime and the batteries last forever. The issue I have is it is TOO big. I think I would like one of the compact jobs that are held vertically with the button operated by the "pointy" finger.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
I'll say this much - I received an inexpensive rangefinder as a gift (I won't say the brand, but they make cheap trailcams too). Most of the time accurate, but sometimes gets different readings on the same thing. Eats batteries like crazy. I've come to not totally trust it, just use it to kinda confirm my estimates.

If you buy one, lay out the extra $$$$ for a good one.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I have the Bushnell Chuck Adams bowhunter one and love it! I rely on my rangefind way to much to not have one!

I have this one also. Haven't had it but for a month, but I really like it, as it also has ARC. My only big beef with it is that it won't read at all on a foggy day, and that in low light conditions, it is sometimes hard to see through it.

I also had a Bushnell Yardage Pro Sport and it worked well, but was big and bulky.
 

Boone

*Supporting Member*
833
96
N.E. O-H-I-O
Thanks for your suggestions guys. I am mostly in hill country and am looking into the bowhunter specific models, either the Nikon archers choice or Bushnell Chuck Adams. I think it's the only accessory I could really use right now that I don't already have.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I have this one also. Haven't had it but for a month, but I really like it, as it also has ARC. My only big beef with it is that it won't read at all on a foggy day, and that in low light conditions, it is sometimes hard to see through it.

I also had a Bushnell Yardage Pro Sport and it worked well, but was big and bulky.

Yep and yep. I thought my Yardage Pro was more reliable, but I like the ARC on the Chuck Adams model. I have some issues with mine not wanting to range at times and it could cost me in crunch time some day. But over all, I do like it...
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
I have, and still use, the first laser range finder to hit the market. Its a Bushnell Yardage Pro 400. I bought it in 1996, and have changed the battery two times. The thing is amazing to me. Some people like to make fun of it because it's a little bigger than the ones made today, but it works! I paid 236.00 for it back in the day, and it was some of the best money I've ever spent on hunting gear.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
I never did use a range finder bowhunting. For many of the years I bowhunted they didn't exist yet and all of the deer I've ever taken have all been under 35 yds. I could sure see where they would be very valuable if you are hunting open country. Had they existed early on I'm sure I would have had one in my pack.

I know I sure could have used one a few times however up at Erie or at Hocking on a few of the triple crown shoots, could have saved a few silly shots over the years
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I use one sometimes, but VERY sparingly. I'll range trees, stumps, or other points of reference at the beginning of a hunt... but after that it never leaves the pack. Actually most of my stands are set in positions where I won't have any shots past 30 yards, and I can estimate yardage pretty close with just my eyes inside of 30. And I agree with what Drake said about the ARC technology... I think it's overrated, for most situations. In relatively-flat terrain or just slightly-sloping terrain, the difference in yardage will only be 1 or 2 yards, which isn't really even enough to change one's point of aim.

Example... If you're 20' off the ground, and the deer is standing 30 yards (or 90 feet) from the base of your tree on flat ground, the distance between your eyeballs and the deer is 92.2 feet. At 30 yds from the tree, that fancy ARC technology just corrected you for 0.73 yards. You think that's worth the extra cost? I don't.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Once you hunt a couple of Greg and I's stands, you'll know why ARC comes in handy down here!!! lmao

Lol. I believe you... I've had enough hunts in the hills of SE Ohio to know what kinds of slopes you deal with, especially when hunting a over a bench. In that scenario, hunting over a 20 or 30-degree slope, yea it might come in handy. But for guys hunting the rest of the state, it's really not necessary IMO.

On flat ground, even if you were 50' up in the air, it'd only be a 4 yard difference at 30 yards from the tree.
 
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