Range Finder

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bogtrotter

Well-Known Member
Supporter
I see more and more clients with Range Finders or binoculars with built in range finding ability.
For long range shooting fine but for stalking I just don't get it what happened with learning to judge distance,that was a part of
learning the kraft
I can judge distance out to 300 yards or so,further that I will normally take a shot and a lot further than I am going to allow a client to take one , the majority of shots taken stalking are sub 200 yards,and the biggest proportion considerably less.
Its not difficult to learn to judge distance out to 200 yards just a little practice and you will find you do it automatically so why the need for for Range Finders is it a case of " must have all the gear whether I really need it or not" or are people just too lazy to put in a little practice in judging distance,or am I missing something.
 
I have thought about getting a range finder for some time now, I think judging distance on familiar ground is quite easy but over the years shooting different beasts on unfamiliar ground and terrain can be tricky. Valleys and slopes in Scotland I find hardest to judge Deer distances especially switching from Roe to Red . I have no objection to having one in my armoury in the future as I do think it would help with shot placement out over 200yds. The same could be said for telescopic sights and thermal sensor scopes I just think technology will always move things on but whether we need them all I suppose an argument can always be raised for and against.
M
 
I have yet to come across someone who can judge distance reliably. Those who seem to know the distance of every shot disappointed when a rangefinder was introduced. A seasoned shooter misjudged the distance looking in the direction of the evening sun by 100yd to much and looking the other way misjudged by 100yd too little. Distances were 240m against the sun, 300m with the sun.
Anything over ~200yd I measure because I found out I am useless at judging distance... at least since I have a rangefinder. RF in the binos is a good job and saves time.
edi
 
I do have range finding binoculars as I owe the animal a clean painless shot.
In time my guestimation will improve and I may not need the rangefinder.
Until then I will not take a questionable distance guess at the expense of my quarry.
 
Well I find at normal stalking distances out to 200yards or so is not difficult yard or two out won't make any difference,
Somebody said judging distance over the valleys and hills of Scotland was particularly hard well thats where I learned
being able to do so was a requirement of the job.
If you can judge out to 200 yards thats good enough 300 would be better if you have set up your rifle right then from zero to a little over 200 yards you should be aiming bang on no need for ballistic turrets range finders etc,
I am talking deer stalking here not long range shooting thats a different thing and no doubt there is a place for them there.
If you are stalking deer then you are not going to by shooting much beyond 200 yards in any case, if you are you may.be shooting deer but you are not stalking.
This is no doubt will jump in with if you have large numbers to cull you don't have the luxury of being able to stalk into 200 yards ,frankly I have never found that to be the case.
Never owned a range finder doubt if I ever will,in fact I can't think of any pro that i know who does use one.
 
I guess having different calibre rifles where bullet drop has more of an issue out to 200+and the accuracy is so much more important a range finder can give you piece of mind again more so on unfamiliar ground. I have been "stalking" many years and have many friends who have been Stalking longer none would say they are "Pro" as all would consider every Stalk a new experience and learning curve to the ethical shot. I have never used a rangefinder but would certainly consider having one for the odd occasion .
M
 
Sika-Hunter said:
I guess having different calibre rifles where bullet drop has more of an issue out to 200+and the accuracy is so much more important a range finder can give you piece of mind again more so on unfamiliar ground. I have been "stalking" many years and have many friends who have been Stalking longer none would say they are "Pro" as all would consider every Stalk a new experience and learning curve to the ethical shot. I have never used a rangefinder but would certainly consider having one for the odd occasion .
M
Click to expand...

I meant Pro in the sense of being employed as a stalker ie. as in career.
 
For normal stalking I usually watch where the deer will come out, get my gps on my phone and work out point to point ranges using it and making a memory of the ranges. They wont be 100 percent but they will be close enough. I also use the same to shoot at distance and it's usually pretty Bob on. I did have a range finder and used it a lot, right until I sold it and bought another rifle lol
 
I absolutely agree that for woodland stalking a RF is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. My average woodland shot in the last 12 months has been 75 meters and the furthest has been 120 meters. My rifle is +/- 1" out to 180 meters so why bother with a RF?

It is quite fun, and very good practice to ping objects as your walking along, guessing the range first. It does improve your distance guestimation and is probably the best way to learn. If you're a pro and are out every day you get very good at it, but for those of us out just once a week, accurate range estimation doesn't come quite so naturally.

On the hill however it's a different story. My average shot in the last 12 months has been 195 meters, with one long shot taken at 310. With no trees about up there range estimation does get more challenging for those of us who are not stalking day in day out. In the snow it's even worse. I had one case in January when I shot a hind and the calf ran off with 4 other deer we had not seen (sika on the woodland edge). It cleared the wood with the group and continued up the hill. I passed the RF to the guy next to me who called range as it ran until it stopped at 360 meters. I had been adjusting the turrets as it went so when it stopped I put the crosshairs on it and successfully shot it. There would have been no way I could have taken that shot without a RF as the bullet is dropping so fast that far out on a very small target that the odds of a successful shot based on a guess would have been negligible.

If you never shoot over 200 meters you don't need a RF, but if you ever find you have to take a long shot, without a RF the element of luck will come into play, and that's not what we're there for.
 
I remember as a kid with an air gun long before range finders existed (still never owned or used 1) guessing distances to things and then counting the fence posts to give me a rough estimate
Later on when started big rifles estimating ranges even just out and about as practice using pylons or leccy poles as usually a set distance apart
 
NigelM said:
I absolutely agree that for woodland stalking a RF is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. My average woodland shot in the last 12 months has been 75 meters and the furthest has been 120 meters. My rifle is +/- 1" out to 180 meters so why bother with a RF?

It is quite fun, and very good practice to ping objects as your walking along, guessing the range first. It does improve your distance guestimation and is probably the best way to learn. If you're a pro and are out every day you get very good at it, but for those of us out just once a week, accurate range estimation doesn't come quite so naturally.

On the hill however it's a different story. My average shot in the last 12 months has been 195 meters, with one long shot taken at 310. With no trees about up there range estimation does get more challenging for those of us who are not stalking day in day out. In the snow it's even worse. I had one case in January when I shot a hind and the calf ran off with 4 other deer we had not seen (sika on the woodland edge). It cleared the wood with the group and continued up the hill. I passed the RF to the guy next to me who called range as it ran until it stopped at 360 meters. I had been adjusting the turrets as it went so when it stopped I put the crosshairs on it and successfully shot it. There would have been no way I could have taken that shot without a RF as the bullet is dropping so fast that far out on a very small target that the odds of a successful shot based on a guess would have been negligible.

If you never shoot over 200 meters you don't need a RF, but if you ever find you have to take a long shot, without a RF the element of luck will come into play, and that's not what we're there for.
Click to expand...
I get your point but even as a Pro I seldom shoot beyond 200 yards and would never allow a client or guest to shoot beyond that distance , in fact the only time I shoot much beyond that distance is to stop a wounded beast and in that case a shot at any distance is acceptable and you certainly don't have time to faf about with a range finder.
On the hill most shots with clients are sub 150 yards will stretch that out to 200 if I know the client and have confidence in his shooting.
When at roe the shot is seldom much more than 100 yards.
I can also understand that using one as an aid to learning to judge distance could be beneficial.
However what does boil my p@sh and my reason for posting this why does a client need to get his range finder out to check how far a roe buck is even though you can just about touch it then they wonder why it just fecked off.
Or our Iron stag on the hill which every client had to shoot at before being allowed to stalk, how far it they would ask
150 yards you would reply, guaranteed out would come the range finder just to check ,feck me its 150 yards it was a 150 yards yesterday and it was 150 yards 50 years ago.
Grrr.
 
countrryboy said:
I remember as a kid with an air gun long before range finders existed (still never owned or used 1) guessing distances to things and then counting the fence posts to give me a rough estimate
Later on when started big rifles estimating ranges even just out and about as practice using pylons or leccy poles as usually a set distance apart
Click to expand...

Exactly ,soon becomes second nature.
 
Bogtrotter, it is still better to know the range than think you know. Side on body shot might not be so important but neck, head shots certainly are.
Another positive point about ranging in heavy terrain is reverse measuring to find the spot where the animal was standing.
A few years ago I spotted two deer in absolute first light, I thought way too far out for my guest. For the fun of it I measured and was surprised it was only 150m. My guest shot the calf.
edi
 
Range finding is a personal skill and should be practised regularly. However without a range finder you are probably plucking figures out of the air?

I always advocate using a range finder on a beast before you take a shot. If you also mark the firing point you have an100% aid in finding the shot site should anything not quite go as planned. Used in conjunction with recognisable features you can find the shot site very easily where there should be a wealth of information on shot placement.
 
Bogtrotter I think the whole client thing carrying a rangefinder would bloody annoy me also , constantly questioning you judgment with it.
 
I am with you on this one Jim. Too often the client will not believe us when we tell them how far it is and just to shoot in the engine room. But when the shot goes off the bullet sails high and off into the distance.! As happened with one medal buck. And when it was paced out it was within a yard of what I said. Not exactly plucking figures out of the air. As you say if the rifle is set up right there should be no need for any fiddling with the scope out to 200yds. And practise on a range at a bit further will also do away with fiddling. Don't get me wrong, If someone wants a fancy scope or rangefinder then I will sell them it. Maybe it is just the way we were taught Jim. Some things that appeared that we were a bit hesitant about I can see their advantages. ie bipods and moderators. Too late for our hearing though. As you say , the word is STALKING....J
 
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