How To Choose A High Quality Rangefinder For Bow Hunting

A rangefinder is an easy and effective way to measure distance when bow hunting accurately. While you can really benefit from using a rangefinder, you’ll want to make sure you purchase a high-quality product. These are a few things you’ll want to look for when shopping for a rangefinder.

Have A Budget In Mind

It’s important to find an excellent rangefinder, but it’s just as important to look for an option that suits your needs. That’s why you should decide what you’re comfortable spending on a range finder before you start shopping.

If you do have a budget, you’ll be able to use price filters and focus on options that are comfortably within your budget. You don’t necessarily have to buy the top rangefinder on the market, but you should buy the best product that you can afford.

Look At The Maximum Distance Of The Rangefinder

What is the rangefinder you’re considering capable of? It’s important to see the rangefinder’s maximum distance so that you know how far the rangefinder can measure. You don’t necessarily have to look for a device with the highest maximum distance possible; you simply have to look for a rangefinder that can meet your needs.

If the maximum distance of a rangefinder isn’t high enough, you’ll want to explore other options. Make sure you’ll be able to use your device for everything you want to use it for.

Consider A Rangefinder with Angle Compensation

At times, you’re going to be aiming at a target from an angle. If your rangefinder doesn’t have angle compensation, the distance measurements it gives you aren’t going to be totally accurate. Although you can avoid this issue by aiming at eye level, you may find it easier to use a rangefinder with this feature.

In most cases, you won’t have to pay significantly more for a device that has angle compensation, and this is a feature that you’re likely to find yourself using again and again. When you’re looking at the various features a rangefinder offers, this is one of the first things you’ll want to look for.

Search For Scan Mode

Another feature that can be very useful is “scan mode.” With this feature, your rangefinder will scan the area and tell you the distance of animals and objects around you. A feature like this can really come in handy if you don’t have a particular target in mind.

Scan mode features tend to be very easy to use. While you won’t always see it on basic models, there is a lot of demand for this particular feature, which means it’s becoming easier to find. Even with a limited budget, you should see plenty of models that offer scan mode.

Priority Mode Is Worth Paying More For

Priority mode is similar to angle compensation, but it functions in a slightly different way. Rangefinders can give you inaccurate distances when there are obstacles between you and your target, such as large bushes. This happens because the rangefinder may be identifying the wrong target.

With priority mode, you can make sure your rangefinder is targeting properly, which means you have fewer issues with brush, twigs, and other types of debris.

Pay Attention To How Large The Device Is

You’re going to be carrying your rangefinder around with you when you’re hunting. You should think about how much of a hassle it will be to carry it around with you. How much does it weigh? How much space does it take up?

If you’re buying your range finder online, you’ll want to look closely at the product description. It can be hard to determine how large something actually is based on numbers alone, which is why you may want to use a tape measurer to see how big the device actually is.

Check Out The Display Screen

When you’re using your rangefinder, you’re going to be spending a lot of time looking at the display screen. That’s why you’ll want to examine the screen of any device that catches your interest. Is the display screen easy to read? What sort of information is provided there?

It’s common for rangefinders to display crosshairs, but not all devices include this feature. You’ll want to make sure you know what the display screen on a rangefinder is like so that you won’t run into issues when using the device. You may want to look for videos that show the rangefinder in action. This can help you visualize what it would be like to use the device.

Read Reviews

It’s easier to find a high-quality rangefinder if you pay attention to reviews. You should check to see what kind of comments people have been making about these products. See if the feedback skews positive or negative. If possible, you should search for reviews from other bowhunters.

Reviews can provide you with a lot of valuable information about a product, which is why you’ll want to set aside some time to look at reviews before you make a purchase. If you wind up buying a rangefinder that’s received a lot of rave reviews, you’ll know that you’re likely to be happy with the product.

Tips For Using Your Rangefinder For The First Time

A rangefinder is one of the most essential tools a hunter has at their disposal. A rangefinder can accurately measure distance, allowing you to properly place your shot. If you’re using your rangefinder for the first time, and you want to use it effectively, these tips should be a big help.

Make Sure You Know How To Use A Rangefinder

Rangefinders are fairly straightforward, but you’ll still want to make sure you have a strong understanding of how these devices work. When using a rangefinder, you’ll want to start by looking through the lens. The lens will be magnified, which will make it easy for you to spot your target, even from a distance.

When your target has been located, you’ll want to press the measurement button on your device. You should see crosshairs appear on your device. Press the button again, and your rangefinder will be able to measure the distance your target is at.

Get to Know Your Rangefinder And Its Features

Before you go out hunting, you should spend some time learning more about your rangefinder and how it operates. What kinds of features does it offer? Does it have scan mode? Is there angle compensation?

If you have a better understanding of what your rangefinder can do, you’ll be able to read it more effectively. It can be helpful to skim through the manual that came with your device. Find out what sort of features you have access to, and make sure you use those features effectively.

Take Your Rangefinder To The Range

The next time you go shooting at a rifle range, you’ll want to bring your rangefinder with you. It’s one thing to read about a rangefinder in a manual, and it’s another thing to use it in action. At the range, you can get some practice with your device.

Bringing your rangefinder to a range will also help you to see how accurate it actually is. You can use this opportunity to test your rangefinder and see if there are any discrepancies. If you notice that the numbers on your device are slightly off, you’ll want to keep that in mind when you’re hunting.

Be Prepared For Misreads

Even if you invest in a high-quality rangefinder, you’ll probably see misreads from time to time. For example, if you’re trying to use your device to pick up an animal, but there’s a lot of foliage in the way, the number that the rangefinder gives you might not be accurate.

If the numbers that you see on your rangefinder seem off to you, you should listen to your gut feelings and assume that those numbers aren’t right. Rangefinders aren’t infallible, and if you do a lot of hunting, you are going to see some misreads from time to time.

Learn To Spot The Best Ranging Surfaces

You’ll have fewer issues with misreads if you learn to look for the best ranging surfaces. Being elevated can be very helpful when using a rangefinder. Areas that have a lot of tall trees with straight necks are also ideal. These kinds of trees are unlikely to cause any sort of issues.

If you’re able to locate the right areas to use your rangefinder from, you’ll be able to use it more successfully. As you get more experience with your rangefinder, you’ll find that these locations are a lot easier to spot.

Try To Range at Eye Level

Some rangefinders are tilt-compensated, but that isn’t true of all models on the market. If your rangefinder doesn’t have this particular feature, then you’re going to want to make sure you range at eye level whenever it is possible to do so.

If you’re using a rangefinder that doesn’t adjust when you’re at an angle, you’ll want to be careful about how you use it. Ranging at eye level will provide you with the most accurate readings possible. Always take height and angles into consideration when you’re using this device.

Find The Right Place To Store Your Rangefinder

If you suddenly spot an animal, you’re going to want to make sure you can grab your rangefinder quickly. That’s why you’ll want to find a suitable place to store your device. If you’re able to reach it quickly, you won’t miss out on any opportunities.

When you’re deciding where to store your rangefinder, you should think about how much movement you’ll have to make in order to take your rangefinder out and set it up. If you move too much or make too much noise, you could wind up scaring the animal off.

Use Your Rangefinder To Improve Your Own Skills

Don’t just rely on your rangefinder when it comes to measuring distance. Instead, try to use this device to strengthen your own skills. If you’re able to gauge distance with your own eyes, you’ll have more success on future hunting trips.

Even though a rangefinder is a valuable tool, there are going to be situations where you may need to shoot without the aid of this device. Try to gauge distance yourself, and then check your estimation against the rangefinder. If you keep doing this, you’ll eventually find that it’s easier for you to measure distance yourself.

Keep Extra Batteries on Hand

You’ll want to make sure you’ll be able to use your rangefinder for the duration of your hunting trip. That’s why you’ll want to have backup batteries on hand. If your batteries run out, you should make sure that you can replace them immediately.

It’s especially important to bring extra batteries if your rangefinder came with batteries installed. Batteries like this won’t always last for a long time. Make sure that you’re ready to swap out batteries if they start to run low.

If you’ve recently invested in a rangefinder, you’ll want to keep this advice in mind, especially if you’ve never used a device like this before. With the right rangefinder, you’ll be able to shoot much more accurately, which means your hunting trips will be more successful overall.

Conclusion

As you can see there is a lot of steps to getting a handle on your new rangefinder.  One more important thing you must consider is getting the right rangefinder in the first place.  We don’t have many reviews yet on the site but you can check these guys out https://www.rangefinderyard.com/ they have some excellent reviews and information on every type of range finder on the market.