Rangefinders have become a huge part of hunting. So what makes up the best hunting rangefinder? Well, it is obvious that knowing the range of your target is a huge benefit, especially when shooting long range and archery. The further out a shot is, the more the projectile will drop, but if you know your weapon and the distance to the target, you can effectively shoot at incredible distances. Here we will take a look at what you should look for in a rangefinder for hunting
There are several things that you need to be aware of before you buy a rangefinder so that you can buy the best hunting rangefinder for your situation. There are options that not all rangefinders have that will prove very beneficial once you use them. Here is a list of the items to keep in mind before you buy:
• Price & Quality
• Maximum Range
• Angle Compensation
• Overall Size
• Simplicity
Let's break these down to make sure you choose the best hunting rangefinder:
Price and Quality:
In the world of hunting rangefinders, and all optics for that matter, you get what you pay for. Price and quality go hand in hand. Higher quality almost always means higher price. There is a substantial quality difference between the least and most expensive rangefinders. A law of diminishing returns is also in play here, where to a point, quality goes up a lot with price, but as you go up in price, quality tends to level out. In other words, a 0 rangefinder will be twice as good as a 0 rangefinder, whereas a 00 rangefinder will not be twice as good as a 0 rangefinder. Of course it will be better and quite noticeably at that.
The best advice I can offer is: go with the best hunting rangefinder you can afford. This way there will be no regrets as to wishing you had bought a better one because it was the best you could buy at the time. Likewise, you will not be mad at yourself for buying an inferior rangefinder, because you bought what you could and you can upgrade when you have the funds available.
Maximum Range:
Pay special attention to the maximum effective range of a rangefinder before you buy it. For most long range shooters, you will want a rangefinder good for over 1,000 yards. Even if you are an archery shooter you will want a high maximum range. Even if you will not use the long range for hunting or shooting, it is still fun to use. Not to mention, most models these days have maximum ranges of 1,000 yards or better.
Even though a hunting range finder might have a maximum range of 1200 yards for instance, it is important to remember that this number is only accurate in the most ideal conditions. Most maximum ranges are calculated on a large reflective surface in the perfect weather conditions, which is not typical of a hunting situation. On deer sized animals with typical conditions you are normally good out to about 75% of the stated range. That being said, higher quality hunting rangefinders will live up to their stated maximum range much more than the cheaper ones will. Yet another reason to go with the best you can afford.
Angle Compensation:
When hunting, it's rare to shoot while being level with your game. When hunting out of a tree stand with a bow, or out west with a rifle, almost all shots will be at some type of angle. The angle you are shooting has a lot of effect on projectile drop. If you are shooting up or down hill, you will need to adjust as if the bullet or arrow will not drop as much. It is confusing, especially how you aim lower than normal for both up and down angles, but there is a mathematical equation that can tell you exactly how much drop you can expect. I am not going to explain it here, because it is easier to buy a hunting rangefinder that does all the math for you instantly and tells you exactly how far to shoot for.
A quick story: I was archery mule deer hunting and had a nice, 165 inch buck spotted bedded below some cliffs. I stalked to within 37 yards right above him. The rangefinder said aim for 25 yards. I thought that was a bit much of a variance, so I aimed with my 30 yard pin. Well, to make a long story short, I hit a few inches higher than I'd liked. Luckily he had no idea I was there or what happened, so he got behind a bushy tree and just stood there. There was nothing I could do but wait. Eventually, about 5-10 minutes later, he jumped into sight, shaking. I put one more arrow in the sweet spot from 40 yards (aiming for 30), and he was done after a 50 yard dash down a rock slide.
The moral of the story is get a hunting rangefinder that has some sort of angle compensation. All the brands call it something else, but it all calculates the same thing. It works the same for shooting a rifle, and many rangefinders will tell you exactly how high to aim.
Size:
With all the gear that us hunters deem necessary these days, the size of our gear is important. I like a rangefinder that fits easily into my pocket, yet is easy to hold and use. Too small and you will be fumbling for the right buttons. Too big and you will leave it in the truck because it is too cumbersome to pack around. We will talk about the best hunting rangefinder size at the end of the article.
Simplicity:
Push the button and read the yardage. That is what it takes for the best hunting rangefinder to do its job. Some rangefinders these days come with a novel of instructions that need to be read before you can effectively use it, and you'd better take that novel with you. Do not be fooled by all the extras. Actual range and angle compensation is all a range finder is needed to do. Besides, you want the numbers to be readable without a bunch of junk in the way when the moment counts. Keep it simple and you will be much happier with you purchase.
Finding the Best Rangefinder for Your Situation
