Range Finder Suggestions

[WyoChris]

Anyone recommend any good range findes for bowhunting? Just looking for a range finder I can take with me up in the tree and mark some landmarks.... not really concerned about shooting out to 200 yards.

Thanks.

Chris

[redlund]

I have a Cabela's VLR Range Finder made by Bushnel and for the money I don't think it can be beat with all the features. I've hunted three years with it, backpacking elk hunt in Colorado - Texas hog hunting - a ton of whitetail hunting in Minnesota and 3d leagues. I am still on the orginal batteries. (But...I think I will put new ones in this year.)

[huntnfish]

I have a Leupold RX600 and it does the job. I've had it a couple years and don't have any complaints. It doesn't have any angle compensation which was fine for me since I do a more hunting on the ground than I do in a tree and wasn't planning on heading west anytime soon. There is a new rangefinder out this year from wildgame innovations but haven't done any research but you can pick one up for around 150.

[Bear55]

They just about all work fine, I have a cheaper Bushnell that has worked great for year. You can spend the extra money for the ARC technology but 95% of the time you won't really need it unless you are 30+ feet up in a tree or hunting steep terrain.

Every time I get up in a tree I range the trees within shooting distance, every now and then I range a tree at the base and then level with my position and the distance have never been more than a 1 yard off so the expensive range finders are not needed in most situations.

[mnguy152]

I and a few buddies have the nikon brand the low cost one works great. The price on it was about 200.

[sticknstring]

I wouldn't spend a lot on money on one unless you hunt a lot of field edges or hunt open terrain out west. If you're halfway decent at guessing yardages, bowrange in the woods shouldn't be a problem. I thought I needed one as well and haven't hardly used it in the 5 years I've had it. They are nice though in the regard they can double as a close-range binocular as most have magnification in them. If you're primarily a big woods hunter, I'd invest that money into a trail camera, or a stand instead.

[Schloogs]

I have the Nikon Riflehunter 550. Simple and works well. It also has the incline and decline compensation. It runs around $290.

[Scoot]

I have the same unit as Schloogs and I've been happy with it so far. That being said, I totally agree- if you don't plan on going really high and won't be hunting in really up-and-down country, get an inexpensive one that doesn't have angle compensation.