Dope in the field

[Bowhunter46]

What are yall using for your dope in the field? Specifically when traveling out of state. Are you guys setting dope charts before the hunt, using rangefinders w/ a ballistics app?

 

[codym]

I shoot matches out of state or even in state at different altitudes. I use the applied ballistics in my vector x’s and my kestrel to build backup dope cards, usually multiple dope cards depending on temp and DA changes.

 

[Wrench]

Temp, DA and on site validation.

 

[wapitibob]

Did a drop chart once, now I use a felt pen yardage turret. I live at 3,300 and hunted at 4500 and 7800 this year. Have never worried about corrections due to atmospherics but we've always been able to get within 400 yards of whatever we're hunting.

 

[Skerhunter]

Range finder, phone app screenshot for back up and a chart taped to scope.

 

[HuntHarder]

Applied ballistics for the last couple years. I just grabbed some RF binos with AB in them. I plan on using those going forward.

 

[grfox92]

this isn't what I thought this thread was about.......

Anyway, I use Hornady 4DOF it will load in the fieal without service once you have your rifle saved.

However, in order to be quicker than opening an app to find my come ups and wind call, I do as follows....

If Im going to be hunting at a trail head where the elevation is 6k feet and your average peak is 8k feet Ill set my elevation for 7k feet. If I am standing in the trail head or at the top of a peak at 8200, my come ups will be insignificant enough to not affect where ill hit, about 1.5 inches at 600 yards. I will run a chart in the 4DOF with 50 yard increments out to whatever my max range is. For my primary hunting gun its 600 yards, so I end it there.

I take a screen shot of the chart and set it as the lock screen on my phone. If I remember correctly, I learned this move from @Formidilosus .

This year I ranged a mule deer, tapped my phone screen got my elevation, dialed it, held for wind and DRTed.

Edit: I attached a screen shot of my current lockscreen which was for a cow hunt where my average elevation was 9k feet.

Second Edit. I was using 25 yard increments for more precision during deer season. Smaller targets made want a little tighter tolerance. For an elk I was confident in 50 yard increments.

 

[justinspicher]

My dope chart is taped to my buttstock, it also has wind corrections on it for me, just in case.

I use this method quite a bit, I’ve practiced often on prairie dogs.

 

[claver]

Applied ballistics for the last couple years. I just grabbed some RF binos with AB in them. I plan on using those going forward.

Which bino’s did you go with? I’m looking for some with AB integration at the moment as well.

 

[HuntHarder]

Which bino’s did you go with? I’m looking for some with AB integration at the moment as well.

Leica Pro Ab's 10x42

 

[TaperPin]

Whichever electronic method you choose, have a backup.

I like it taped to the stock so seeing it multiple times a day gets the numbers burned into memory. Having 100 yard tick marks written in paint pen, nail polish or model enamel on the turrets as a visual backup can help prevent mental malfunctions of transposing numbers, or turning down instead of up.

In the shooting malfunction hierarchy humans are the most problematic, then electronics, then optics, then mechanical.

 

[Pilsner]

Some variation of this setup plus my phone (which I used to take the pic).
DOPE card
RF bino with ability to grab DA and input wind info (kestrel.is in the truck and I'm feeling lazy)
Something to write up on and store a backup DOPE card.
I've recently also started using a screen shot of wind calls based on current environmentals as the background screen on my phone (as mentioned above).
The KISS principal always applies.

 

[Wrench]

I will use charts till the corrections get large enough intervals that 100yd jumps could be problematic.

At that point I switch to the kestrel, rf or my geovids for correction. I don't like busy charts and rushed shots. I would just run SDF if close was good enough.

 

[Idhunter777]

What are yall using for your dope in the field? Specifically when traveling out of state. Are you guys setting dope charts before the hunt, using rangefinders w/ a ballistics app?

I have a dope card that was made in excel from the Hornady ballistics calculator in my bunk harness. I also have it as my Lock Screen on my phone for redundancy

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Kestrel and update dope on site.
Make Dope chart in my notes on iPhone.
Then screen shot said note page and make it my default Lock Screen.