Judging Distance - I Need to Improve Fast

[archp625]

How is everyone judging distance without a rangefinder? I'm talking 10-25 yards shooting 3D.

 

[nevadabugle]

Practice. Go on hikes with one. Guess stuff, range stuff. Rinse, repeat.

 

[archp625]

Practice. Go on hikes with one. Guess stuff, range stuff. Rinse, repeat.

I was afraid this is what I was going to get. I was hoping for an easy button or trick, but knew in the back of my mind practice judging then range was the answer. Appreciate it.

 

[nevadabugle]

I was afraid this is what I was going to get. I was hoping for an easy button or trick, but knew in the back of my mind practice judging then range was the answer. Appreciate it.

If there is a trick I would love to hear it too.

Ill tell you this tip. I estimate yardage in three ways.

1. Estimate the total yardage.
2. Pick the middle point and double the yardage.
3. Estimate how much farther or closer than 20 the target is.

If then kinda of average the answer to all three and im usually in the ball park.

 

[nevadabugle]

For example. I would do the following. Its quiker than it sounds.

1. 30
2. 14x2= 28
3. 20 +6 = 26

Id shoot it for 28. Hope that makes sense.

 

[nevadabugle]

Another example.

1. 16
2. 6x2=12
3. 20-5=15

Shoot it for 14 or so.

 

[archp625]

For example. I would do the following. Its quiker than it sounds.

1. 30
2. 14x2= 28
3. 20 +6 = 26

Id shoot it for 28. Hope that makes sense.

Yes it does. I have a 3D shoot at the end of the month that I want to do well on. I have 4 weeks to get my mind around this. Rangefinders made me weak

 

[LostArra]

At 10-25 yards I concentrate on the ground to the target, not the target. Target species and surrounding background and elevation can trick your eyes.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Yes it does. I have a 3D shoot at the end of the month that I want to do well on. I have 4 weeks to get my mind around this. Rangefinders made me weak

Practice is the way... go for a walk in the woods if possible and range stuff AFTER you guess. I like to look towards the target in 10 yard increments if I'm unsure of the range. Also helps if you learn which other shooters have similar flight times to your bow. It doesn't make a difference on short shots, but the flight time of a competitor may be a useful piece of information on the back half of the course.

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

What is your current draw weight? Increased speed helps greatly with this. Not if you are gap shooting idk, but if you are instinctive it will def help to jump into a 60 plus pound bow range. Trajectory at 10-25 yards is very similar and shouldn't matter much unless you are shooting really heavy arrows with a slow bow.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

One other thought, for what it's worth... 10-25 yards is usually only a 6-7" window from a reasonably fast trad bow if you execute your shots cleanly. A very quick bow will be 4-5". Distance gets in your head more than in the aim. Lots of guys drop their bow arm or collapse on shots that are past their "comfort" zone. In reality, a strong shot would keep them in 8 ring even if they shoot for 18 yards at a 25 yard target.

 

[archp625]

One other thought, for what it's worth... 10-25 yards is usually only a 6-7" window from a reasonably fast trad bow if you execute your shots cleanly. A very quick bow will be 4-5". Distance gets in your head more than in the aim. Lots of guys drop their bow arm or collapse on shots that are past their "comfort" zone. In reality, a strong shot would keep them in 8 ring even if they shoot for 18 yards at a 25 yard target.

My bow is a 46 lb. widow at my draw length. I shoot a 461 grain arrow at 179 feet per second. Now you have me thinking on the window.

I have a 20 yard point on. From 10-15 I aim about 6" low. 17 3" low. 20 yards point on. 22 about 3" high and 25 5" high.