Ranging Game in the Field Can be Tough

[General RE LEE]

Anyone else have issues getting an accurate range with a rangefinder on game? In the heat of the moment with one hand on the rifle and another trying to range target while shaking, it’s very easy to range stuff in background behind target. Happened to me tonight on a hunt. I picked up in my rangefinder the tree line behind the deer, dialed and whiffed first shot. Shot was high. I reloaded and ranged again to realize I dialed wrong distance. I had to dial down and connected on next shot.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Remember that a LRF is a cone and isn’t a absolute distance at longer distances
“”
a laser rangefinder's beam can be described as a
very narrow, focused cone (or sometimes a rectangle, depending on the optics). It is not a single, infinitely thin point, nor is it a wide cone like an ultrasonic sensor's beam.
The spreading of the beam as it travels is called beam divergence. Manufacturers of high-quality rangefinders aim for minimal divergence because:

• A smaller, more focused beam can pinpoint individual targets more precisely, even at long distances.
• It reduces the chance of the beam reflecting off an unintended object in the foreground (like a branch) or background, which would result in an inaccurate reading.
• It ensures more of the laser's energy reflects back to the device's receiver, improving performance and maximum range.

For context, a typical consumer laser rangefinder might have a beam divergence of around 1 to 2 milliradians (mrad). This means that at a distance of 1,000 meters (about 1,094 yards), the beam will be approximately 1 to 2 meters wide. ””
Also they should be ranged multiple times at different surfaces surrounding the actual target to get a good reading

1st time I used my Leica 1200’s I was WTF why am I getting so many different readings on this goat / pronghorn ( only about 300 meters after I finished the complete series of measurements

 

[Jordan Smith]

In addition to the above, part of it is technique. Try ranging at the feet of the animal if possible.

 

[wpeach1912]

A tripod mounted rangefinder helps. Kinda why I like rangefinding binos. Easy to find stuff in and attach to a tripod. Other ways to mitigate the issue is to range at the feet or range the background then range the target then range the foreground. That gives you some data as to whether or not you’re actually ranging your target

 

[nm.otter]

If you're hunting an area like a meadow, range the closest and furthest parts of it, split the difference, and dial your elevation. Now you can focus on the wind and the target.

 

[Car Ramrod]

I struggle with this as well with my Revic br4. I love the rangefinder for the data it provides but stability leaves a lot to be desired. Image stabilizing range finder would be great and I’m sure isn’t too far out.

I am wanting to get my hands on some swaro el ranges to see if it helps as much as I think it does/would.

 

[mtnbound]

Anyone else have issues getting an accurate range with a rangefinder on game? In the heat of the moment with one hand on the rifle and another trying to range target while shaking, it’s very easy to range stuff in background behind target. Happened to me tonight on a hunt. I picked up in my rangefinder the tree line behind the deer, dialed and whiffed first shot. Shot was high. I reloaded and ranged again to realize I dialed wrong distance. I had to dial down and connected on next shot.

I also range the animal several times along with the ground at its feet. The other thing is knowing where your laser is actually at in your RF reticle. I have seen them be dead center of the reticle, but others have been off a little, which means you need to adjust your point of aim to get a range.

 

[Sled]

I ranged an elk at 500 when it was actually 375. Put a bullet right above the lungs. Took me several minutes to figure out what happened. In the meantime she fed comfortably as if nothing happened. When I finally figured it out it was too late. She was behind some brush and I had no clean shot at vitals, just a head. I don't take head shots up close, so 350 yards was out for sure.

Double and triple check the range. Had I ranged an object in front of and behind the elk I would have known something was off.

 

[ThickPines]

The other thing is knowing where your laser is actually at in your RF reticle. I have seen them be dead center of the reticle, but others have been off a little, which means you need to adjust your point of aim to get a range.

I’ve seen this mentioned several times, but how do you figure out where it is?

 

[sndmn11]

If you're hunting an area like a meadow, range the closest and furthest parts of it, split the difference, and dial your elevation. Now you can focus on the wind and the target.

This.

There's no reason your rangefinder doesn't come out every time one stops, and few minutes when stopped, even when you haven't moved.

Turn "I set up for a shot and when the animal presented I was unable to range it", into, "I was setup for a shot and knew the range when the animal presented".

 

[Q_Sertorius]

This.

There's no reason your rangefinder doesn't come out every time one stops, and few minutes when stopped, even when you haven't moved.

Turn "I set up for a shot and when the animal presented I was unable to range it", into, "I was setup for a shot and knew the range when the animal presented".

That’s the whole point of RF binoculars, but I am still getting in the habit of doing it.

 

[Lawnboi]

Rf binos make it easier.

This was one of my biggest issues before I shot nrl hunter matches and learned how my rangefinder really worked, and what/where to range.

 

[Chris in TN]

If you're hunting an area like a meadow, range the closest and furthest parts of it, split the difference, and dial your elevation. Now you can focus on the wind and the target.

Yep.

Even in the east I do this. If nothing else you know which directions to think about range versus which direction to just point and shoot.


Before the days of rangefinders we’d use online aerial photos to estimate ranges to various trees, etc. wasn’t perfect but it beat nothing. Before then we’d get aerials from the county USDA offices. Crude, very crude on the photo edges, but still gave us a ballpark.

 

[cottonant]

Years ago some buddies and I bought SilencerCo picatinny mount rangefinders called Radius that were under $1,000. We mounted them on a scope ring rail platform. It wasn’t perfect but I wish I had bought several of them because they were discontinued pretty quickly.

I heard SilencerCo stopped making them because they wouldn’t hold up on light weight heavy recoiling magnum rifles. They did seem fragile but we used them with success on top of Polaris Rangers, in a shed with benches, etc. We would range the animal then confirm twice more.

If a quality Mfg would take the exact same SIMPLE Radius design and beef them up, I would be a prospect for sure because they worked so much better than my Leica hand held rangefinder.

 

[JGRaider]

I’ve seen this mentioned several times, but how do you figure out where it is?

This exact thing was a huge problem on a Sig RF I had. You can range the top of a telephone pole to verify. Put RF in scan mode and start outside the pole, move slowly left and right, and then up the pole and eventually above it. If your reticle is properly aligned with the laser you can notice it easily when scanning left to right of the top, and up and down. My Sig wasnt even in the circle reticle, as it turned out to be at 6:30 slightly outside of the circle, which will obviously give you false readings in the field lots of times. The idiots at Sig CS claimed it was "within spec".

 

[S-3 ranch]

This exact thing was a huge problem on an Sig RF I had. You can range the top of a telephone pole to verify. Put RF in scan mode and start outside the pole, move slowly left and right, and then up the pole and eventually above it. If your reticle is properly aligned with the laser you can notice it easily when scanning left to right of the top, and up and down. My Sig wasnt even in the circle reticle, as it turned out to be at 6:30 slightly outside of the circle, which will obviously give you false readings in the field lots of times. The idiots at Sig CS claimed it was "within spec".

Believe it or not it is in spec , almost every LRF isn’t centered and needs to be figured out where the sweet spot is

 

[AZ_Hunter]

The one animal I have lost was because of a bad range. Didn’t know I was hitting little aspen wisps when I ranged the terrain first thing in the morning. Couldn’t see them and they were 100 yards in front of what I thought I was ranging… so when the time came, I was 100 yards short of dope. I didn’t discover it until after the rodeo and did some forensics of the situation.

It was a lesson learned, and since then if an animal requires ranging, I range the animal itself. Which can be hard when your hand is shaking so I have leaned on my pack, rock, rifle, whatever is available.

 

[S-3 ranch]

The one animal I have lost was because of a bad range. Didn’t know I was hitting little aspen wisps when I ranged the terrain first thing in the morning. Couldn’t see them and they were 100 yards in front of what I thought I was ranging… so when the time came, I was 100 yards short of dope. I didn’t discover it until after the rodeo and did some forensics of the situation.

It was a lesson learned, and since then if an animal requires ranging, I range the aMinsk itself. Which can be hard when your hand is shaking so I have leaned on my pack, rock, rifle, whatever is available.

This is one of my pet peeves about long distance hunting
Most people don’t know how to use their equipment to be a successful LD shooter

 

[BRTreedogs]

I ranged an elk at 500 when it was actually 375. Put a bullet right above the lungs. Took me several minutes to figure out what happened. In the meantime she fed comfortably as if nothing happened. When I finally figured it out it was too late. She was behind some brush and I had no clean shot at vitals, just a head. I don't take head shots up close, so 350 yards was out for sure.

Double and triple check the range. Had I ranged an object in front of and behind the elk I would have known something was off.

You saw a hit that was high and knew you had a wounded elk and just watched her feed off?
You didn’t just rack another one in hold low and get her killed?
What in the actual heck