Anybody ever use one o' these?

[GF.]

Have to admit that I wasn't thinking at all about what pin to use on that cow... But I'm pretty certain that I'm a really lousy estimator of range. Especially from up a tree... I'd like to think that I'll jut do all of my hunting inside of what really looks like #1 pin ranges, but it would be nice to have a way to confirm that I'm more or less using the right pin....


There are different bracketing devices out there to help you judge your range, but this one seems the most precise, in that you can tune it for the size of the animal you're after.

[dave-t.]

It has always worked out better for me if I decide on the range before drawing the bow. It's never beeen a good thing for me to do a lot of thinking and calculating once I'm looking through the peep. Throws me right off of my game.

I also purposely set up in areas that restrict my view and shooting distance most of the time. I think it helps keep me hidden from the deer, and if the target is in the clear, it's in my 20yd range, usually less than that. Heck my last two bowkills weren't 20yds distance if you added the total yardage together.

When I set up in a brushy area, I only cut lanes to 20yds or so. If I'm in an open area, then I step off a landmark so I don't have to 'guesstomate', because I'm flat terrible at it and need a better plan than that for success.

[GF.]

Ah, but you can bracket before you draw here.....:rolleyes: :D

I like the idea, though. Close shots is good shots.

So maybe I'll step off the distance to the fenceline in one direction and the near & far sides of the old carriage trail in the other. Then I'll know - at least for that spot in the funnel. And that angle...

[Hink]

I used to have a little square thing that you looked through that bracketed the deer and gave a corresponding yardage. They used to cost like a couple of bucks and were the early range finders :D. Then my wife got me a range finder for christmas one year.

[Twanger]

Thinking back, I've only ranged maybe 3% of the deer I've killed.
Much like Dave, I prefer to range the likely spots in advance.
I ranged that 50 yard deer before I shot her this year, follow up shot of course, and last year I ranged one just like her at 44 before letting fly.
Very unusual circumstances though.
First shots are almost never made beyond 20 yards and the range finder is mostly to show me how far is too far.

[ncboman]

If I don't have markers out, I'm usually on a 20yd hunt. :)

I have a yardage pro at the ready but very rarely risk the movement with deer in sight.

I've really fell down in my practicing of late and wouldn't take a shot over 30yds right now. I wouldn't even like 30yds a whole lot.

It's funny. I know all my pins are/were dead on and nothing's moved. I also know I'm a fair shot, even on a bad day, but confidence is such an important factor, ... I just doan have it unless I've been shooting recently. :o

[Twanger]

I'm the same way Bowman.
If I have not shot the bow in a while my confidence is low.
Bowhunting is all about confidence, so that's not a good place to be.
Six arrows before an afternoon hunt do wonders for your confidence.

[dave-t.]

I love it when I can take a couple shots before heading to the stand.

I hadn't shot my bow in almost two weeks before my first hunt of the season this year, six arrows fixed my worries. Like always though, that is another reason I stick around 20yds hunting range. Unless things fall completely apart, I can make a 20yds shot.

[GF.]

I suppose I'm thinking more about the run'ngun for Elk with something like this. In a tree, you have a lot of options that just don't exist when you step around a tree and the critter is right there.

And on the other hand, I'm really thinkin' that I'd rather hunt Elk with a tradbow anyway :D

I've been keeping up with my practicing pretty well, but only out to 25 yards, basically. I've got a place to shoot farther, just haven't managed to get there yet :rolleyes:

Butchaknow.... 25 yards is a pretty damn long-lookin' shot, anyway :D

I think any deer that looks like it's kinda out there is gonna get my #1 pin just under the spine - unless I've stepped it off well enough to know it's the #2 pin, in which case I'll most likely just enjoy watching the wildlife....