Kevin Steffey, Author at Deer Hunting Field

Best Hunting Rangefinder – Picking Out the Best Hunting Rangefinder

Bow hunting has changed a lot from the primitive origins of the weapon. It’s not just the weapons that have changed, however, there’s tons of equipment which abounds. One of the coolest, and perhaps most sensible, advancement in technology is laser rangefinders. We’re here to help you find the Best Hunting Rangefinder, so let’s get into the meat of the matter.

Hunting Rangefinder	Quality	Price
Bushnell Michael Waddell Bone Collector Edition 4x 21mm Laser Rangefinder, Realtree Xtra Camo	A-	$$$
Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot	A	$$$
Nikon 16228 ARROW ID 5000 Laser Rangefinder	B+	$$$$
Nikon 8397 ACULON Laser Rangefinder	B	$$$
Halo XL450	A+	$$

Why a Rangefinder?

While some might consider it cheating, rangefinders often save more trouble for the animal on the other end of the arrow than they do for the hunter.

Let’s face it, with the advent of modern bows and aiming technology there’s a lot of hunters who’d have no chance of hitting an animal have a pretty good shot of hitting something now. That’s good, because it makes the sport of bow hunting accessible, but it can be bad for the animal when a shot only wounds and causes unnecessary suffering.

You can avoid this type of thing with a rangefinder and some practice. Don’t give up on trying to just “see” the yardage, but now you’ll know how much drop to expect when you take a shot and can compensate for it quickly.

Using a Rangefinder

They’re not perfect, of course, laser rangefinders have a few tricks to using them that are based on how they work

The first big thing is to understand how they work. The CPU in your finder will read the reflection of the laser, but when you’re aiming at something over a hundred feet away you have to be careful because the slightest obstacle can give you an inaccurate reading.

As long as you’re aware of this and careful with how you use a rangefinder you can keep things fairly accurate.

Get Some Practice

It’s also good practice to use them in conjunction with bow sights. This way you’ll know if your arrow is going to drop through something which might cause deflection and a shot not going exactly where you want it to.

It’s also important to practice with one at the range, eyeballing distances has been done for a very long time but you might be a bit off. The parabolic arc of arrows is pretty pronounced, so knowing how much drop off will occur between thirty and forty yards is important to using one properly.

The last major thing you might want to do is applicable mostly to stand and blind hunters. Mark the landmarks in the shooting lanes around you and you should be able to accurately judge the distance to your prey when they approach without having to waste time double checking.

All in all, they’re a useful tool for almost any hunter and especially for those of us who like hunting with bows.

What To Look For

For archers your primary consideration is always going to be accuracy. Unlike bullets, which travel in a mostly flat plane until reaching pretty far distances, bows will nearly always be shot in an arc to some degree. The more significant digits in your reading, the better.

You’re also going to want to look for something which is easy to access, especially if you’re a practitioner of mobile hunting styles. Also, take a look at the pouch when you get it and decide if it’s too loud or hard to use and get something else if that’s the case.

Slope capabilities come under a lot of different proprietary names but they mostly do the same thing: allow you to get an accurate reading when you’re shooting up or downhill. This shouldn’t be a make-or-break option for most archers, but it’s important for those who shoot from tree stands

You definitely don’t need to spend money on a unit that’s accurate out to a kilometer or more if you’re using a rangefinder for bowhunting, about 800 yards should be ideal for your purposes.

Advanced Features

You’ll also need to make sure that you’re using a second priority finder, these are more likely to ignore brush, leaves, and other minor obstructions while you get your range dialed in. First priority finders do tend to be more accurate in ideal conditions, but in the field, you’re not likely to find ideal conditions too often.

The last consideration to take into serious account is the targeting reticule of the finder itself. Most hunters will want a crosshair with a backlight option because a LED type of reticule will cause your pupil to constrict and destroy your night vision in those early and late hours you might need it most.

Of course, since we’re not all made of money, you’ll also want to consider the cost of the unit compared to your budget. Remember that even an expensive finder isn’t going to do you much good if you’re not proficient with one, but the better you are the more you’ll be able to take advantage of its capabilities.

Reviewing The Five Best Rangefinder For Bow Hunting On The Market

Hunting Rangefinder	Quality	Price
Bushnell Michael Waddell Bone Collector Edition 4x 21mm Laser Rangefinder, Realtree Xtra Camo	A-	$$$
Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot	A	$$$
Nikon 16228 ARROW ID 5000 Laser Rangefinder	B+	$$$$
Nikon 8397 ACULON Laser Rangefinder	B	$$$
Halo XL450	A+	$$

#1- Bushnell Michael Waddell Bone Collector Edition 4x 21mm Laser Rangefinder, Realtree Xtra Camo

This Bushnell rangefinder is an amazing little device, making it easy to tell ranges out to 600 yards. Simple and easy to use, most archers will find it a welcome addition to their pack.

Via: Amazon.com

Pros

Highly Accurate- From ten yards out to six hundred you’ll receive a reading which is accurate to within a yard.
Low Light LCD Display- The low lighting can make the finder a bit hard to see, but with some practice, you’ll find it leaves your dark vision intact while you’re using the finder.
Compact and Light- You can get away with carrying this one in your hip pocket with a surprising amount of ease.
Simple to Use- There’s just one button on this finder, target it and hit the button with your index finger and you’ll be good to go.
Meters or Yards- If you’re more comfortable with the metric system this finder can be switched to meters for easier reading.

Cons

No Slope Finding- You’ll have to get used to the distances up and down slopes with independent experimentation since your readings will be slightly off.
Imperfect Construction- This isn’t the most durable finder around, while the electronics function well the case is prone to breakage.

This rangefinder is probably best for those who are hunting from blinds on flatter terrain, but in a pinch, it’ll be good for pretty much anyone.

#2- Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot

It might be a bit pricey, but this rangefinder is absolutely wonderful for archers no matter how they hunt. It comes with quite a few advanced features which help it stand out from lesser offerings.

Via:Amazon.com

Pros

Angle Range Compensation(ARC)- With the ARC feature you’ll be able to accurately judge distances out to 200 yards while shooting up or down hill. This is an essential feature for those who like to hunt from stands.
HD Optics- The optics come in stunning HD quality, allowing you to get a clear view through the 4x lens while you’re taking your range.
Durable- Rainproof, well put together, and coming with a great case, this rangefinder is tough enough for the field no matter how you prefer to hunt.
Clear Shot Feature- The clear shot feature will allow you to know if your shooting lane is clear with a great degree of certainty and allow you to avoid accidentally tagging a branch which might throw you off target.
Light and Compact- The rangefinder is small and light, so it won’t be a burden in your pack.

Cons

Fairly Expensive- It’s not super expensive, but the price of this rangefinder does run pretty high.
Clearshot Doesn’t Work With 1-Pin Sights- Unfortunately, the Clearshot technology doesn’t work with single pine sights, so you’ll want to make sure you have multiple pins on your bow sight if you intend to use it.

The Truth stands up to its name, and you won’t beat it for anywhere near the price point. If you’re looking for the best, you might want to start here.

#3- Nikon 16228 ARROW ID 5000 Laser Rangefinder

Nikon makes the ARROW ID which is a good rangefinder for the price. Simple to use but the advanced technology comes with a pretty steep price.

Via:amazon.com

Pros

Nikon ID Technology- ID stands for incline/decline and it allows you to get an accurate reading on slopes of varying heights without any hassle.
True-Target Technology- True-Target allows you to switch the priority modes of the finder, making it easier to get an accurate reading while looking through areas that might be obstructed by minor obstacles.
Simple to Use- There’re only a couple of buttons here, and a single button press will give you the range you’re aiming at.
Neoprene Case- The case which comes with this rangefinder is made of neoprene, allowing it to be quiet and fairly waterproof to keep your piece of equipment well protected.
Accurate to .1 Yards- This rangefinder is a bit more accurate than most, going down to .1 yards.

Cons

Very Expensive- This rangefinder is quite expensive, and might be out of the range of most archers when cheaper and effective devices are available.
No Good In Low Light- Despite the high cost, it simply isn’t a good finder to be using in low light conditions

The finder is very advanced, and extremely accurate which is probably why the price point is so high but for many hunters, it simply won’t be worth the high cost. The lowered score isn’t indicative of a bad product, simply of one that’s expense outstrips its utility compared to comparable options.

#4- Nikon 8397 ACULON Laser Rangefinder

While not the absolute best finder you’re likely to find for bow hunting, the Nikon ACULON makes up for it by being accurate and extremely compact.

Via:Amazon.com

Pros

Super Compact- The unit is comparable in size to a smartphone, just being a little bit thicker and making it extremely easy to carry and deploy in the field.
Easy to Use- Even for something as simple as a rangefinder, you’ll find the ACULON is amazingly simple to use.
High-Quality Optics- This rangefinder goes up to 6x, so the magnification is a little bit higher than most of the units you’ll see sold for bowhunting.
Rapid Readings- The readings from the ACULON are almost instant out to about 550 yards.
Distant Target Mode- If you’re hunting in heavy brush, the distant target mode will hit off the farthest target which can give you accurate readings even in relatively dense cover..

Cons

A Bit Touchy- You’ll need rather steady hands to get a super accurate reading with this one. It’s usually not a problem to find something to brace your arm on, but stand hunters may be at a disadvantage.
Hard For Small Targets- While not much of a disadvantage if you’re sticking with large game, those who like diversity in their hunting might be disappointed with smaller targets

The main draw of the ACULON is the superior optics for the price and how small it is. For the mobile hunter it’s a godsend, but stand and blind hunters might be better served with a different device.

#5-Halo XL450 Best Rangefinder Under 150

While not the greatest product on the market, the Halo XL450 comes in with a fantastic price and a surprising amount of technological capability.

Via: Amazon.com

Pros

Max Range of 450 Yards- The maximum range of the XL450 is a surprising 450 yards. It’s not enough for real scouting, but it’s certainly good enough to mark distances from your blind or stand.
Ai Technology- This finder will automatically account for slopes, a vital feature for stand hunters.
1 Year Warranty- There’s a full year of warranty which will account for manufacturer errors, showing a good level of faith in the product.
Accurate- The finder is accurate to about a yard, which is certainly good enough for most ranges with a bow.
Small- It’s small enough to easily fit into a coat pocket.

Cons

Lack of Clarity- The optics seem to be where this device is worse off, while not terrible most models will have a much clearer sight picture for you.
Auto-Turn Off- Many hunters are disappointed to find that the rangefinder turns off pretty quickly while idle, which can be a pain in the field.

It’s not the best finder around, but you’re not going to find anything in the same price bracket which will actually be a functional rangefinder in the field. Give it a shot if your budget is tight and you won’t be disappointed.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, of the rangefinders we’ve reviewed The Truth is probably the best hunting rangefinder hunting. It’s simply a superior product for the purpose, the advanced technology more than makes up for the only slightly above average optics of the unit. If you’re on a budget, then try out the Halo XL450, the value it will add to your hunting for the price is simply amazing.

Via:amazon.com

Did we miss your favorite rangefinder? Let us know in the comments below!

How To Hold A Rifle Steady – The Best Way To Hold A Rifle Steady

Are you holding a rifle steady enough? Whether you are sports shooting or hunting, aiming is a necessary part of obtaining the perfect shots. However, it is quite difficult to aim appropriately if you are not able to hold the rifle steady in a way to aim reliably.

Instead of battling to maintain your eyes on your stamp with a coggling rifle barrel, it is a smart thought to figure out how to hold a rifle steady in order to be able to simply count on obtaining the accurate aim. In this article, we will also discuss the right habit you need to hold a rifle steady and some other related matters you need to hold a rifle correctly. So read on.

Creating The Right Habits

Figuring out how to hold a rifle relentless involves a thorough training so as to hold your rifle correctly. Doing this means teaching yourself again and again how to hold a rifle correctly for your muscles to consequently accept the correct positions later on. It will require time to get the correct strategies set up, but once you eventually get it, you should have the capacity to hold your rifle unfaltering in any conditions.

An ideal approach to prevail in this shooting area is to utilize the time you require and figure out the correct habits, regardless of the possibility that it implies totally retraining you on the most proficient method to hold the rifle and aim accurately. If you begin sliding once again into a poor hold or in the event that you attempt to execute some steadying methods to your present poor hold then you will not discover the same level of accomplishment.

Figure out how to do it correctly, and then educate your body to keep on doing that as your normal hold all the time. After creating the right habit you need to hold a rifle correctly then you now need to learn the basic steps involved in holding your rifle steady.

How To Hold A Rifle Steady

Step one: Build Up Your Steady Position.

For an accurate aim, you are expected to hold your rifle steady enough even if a mallet falls on the barrel. By learning these essential fundamental steadying procedures, you should have the capacity to hold your sights steady enough in any position.

Teach yourself diverse positions to discover what works perfect and comfy for you. The rested position, comfortable for few shooters, is not comfortable for shooters with awful hips. In case you are a righty, you will need to fire with your right hand and the hand that is not firing is your left hand and the other way around.

However, eye predominance additionally is also a factor. Mostly, with shoulder-discharged firearms, you line up on the dominant eye side. This is also valid for cross-predominant shooters — individuals who are lefties or righties and prevailing in the inverse eye.

Step two: Steady The Handgrip With Your Non-Shooting Hand

The hand guard of the rifle should seat in the “V” made by your thumb and index fingers. The handgrip needs to be light, similar to a terrible handshake, and the wrist needs to be candid with the fingers twisted generally about the handguard.

The hand that is not firing should make the rifle steady just like the non-firing hand in basketball game should steady the ball. The majority of the rifle’s support should originate from your shooting hand and your body position, but the hand that is not firing is for steadiness. Avoid potential risk to always keep your hand clear of the actions of the rifle and ejected shells.

Step three: Put the Rifle Butt In Your Firing Shoulder’s Pocket

Another step is to put the rifle butt immovably in your firing shooting shoulder’s pocket. Ensure that the butt is stationed against your firing shoulder, not on your collarbone, or the meaty part of your armpit underneath it.

Keeping the rifle butt firmly in the shoulder’s pocket enables the recoil to be consumed by your entire body, instead of snapping once again into your shoulder, therefore making for an agonizing and inaccurate shot.

Step four: Hold The Pistol Grip With Your Shooting Hand

Contingent upon the sort of rifle you are using to shoot, you will be holding either a tampered shotgun-style or full pistol grip. Notwithstanding, your grasp on the rifle need to be firmer compared to your non-shooting hand, more similar to a friendly handshake.

There ought to be some retrogressive draw on the grasp, pulling the back of the rifle solidly into your shoulder. This guarantees that when you are prepared to shoot, gripping the trigger will not make the rifle move and shake your exactness.

Your trigger finger needs to be straight. Try not to twist it around the trigger till you are prepared to shoot. Lay it on trigger guard side, or utilize it with the other fingers to hold the stock.

Step five: Keep Your Elbows In And Down

Another step is to keep your elbows in and down. Your elbows will be set fairly distinctively relying upon whether you are standing, seated or inclined, however, all positions require that your elbows should remain underneath the rifle to bolster its weight. Imagine a cord linked your elbows in the direction of your hips, drawing them in the direction of your focal point of gravity.

Step six: Unwind Your Neck And Allow Your Cheek To The Stock

The next step is to relax your neck and allow your cheek fall normally to the stock. This is in some cases known as “cheek-to-stock weld,” and it can be gotten by conveying your nose toward the charging handle on a few rifles. Steady cheek-to-stock weld will guarantee that your eye adjusts normally to the rifle sight and that you do not need to utilize your fringe vision to strain and target.

Step seven: Relax Your Body

This is the final step on how to hold your rifle steady. With appropriate strategy, you should have the capacity to unwind your body and expect a quiet breathing cadence.

Your handgrip ought to be tight on the rifle without being stretched. In case you are utilizing your muscles to grip a rifle, surely they will get tired and your exactness will falter.

Getting into relaxed, comfortable position is an ideal approach to shooting precisely.

How To Know When You Are Doing It In The Right Way

In case you are not certain as to whether you have the stance down or not, put forth these questions to yourself:

1- Is Your Body Relaxed?

On the off chance that your muscles feel strained and are having sore rapidly, you are most likely not in the correct position. Your muscles ought not to be strained hard as though you are working out. Keep in mind to utilize the body positioning to bolster the firearm, so you do not need to tense that extent to keep it set up.

2- Are You Able To See Effortlessly Through The Sites Or Scope?

If it is quite hard for you to see the sites, it implies that your head might be in the incorrect position. Rifle sites are designed to be at a convenient position for you to check whether you unwind your neck muscles and keep it against the knob of the firearm.

3- Are You Aiming Admirably?

How well would you say you are hitting your objective? While this could be your rifle itself or wrong targeting, there is likewise a possibility that conflicting shooting is because of an ineffectively held rifle. In case you are not keeping the rifle steady to a great extent, your gunshots will be extremely conflicting.

4- How Is Your Breathing Beat?

When you have a proper body positioning, you won’t battle to hold the rifle unfaltering, so you will have the capacity to inhale well. In the event that your breaths are flimsy and conflicting, check your stance and release your muscles when you attempt to hold the rifle once more.

Conclusion

I believe you really enjoy this content. Utilizing a rifle takes tolerance and great skill if you are striving to put forth a valiant effort.

Figuring out how to hold a rifle steady can unfathomably enhance your aim and offer you a great possibility of hitting your target when you shoot your rifle.

Rehearsing the methods discussed above can lessening your stress on your way to getting an accurate shot with an unfaltering aim. For further inquiries, you can comment below.

Bow Hunting Tips- Some Quick Tips to Make You a Better Bowhunter

When it comes to bowhunting, there’s such a wide variety of equipment and techniques available that it can be hard to give people truly valuable advice about things, whether it’s how to build a treestand or what arrow to use.

Instead it’s usually better to take general tips, and try to extrapolate them to your own style whatever it may be. If you haven’t found it yet, you’ll want to find yours before you really try to take any advice. In this case it’s often a good idea to find a mentor, until you’ve truly been in the field yourself knowledge doesn’t amount to much.

That said, here are some general hints which might help any hunter, although they’re mainly geared towards stand hunters like myself.

Scouting the Location

Before the season even begins you’ll want to know the area quite well. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on in the woods, and if you’re under the impression you can just walk into any forest and find a buck you’re going to be disappointed.

One of the best things to do is to move carefully through the woods, looking for the various signs that deer, and particularly bucks, leave in their wake. This includes the animal trails, rubs, signs of past deer and where their food and water will be located.

The best way to go about this is on foot, slowly but surely make your way all through the area in the off-season. It’s a great way to be outdoors and getting set up for the thrill of the chase once the whole thing is ready to go.

Use Food Plots

Wherever you’re hunting, it’s a good idea to plant food plots. It’s definitely not unsporting, and if you have access to a property you maintain year-round you’re actually adding to the health of the deer population. You’ll find that deer prefer different foods in different seasons, and a lot of it will depend on your area.

Don’t just plant them around your stands though, plant them regularly along established deer trails and you’ll be able to make sure the deer have a varied and complete diet. They’ll be healthier and more active, and you’ll have a much better chance of scoring a big one when they come to feed.

Safety! Always!

While you might not have as dangerous of a weapon as riflemen, it’s important to always be safe. This means a quality quiver, never shooting when you don’t know where a miss will go, and in the case of stand hunting you’re going to be using a safety harness.

Don’t let machismo trick you into not doing this, more hunters are killed by falls than almost anything else every year. Be safe! It does you no good to tag a big whitetail if you fall on your head during the process.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practicing your form is an essential part of the hunt. In all honesty, hunting is such a complicated art that some archers eventually forget that they also have to be able to shoot well. You’ll find this attitude is especially prevalent among hunters who use very accurate and easy to shoot modern equipment.

A bad shot is worse than a complete miss, you’ll cause the deer unnecessary suffering and might even lose it entirely as well. Keep your form sharp, and make sure you can shoot at a wide variety of distances. Even if you don’t want to carry a rangefinder in the field, invest in one and use it to make sure you can hit a target from a variety of areas.

Patience

Novice hunters will often blow a sure thing by acting too soon. A large part of hunting is knowing when and where to take a shot, nearly as large a part as being able to take the shot with confidence anyways. Let the deer get nearer, or into a more open area, or however things need to pan out rather than popping off your arrow earlier.

You’ll do a lot better with some patience, and it can be hard to develop, but do your best and you’ll get the hang of it sooner or later.

Conclusion

Doing things like the above isn’t going to replace experience, instead they’re there to help you develop the personal qualities you’ll need in order to get better. Hunting can be seen as an act of personal development, it requires many qualities which are rare in people to be a good hunter and it takes quality time in the field in order to build yourself up.

The important things are a happy hunt, the thrill of the chase, and getting to know and love the animals you’re hunting. Everything else, including the kill, is just the cherry on top of the glorious sundae.

If you want to learn about How To Choose A Best Hunting Boots just click here

Why a Rangefinder?

Using a Rangefinder

Get Some Practice

What To Look For

Advanced Features

Reviewing The Five Best Rangefinder For Bow Hunting On The Market

#1- Bushnell Michael Waddell Bone Collector Edition 4x 21mm Laser Rangefinder, Realtree Xtra Camo

Pros

Cons

#﻿2﻿- ﻿Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot

Pros

Cons

#3- Nikon 16228 ARROW ID 5000 Laser Rangefinder

Pros

Cons

#﻿4﻿- ﻿﻿﻿﻿Nikon 8397 ﻿﻿﻿ACULON ﻿﻿﻿Laser ﻿﻿Rangefinder

Pros

Cons

#﻿5﻿-﻿Halo XL450 Best Rangefinder Under 150

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

Creating The Right Habits

How To Hold A Rifle Steady

Step one: Build Up Your Steady Position.

Step two: Steady The Handgrip With Your Non-Shooting Hand

Step three: Put the Rifle Butt In Your Firing Shoulder’s Pocket

Step four: Hold The Pistol Grip With Your Shooting Hand

Step five: Keep Your Elbows In And Down

Step six: Unwind Your Neck And Allow Your Cheek To The Stock

Step seven: Relax Your Body

How To Know When You Are Doing It In The Right Way

1- Is Your Body Relaxed?

2- Are You Able To See Effortlessly Through The Sites Or Scope?

3- Are You Aiming Admirably?

4- How Is Your Breathing Beat?

Conclusion

Scouting the Location

Use Food Plots

Safety! Always!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Patience

Conclusion

#2- Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot

#4- Nikon 8397 ACULON Laser Rangefinder

#5-Halo XL450 Best Rangefinder Under 150