# Archery Range finders for the Field Archer



## mag41vance (Mar 13, 2008)

I would like to upgrade my laser Bushnell 500(4-5years old) to a newer Field Archery friendly range finder. What are your recommendations? :set1_fishing:


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## scottranderson (Aug 9, 2009)

Is it to check alreay marked distance?


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## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

I am on the hunt as well. I am focusing on finding the most accurate, without the angle compensation "feature". For some reason I just trust my Suunto inclinometer more... :noidea:


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## scottranderson (Aug 9, 2009)

For checking distance I wanna get one of these http://www.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/ocs/tools/101300/23315/rangefinders/glm-150/
A surveyors range finder. There about $400 to $450. I am saving for one now.


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## mag41vance (Mar 13, 2008)

scottranderson said:


> Is it to check alreay marked distance?


 Absolutely. :becky:


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## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

_Is it to check alreay marked distance?_

Sometimes marked distances are not always correct due to movement of target butts and yardage markers.


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## DXTCLUE (Apr 4, 2010)

My sight marks are set for my range finder.


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## mag41vance (Mar 13, 2008)

DXTCLUE said:


> My sight marks are set for my range finder.


What is this "sight mark" you speak of? :set1_rolf2:


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## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

DXTCLUE said:


> My sight marks are set for my range finder.


Only way to do it, your sight mark and your rangefinder work in perfect harmony. Sometimes the butts can be off as much as a yard.


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## screemnjay (Nov 2, 2008)

Nikon Riflehunter 550 w/ID. Fast, simple display with accurate cuts. The best of all worlds and far better than the bowhunter models.


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

edgerat said:


> Only way to do it, your sight mark and your rangefinder work in perfect harmony. Sometimes the butts can be off as much as a yard.


The NFAA rules and guidlines for Chartered NFAA approved field courses...do NOT allow the use of rangefinders by the club for setting the distances of the target. In addition, the tolerances do NOT allow the MEASURED yardage to be off no 1 yard...there is ZERO tolerance...So, if the range is mismarked by a YARD or even 1/2 yard...then the CLUB messed it up, and the Course should NOT have been approved...and...the Persons doing the course certification...did NOT do their job!

PLUS...most of the rangefinders have a tolerance of plus or minus 1/2 yard...which means...the "range" of the accuracy is ONE YARD...so using the rangefinder as "gospel" for determining if the yardage markers are accurate or not...is NOT "accurate" and obviously why the NFAA does NOT allow the clubs to "measure" their courses and set their shooting stakes with the use of a rangefinder!

You can rangefind all you want...nothing wrong with that...BUT...you have to know the limitations of your instrument. In addition, you MUST know YOUR limitations and how YOU react to uphill and downhill targets and the how the uneven footing and body positioning affects YOUR shot.

You can have the best rangefinder on the planet...but if YOU don't PRACTICE with the body positioning and footing for shooting the uphills and downhills and sidehills...then it isn't going to help much to know the "cut" and/or the range; you'll still miss.
You also need to know how to "read" a target and how far "out" you will shoot if you are set 1/2 yard, 1 yard, 1 1/2 yard OFF etc....
You don't learn this by shooting "dead on" yardages every time you practice! You gotta PRACTICE with intentional mis-set sighting so you LEARN how YOUR bow shoots and how far high or low YOUR bow shoots based upon mis-set sights. If you don't know this, then it is by guess and by gosh WHEN you run into this dilemma of you are 2" out, 'think' you shot a good shot, but don't know how much to correct the sight for this miss?

Low batteries on the rangefinder = inaccuracies. Using ONE sighting with a range finder = inaccuracies. Do you take a couple of readings and then move back a foot or so and take a couple more? If you don't, then you are asking for something beyond the "limitations" of the plus or minus 1/2 yard accuracy of the instrument.

Technology is nice...but it is NOT the great answer to all that ails you when shooting a field round.

field14 (Tom D.)


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## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

I have noticed that in the last few days of really practicing hard. I use the cut that my iPhone gives me and I am still in the 4 on longer shots. Will just be part of the learning process. If it were easy, it wouldn't be as fun, for me at least.  I need to find a good rangefinder, that is accurate though. We have been using one that my friend has and it is pretty much dead on, when checked against an actual tape on the ground. It doesn't do angles and I am a little suspect of my ArchersMark clinometer. Thinking about getting a Suunto PM-5 and just use ArchersMark for the marks.


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## J-Daddy (Aug 7, 2003)

Opti Logic Micro II....I bought one last year and love it. Ofcourse I bought it for hunting and it's only ever been on 1 range so far and that was Bowcast @ the Bird in Utah last summer...I gotta say that on the Bowcast course "which has some crazy long shots & big cuts" as long as I trusted the reading on it I was shooting well...A couple times I did 2nd guess it and cut a little more off the yardage and I paid for it. Opti Logic pioneered angle compensation in the hunting market and I've been way more impressed with it than the Bushnells & Nikons I've owned in the past...Other bonus is that it's the smallest & lightest unit on the market.


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## mag41vance (Mar 13, 2008)

field14 said:


> The NFAA rules and guidlines for Chartered NFAA approved field courses...do NOT allow the use of rangefinders by the club for setting the distances of the target. In addition, the tolerances do NOT allow the MEASURED yardage to be off no 1 yard...there is ZERO tolerance...So, if the range is mismarked by a YARD or even 1/2 yard...then the CLUB messed it up, and the Course should NOT have been approved...and...the Persons doing the course certification...did NOT do their job!
> 
> PLUS...most of the rangefinders have a tolerance of plus or minus 1/2 yard...which means...the "range" of the accuracy is ONE YARD...so using the rangefinder as "gospel" for determining if the yardage markers are accurate or not...is NOT "accurate" and obviously why the NFAA does NOT allow the clubs to "measure" their courses and set their shooting stakes with the use of a rangefinder!
> 
> ...


 Good job on bringing out some valid points, but what some have suggested is to use your range finding device to be specific to your own bow and sights; IE if you are standing at a measured distance of 36 yds but your range-finder reads 39yds and you set your sight to 39yds based on you setting your sights based on your particular range-finder, then you're good to go! Just don't share your yardage information with someone who has set there marks based on measured distances.
whew I think I just confused Yogi Berra.


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## Kade (Jan 11, 2011)

edgerat said:


> I have noticed that in the last few days of really practicing hard. I use the cut that my iPhone gives me and I am still in the 4 on longer shots. Will just be part of the learning process. If it were easy, it wouldn't be as fun, for me at least.  I need to find a good rangefinder, that is accurate though. We have been using one that my friend has and it is pretty much dead on, when checked against an actual tape on the ground. It doesn't do angles and I am a little suspect of my ArchersMark clinometer. Thinking about getting a Suunto PM-5 and just use ArchersMark for the marks.


You can know the cut or the flat yardage but if you can't make the shot then your still going to shoot a 4. Archers Mark clinometer is fine. I have it and have plenty of friends that have shot very good scores using it. You are missing on those shots because your missing. Shooting up and down hill is not something that most pick up very quickly. Unless your bow is dog slow a one yard cut isn't going to have you out of the dot even at 60 yds if you hold on the dot when the shot breaks, and I don't mean holding on the edge of the dot.

The Nikon Archers Choice rangefinder works awesome for field.


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## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

I am missing for a few reasons, I don't have my 3rd axis set yet, and I been messing with my bow's draw a lot. I need to find my draw and just stop and shoot


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