As humans, it is not always possible for us to make the correct judgment every time. Though in general life tasks such mistakes do not matter much, if you are hunting, one wrong judgment of distance may result in you leaving empty-handed.
So if you want to stay away from committing such an unforgettable mistake, you must invest in a Rangefinder. It will help you make the perfect shot once you get the hang of it. Hence, ensuring that you are not leaving for home feeling dejected.
However, getting the best rangefinder for long range hunting is not enough. You must know how to use it to correctly get the desired results. Here are the crucial aspects associated with a rangefinder and you need to follow them carefully.
Need Of A Rangefinder In Hunting
The first thing that you must know before using this advanced equipment, you must understand the actual need for it.
- It has one of the most crucial responsibilities in your hunting journey, letting you know the exact distance between you and your prey. It not only helps you be more confident in taking the shot, but it also helps you improve your accuracy. Now there is no need for you to take a random guess about the animal’s location.
- Hunters understand how important it is never to be too close to the target. Subsequently, the idea of not moving physically closer yet being close to the animal makes them really excited. The rangefinder helps you exactly do that; thus, helping you take the long-distance aim easily. It will also help you stalk the animal without letting it know about spying on it.
- Another problem that hunters need to tackle is mistakenly shooting something else. With a rangefinder, you can easily take the correct aim, shooting the target only, nothing else.
How Does A Rangefinder Works?
By now, you must have a clear image of what a rangefinder can do. Still, it isn’t easy for some hunters to understand the working of this equipment. The easiest way to understand the working of a rangefinder is by understanding the working of a laser one.
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So here is the principle it is based on. The presence of a laser in it is responsible for calculating the distance at which the target is situated. This is because when the laser beam hits the target, it gets reflected. Thus, by calculating the time the laser took to travel, you get the value of the distance the target is far away from you.
Though it does use a beam of light that travels at the speed of light, some factors may hinder its effectiveness. Here are the factors you need to pay attention to while using this equipment.
- The spread of the transmitted light (laser)
- The reflectance of the surface of the prey or the target
- Target’s size
- Conditions of the atmosphere
- The steadiness of the rangefinder (depends upon the support used)
How To Use Rangefinder?
Now that you know what it is and how it works, it is time for you to learn how to use this one. Here are also some of the factors that will help you operate this miraculous tool with ease.
The best factor about this tool is that it does not require you to have the typical technical knowledge. All you need to do is peep through the monocular lens that will magnify the image of the target. Now you just have to press the button saying “measure” after locating the target.
Now in your field of view, you get to see a crosshair (similar to one that appears in the riflescope). Now set this crosshair on the target, again press the measure button. Again, the laser from the rangefinder is thrown out, and it comes back-reflected from the target.
It is the complete process of finding out the distance using the rangefinder. Now that you know what to do, here are the things that will assist you in having the best experience using it.
- Be Familiar To Its Existence
Many hunters decide to get the best rangefinder in the market without considering its working, which does not bring instant results. Hence, it creates the need to be as familiar as you can with this device to get a grip on its handling. You may think that you do not need to do such a thing as a professional.
However, here is why the newly bought rangefinder cannot work for you. Not all the rangefinders you find in the market are the same. Even there are various types of this equipment. So not only for the beginners, familiarization becomes necessary for the professionals as well.
Completely understand the working of this equipment before taking it to the field to start hunting. You must have got a manual with the product that you need to go through. It will help you understand the model better and the specification it has to offer.
Also, get familiar with the how-to carry it with other hunting equipment. Besides all these, also get the hang of the maintenance process to take care of it in case any problem occurs.
- Do Not Range The Target At The Very Last Moment
Calculating the distance is only helpful when you do it beforehand. However, if you happen to see the desired animal running at its full speed and decide to range it, it will cost you the kill. Therefore, you need to set the rangefinder before the animal decides to make a run for it.
Though it does not mean you will get plenty of time in all the cases, it will still be better than the last moment ranging. Thus, if you want to improve your speed of ranging, try practicing the same on trees. It will help you get better results in no time.
Types Of Rangefinder You Can Find
- GPS
GPS is a word the people of today are not unfamiliar with. With GPS, you can get the general information you would expect regarding the distance of the object located. It can be really helpful to know while shooting the targeting during your hunt.
Though there is one thing that you might find frustrating. It is the pre-programming that you need to do. You need to program the data prior to going to the hunt. Many users may find this factor troubling them. If it is not something that bothers you, then GPS can be the one for you.
- Laser
If all you what is accuracy from your rangefinder, nothing can beat the laser ones. If used within a yard, the chances of error reduce to zero. It is one of the most preferred rangefinders you can find in the market.
Another advantage that you get with this one is no need to program it like the previous one. The working of these is pretty simple as it relies on the field present before you. On the other hand, the GPS is more dependent upon the programmed map installed within.
As the laser directly strikes the object you want, it gives you the best accuracy you can expect from any device. Along with such a feature, there is no fuss about maintaining it. For the GPS one, it is mandatory to charge them from time to time. However, there is no such need in the case of this rangefinder.
- Optical
Like the laser rangefinder, these are free for the compulsion of batteries and charges. Optical ones are good for you if you want something more affordable than the previous two mentioned. The more you focus on the object, the more precision you will attain with the optical rangefinder.
You may notice that it does not offer complete accuracy like the laser ones, about 90 percent. However, it seems to be the best one you can purchase for the price you get.
- Golf Rangefinder
Since the discussion about rangefinder is going on, one can never forget the golf rangefinder. If you are someone familiar with golf and its gameplay, you understand the importance of hitting the ball at the right angle and direction.
Indeed, this need gave rise to the need for one rangefinder for this game as well. The purpose and work remain the same. Only the thing that changes is you hitting the ball in the hole rather than shooting a bullet in an animal’s skin.
There are two kinds of rangefinders for the golf you can get your hands on. One is the laser one, and the other one is GPS. Both of these will help you measure the distance of the target, hence improving your overall experience of golfing.
Summary
Now you must have understood the importance of a rangefinder in your hunting journey. However, rather than expecting the most loved rangefinder to do its magic on its own, you need to spare some time on the learning process.
Once you understand how to use the device, the hunting process will become more exciting than before. As a hunter, if you have not invested in a rangefinder yet, it is time for you to get and practice before going on your next hunting session.
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