LAST EDITED ON May-28-11 AT 07:43PM (MST)[p]Beanman and Rage, Sorry yourself. I don't care who you are, a man can not tell 40 from 50, 50 from 60,... yards every time, especially across ditches, through trees, up and down hills, when a super trophy animal is in front of him, just can't do it, period!! Anybody that says that they can every time is a liar and i'll tell him so to his face. It only takes one time to cripple or loose an animal. If you are ok loosing a animal because you refused to get a rangefinder where you then would have known the distance, you are a looser, IMO, and should not be allowed the privilege of hunting!
The only reason shooting at animals at or over 50 yards with a bow should even be legal is if you know the distance!!
This goes for rifle hunting at anything over about 300 yards as well. It might look 250-300 yds to you but in reality it's closer to 400 yds or more...a miss, hope and a prayer, or a crippled animal. Farther shots are even more insane without knowing the distance.
I hunted and took many nice animals for many years without a RF myself. Since i got one, 10 years ago or so, i have yet to miss a single animal i have shot at and some were out there a good long range! Know your weapon's trajectory, know your range, it's a done deal. To not know the range is a gambol pure and simple!
Beanman, i have lots of respect for you but i have little doubt that i have spent just as much, if not more, time as you in the "lost art" of guessing ranges. Once i got and learned to use the rangefinder though, it really opened my eyes and i'll never, ever, go back to guessing yardage again, unless i absolutely have to.
Joey
