# Rangefinder for Big Game Hunting



## themaddmortician (Sep 26, 2006)

_*I want to purchase a rangefinder for hunting mostly deer, however I will be using it on coyotes, moose and elk as well. I have a $300 budget.

Suggestions from anyone with one would be appreciated.

Thanks.
TMM*_


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

I have been looking as well. I have used a number of the brands currently on the market and you get what you pay for. Recently a buddy of mine bought the Bushnell Scout 1000 that gives him true yardage at angles. His stand is 30 ft in the air and he has struggled shooting his bow from that height. Normally shooting over the target using his old range finder that did not adjust for the angle.

From messing with it I found it has two settings one for bow which adjusts angle out to 100 yards, and one for rifle which adjusts out to 800 yards.

Optic quality was not as good as others I have used, but it fit his price range and is something I am looking at myself because of the angle adjusting and cost.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Every one I have used in the under $400 range were POS and I wouldn't even bother. I have the Elite1500ARC and I really like it, but they cost about $500 I believe.


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

Do you really need to range out to 1,000 yards? Seems like the rangefinders with the longer yardage have the heavier price.
If it's beyond 500 yards I need to do some more walking anyway.


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## sioux (Mar 3, 2006)

Nikon Riflemaster 550. 299.99 Just got it. Did a lot of research, think this is the best one out there for the money. Has active scan, angle compensation, first target. Etc. Was in Cabelas and optics department said this is now their #1 selling rangefinder.

-Sioux


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I have a Leupold RX-II. It works great for every thing I have needed it for. The True Ballistic Range is great for bow hunting, and it has a lot of cartridge/weight/velocity choices for TBR with rifle. I have used it on Muley in the badlands, and it worked well for a very steep down angle shot. Also used it for prairie dogs in W ND out to 402 yds.(that was the farthest PD I could get a reading on). The menu is a little confusing, but once you set it for hunt you don't usually need to switch any thing. I got this one for about $250.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Starky said:


> Do you really need to range out to 1,000 yards? Seems like the rangefinders with the longer yardage have the heavier price.
> If it's beyond 500 yards I need to do some more walking anyway.


All the cheap ones I've used wouldn't give yardage over about 250 yards on a consistent basis. At under 300, I don't need a range finder anyway. It the 300-600 range that I really need. With the 1500ARC I can get those kind of ranges every time.


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

I was thinking about that after I posted. Sometimes 300 looks like 600.

Sioux - how is the Riflemaster with close range, like 20 - 30 yards.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Cabelas has the Elite 1500 on sale for $299. I'd grab one if I didn't already have it.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true


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## sioux (Mar 3, 2006)

The riflemaster is GREAT at those ranges. it goes from 9-500 yds.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

You want the higher yardage range finder so that you are able to actually range an animal. The listed yardage on rangefinders is for a reflective target, not for an animal. My Leica 1200 will range reflective targets at 1200 and beyond, but I have only been able to range deer to about 650 yards. Start with a 600 yard range finder and you will be lucky to range a deer at 300. I know, I had a Bushnell 600, and a Bushnell 1000, neither worked as well as the Leica. The Leica costs more, but consider that amount of money I wasted buying 2 Bushnells that did not work the way I want them to and I would have saved money had I just bought the Leica right away.

My opinion, save your money until you can afford a Leica.

huntin1


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## limitsbynoon (Aug 25, 2008)

I have an nikon elite 800, cost about 269 and works great, look at nikon, they have very good quality


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## themaddmortician (Sep 26, 2006)

Thanks everyone, I purchased a Bushnell Scout with Arc. Let everyone know how it works.


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