Whats the best Archery Rangefinder?

[Snapshot]

Hi everybody! I need opinions on rangefinders.I've never used one before. So I hope someone here has tryed some or all of them out. Thanks! Snapshot

[bigbuckonly1]

Hard to beat bushnell, been using one for years, trouble free, years ago had a nikon went bad just out of warranty- never bought another nikon product again. Whatever kind you get, it is best to get one for bow hunting that has the lowest minimum range that you can find in case you have animals very close to you, I like one that has a minimum range of around 4 to 5 yards, & maximum around 400 yards.

[DuckHunt]

I have a Leupold RX-II. It it a 400 yard model and comes with the True Ballistic Range function that comes handy when hunting from a tree stand or in hilly terrain (or both in my case).

I think it is discontinued now and has been replaced with the RX-750. You can still get the RX-II on eBay for $199 with free shipping. There is one guy on there that has sold a couple hundred of them at that price.

Since my son is taking a liking to my Exomax, I might have to buy another.

DuckHunt

[Chuck Gravel]

I have the nikon archers choice and love it, it only goes to 100 yards though so if you gun hunt it may not be for you. i really like the arc finder.

[Shoot Straight]

I use the Nikon Archer, used it this last weekend on a pig at thirty yards, works great.

[awshucks]

Cheapest you can find, imho.

[secret]

Nikon buy far!!!! your choice of model...i use a 550

[Snapshot]

Hi all,I just want a ranegfinder for archery.Most for guns won't range close enough for archery. The three I looked up so far for archery Nikon,Leupold and Bushnel don't have good reviews.Things like won't work in rain,fog,stops rangeing on moving deer and wrong numbers and hard to see numbers.I will check out the ones anyone lists,and I'm always open to more ideas or opinions. Thanks to you all! Snapshot

[wabi]

Cheapest you can find, imho.

We think alike.
I've owned more expensive models and went back to a Bushnell. It doesn't have all the extra features, but I found I didn't need them for my hunting and the Bushnell is very accurate.
I use the rangefinder to measure distances to fixed objects (tree, rock, clump of weeds, etc.) when I take a stand and before I see a deer. That way I can know if it's in range without the rangefinder when it appears.
For gun hunting the other features might be useful, but for archery I found them unnecessary.

[Snapshot]

Hi Wabi,that sounds like a good idea! Range different things in the area before the animal comes in.(Smart)I wonder if some of the bad reviews come from just a few bad items.Or do some like yourself have one of the good ones out there? In this price range they all have mixed reviews! With my luck guess witch one I get! I'm not done yet needs more thought. Thanks Wabi! Snapshot

[wabi]

This is actually my second Bushnell (Sport 450).
I sold the first to "upgrade" to a Nikon, and then found while the features like being able to range in a hard rain, updated yardage readings on a moving deer, and (supposedly - I had mixed results) reading through foreground clutter, were not really necessary for my style of bowhunting.
I also got less consistent readings from the Nikon than the bushnell. It would range one time at (for example) 32.5 yards, then read the same object at 32.0 then 32.5, then 33.0, close enough but not an exact repeat. The Bushnell would repeat the same exact reading time after time.

The Bushnell will not work well in a downpour or snow storm, but I'm not going to shoot a deer under those conditions. (blood trailing can be impossible after you wait for the deer to go down, unless it drops in sight the odds of loosing it are just too high to suit me)

The Bushnell doesn't give the changing yardages on a moving deer, but if it's that close I'm not going to be ranging it, anyway.

Foreground clutter (weeds & brush) can block the Bushnell from giving a reading on a distant target, but if I'm hunting that clutter is going to be trimmed before I actually hunt.

If I loose or break an expensive rangefinder I'm going to be upset. If I loose or break the Bushnell I'll still be upset, but not bankrupt!

[bob1961]

i pace off stuff in the area i hunt to within 3 yards max, it's just my stride that works out to 1 yard a step when i just stretch it out a bit....no need for me to have more stuff on/with me i don't need....my first deer i took at 49 yards i ranged it in my head at 50 yds anyway without pacing off the area ....bowhunting since 1982 has burned in yardages in my head too..........bob

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[Morangus]

The Bushnell Arc 1000. Works great. Purchased mine off Ebay for $100 off the MSRP.

[Snapshot]

Yes Wabi thats what the reviews were saying about all the ones in the $200.-$350. price range.I'll have to look at that Bushnell Sport 450,and anything elts I can find or if someone comes up with something different.Just saw your post Morangus befor shuting down, I'll look at the Bushnell Arc 1000 also! Thanks to all! Snapshot

[Big Pard]

One thing to consider is the closet range it will register yardage and if it has the ARC function which factors in shot angle into the range measurement. But since most shots will be 40-50yds and closer then most will do OK. Most rangefinders work well in close but the more expensive ones start to shine as the ranges start increasing