Estimating distances for bow or firearm shots.

How far is this foggy buck & doe or this large and heavy big buck in the open?

The buck was an estimated 25 yards away as it moved through a foggy day shortly after sundown. This happened some years ago, and I drew back, aimed and the arrow sailed just under its brisket for a clean miss.

I had held for 25 yards, but in the dusk and light fog, the distance was very misleading. The buck had been 35 yards away, as I later learned after stepping off the distance..

It taught me a valuable lesson. I now carry a laser rangefinder, but have learned other ways to estimate distance. I am primarily a bow hunter, but will hunt several  days each year with a rifle.

Learning to judge distance is an acquired talent, only after much practice.

It makes little difference how far a deer is from the hunter. If the distance isn't accurately judged, that buck might as well be on the moon. Guess wrong, and the shot will often miss.

The easiest way to accurately judge distance with a lazer rangefinder. They can be easy enough to learn, and there are several ways to tell how far away a deer is. It’s vitally important to know that distance before the deer is seen, and before the animal presents a shot opportunity..

One thing that works for me, and I practice it all the time, is to look at an object like a stunted pine tree, and count the paces to it. The average walking stride is 32 to 36 inches, and a foot or two isn't that critical for a bow or rifle shot unless the animal is a long distance away. It's best to pass on long-yardage shots with bow or firearm if you aren't familiar and comfortable with shooting at long ranges.

Choose large and small objects when judging distance. I know that a football field is 100 yards long, and when rifle hunting, I see how many football fields fit into the distance between me and a buck. The equivalent of two football fields means the buck is about 200 yards away.

On the other hand, if it looks to be only half the size of a football field, the buck is about 50 yards away. Sometimes the longer distances are easier to judge than shorter shots. Know too that a big buck will look closer than it actually is.

A deer appears at what appears to be 30 yards away. A small buck may seem to be farther away than what it really is.

Much also depends on the size or a large or small animal.

One place where hunters often make mistakes is second-guessing themselves during the last 15 minutes of legal shooting time, especially when back in thick cover. As it grows darker, and the deer become slightly less distinct, beginning hunters often second-guess themselves. They know that old stump is exactly 20 yards away, but when a deer walks by that stump, people often believe the deer is farther away. They know the stump is 20 out, and know the deer is 20 yards away, but because of dwindling daylight they over-estimate the distance at 30 yards, and usually miss.

The deer looks darker in heavy cover, and that can lead the mind to thinking the deer is farther away than what it really is. My advice is to take a laser rangefinder, and find and memorize the distance to other visible objects nearby where a deer might appear. Some hunters put up tiny staked flags at known distances but that often puts too much human scent in the area.

Stepping off a guessed distance is one of the best ways to learn how to  tell how far apart the hunter and the deer may be. Know this: in the midwest, ranges are easier to determine when there are trees nearby.

Distances can look shorter or longer. Learn to adapt to local terrain.

Western hunters, especially on the plains or in the mountains, have learned to determine distances. An eastern hunter that heads west for an antelope, elk or mule deer hunt, will find these distances deceiving. The same holds true when hunting in the Arctic on snow or ice.

In such cases, the savvy hunter buys a good laser rangefinder, and shoots a laser beam at the animal. Read the distance, and aim accordingly to your rifle and load or how flat your bow shoots. Many western hunters who use a flat shooting rifle sight in to hit three inches high at 100 yards, and that puts them dead-on at 25 yards and again at about 250 yards.

Judging distance isn't difficult but it is like guessing the weight of a fish or deer. It can be done but only after a good bit of practice.

Practice between now and next hunting season. Guess how far it is between you and that fence corner, that crooked popple tree, the rockpile in the center of the field or any other object. Take approximately one-yard steps, count them off, and see how close you are.

With practice, you'll be able to guess within a yard or two of the actual distance. Learning this skill will make you a better deer hunter.

Title: Estimating distances for bow or firearm shots.

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