range finders

[Jim Plungis]

I live in Connecticut and am always worried I'm far away enough from houses etc when hunting ducks in the marsh off long island sound. What do you guys think is the best range finder for me. I need to be 500 feet from any home etc.?

[DelDuck]

In hopes to get you more replies I moved your thread to gears and gadgits. And a hardy warm welcome to huntchat.

[gregarat]

I was told that you divide the rangefinders number in half for the best reading.
For example: Say you have a Leica 1200 rangefinder, you can accuratly range a small target at 600 yards. They may adveratise the rangefinder to work at 1200 yards, but thats a large (truck size) reflective flat target.

The target itself also has alot to do with the reading. A small bush with no disticnt surface is more dificult to get an accurate reading than a billboard.

Different rangefinder manufactures also use different size lazer beams. The smaller the beam the more steady you must hold the rangefinder. A rangefinder with a large target plex is good for golfing, where a stable rest for your rangefinfer isnt practical. Where a tinny beam is good for targeting the groundhog you shot 500y away, or even the golfball itself. If you drove the ball to the green on a Par 4.

[Jack]

If all you need is to find whether you're 500 feet from a house, about any rangefinder will do that.
A house is a big, reflective target for a rangefinder.
Pick the cheapest one, or the most compact.
Now, if you want to range varmints at 500 yards +, that's a very different story....

[Jim Plungis]

Thanks for moving me. I got my answer because of it, Thanks