Thread: Errors in visually estimating range.

A bit of longe-range practice today with 2 mates.

-out of interested we tried guessing the range to the targets before checking them with the laser.

Found that all 3 of us underestimated the ranges by a considerable amount.

For example: estimates for 600yds varied between 450 and 500.
800yds varied between 600 and 700.
1000yds varied between 700 and 800.

What are other peoples experiences? We're all very inexperienced at judging distances. Interested to hear if this sort of underestimation is the norm.

Cheers.

I am the same. I test myself before ranging my targets providing time allows. And, like you I always under estimate!

It's the opposite when we shoot an animal 500 yards is actually 300 .

Originally Posted by Munsey

It's the opposite when we shoot an animal 500 yards is actually 300 .

Yeah we all do that when we are in the pub later

Originally Posted by Munsey

It's the opposite when we shoot an animal 500 yards is actually 300 .

Hahaha- I've experienced that one too

-another factor I've noted is shooting with a spotlight things seem much closer.

Recent example: I took a mate out spotlighting, and got him to shoot a rabbit at 225yds (laser ranged)- and he wasnt that impressed with the distance. Then showed him the 225yds the next day in daylight, and he was really surprised.
I've noticed this in the past too.

It's a good "game" to play...very hard when your trying to estimate across valleys/dips , I find

I always seem to under estimate distance before the shot the over estimate after the animal goes down.

Unless it's my mate thats taking the shot then I under estimate the distance before and after the shot

I've noticed he askes me less and uses his range finder much more these days

Yesterday i shot a deer at 352m looking down at him about a 35 deg angle across a valley, to the naked eye i would of thought it was well over 400m probably 450m and my mate agreed that it looked like a big shot, once we got down into the valley and looked back up it changed and looked like a fairly averge shot of about 350m.
A deer that we had seen earlier looked like it was at about 500 to 600m but when ranged it was 770m, funny thing the old guesstamation.

Im pretty crap at it also(guessing range) but people with range finders are generally better at it than people without.
I while back mate had the lamp(legaly) on some deer accros the paddock and up a face."Shoot the stag" he says then "why arnt you shooting" "um Im not really that confident shooting 625y at a deer in the dark off the bonnet"
He thought it was around 300y couldn't believe it till he ranged it.

With a little practice some times you get the ranges right which is pleasing but its the time you get it totally wrong that I've now had to admit that the rangefinder is the best tool for the job not my eye O meter.

shooting flat land and shooting across valleys will trick you also especially with valleys appearing further than they are .

Yup. I'm awlays having trouble estimating the range.

Guess how far there red arrow is.

For rabbiting with the 223.

???? 375 ????

Another thing to look at is when you range an item then you look at another animal that looks the same distance but range it anyway and bugger me its another 100 yards away ..... Range finder is a must if you want to shoot at range for sure!